Practice What You Preach
Gosh, kids really help you stay true to lessons you try to teach them.
As I'm advising my high school senior on her college essays, I'm practicing what I preach: Be bold, brave and tell a story.
I'm using my own advice as I'm working on a new resume. It's breaking all traditional rules - as for a few months they haven't helped get me calls for new work.
I thought about this new approach as a fun way to show that creative leadership comes from collective years of experiences, not just the last 10 years of working, which is the advice I've received from recruiters and HR professionals. I reject that early lessons learned aren't just as valuable. Early lessons shape who you are now and can really help others understand who you will be on a team. Deeper understanding builds connection, empathy and professional respect. Being a leader also means being a doer, achiever, motivator and strategic problem-solver.
Below is a snippet of content I'm including about early lessons learned from working before I had a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
From age 16-22 these are lessons I learned:
Jewelry Store Sales 💍 Don’t pre-judge who has money to spend. People judge you by the jewelry you wear. Using higher quality paper makes it easier to wrap gifts beautifully.
3rd-Shift Retail Stocker 🌙 Working for a union store in the South was only ever going to be temporary before locals decided the store’s fate. 3rd shift sucks.
Fast Food 🌮 When tears fall onto the tacos you are making, it’s time to go.
Nursing Home 😔 Some jobs I’m not emotionally cut out for.
Insurance Processor & Sales Cleric For Indie Pharmacy 📋 ⚕ ⚖ Sometimes you must resend insurance claims monthly for years to get them paid. Making and dispensing drugs is a big responsibility. Unless you are family, family-owned businesses can be tricky to work for.
Photo Tech - 1 hr photo lab 📸 Discretion is an undervalued trait. Taking care of your chemicals makes it easier to color correct images. Being good at your job makes customers happy.
Applebee’s Hostess 🍽 Teamwork, no matter the position, makes for a smoother shift.
Grocery Cashier 🥦 Be kind to people.
What are early lessons you learned that helped shape the leader you are today? Comment below 👇
💫 If you are starting a new venture and need name ideas or visual branding reach out for a free 30 brainstorming call to learn from a marketing and branding POV the things to consider for short and long-term success. I'm looking to speak with any venture that has a project they are ready to invest in. Book a call!
#creativeleadership #leadership #branding #logos #graphicdesign, #lessonslearned #creativevision, #practicewhatyourpreach #startups #founders #venture
