Great career advice from great leaders in one great blog!

From time to time, you might hear a little gem of advice that sticks in your mind for years to come. Someone else’s personal insight into the world of work can prove to be influential in your future decision-making and help shape your entire approach to work.

English poet William Blake said that ‘hindsight is a wonderful thing, but foresight is better.’ So true! In regards to your work, it can only be a good thing to listen to the advice of others when it aligns with your own values.

We’ve compiled snippets of career advice from a mix of successful leaders, plus some pearls of wisdom from some of our own talented team and incredible clients.

Don’t fear failure

Failing is bittersweet. It’s tough to deal with at the time, but it’s a great way of learning how to do things better.

Michelle Obama discusses the need for people to talk more about failure.

‘Failure is an important part of your growth and developing resilience. Don't be afraid to fail.’

Take the risk and jump

Evelyn Santoro is a Heart Talent partner and Head of Public Affairs at ChildFund Australia. She shared a story with us about how she overcame her self-doubt, took the advice of others and made a positive step forward in her career.

‘I was offered a promotion at Head Office. But I was going through a divorce and was a newly single mum to a 2-year-old, so I wasn’t sure if I should take the role. The CEO cancelled her lunch appointment and took me out instead. It was one of the most important moments in my career. She said, ‘Evelyn, life will always throw things at you at the worst time. Don’t wait for the right time; it’ll never happen. Take the risk and jump in when life throws things your way.’ And she was right. I no longer wait for the right time to get involved and do things I love. I give this advice all the time. Jump in. If it’s not for you, at least you tried it.’

Acknowledge the work of others

Michelle Stewart is the Chief Executive of Pankind and a Heart Talent partner. We learn lessons throughout our careers, but for Michelle, she was fortunate to identify in her first job the importance of people and teams in the workings of an organisation. Acknowledging the work of others was her greatest lesson and something she continues to advise others about today.

‘I make it my priority to understand why things are done the way that they are and who has been crucial to the success to date. This provides me with a much greater appreciation of the environmental context and a much better idea of how deep and sustainable change can be achieved. 

I think it is very important to acknowledge previous contributors to any project, regardless of whether they are still your colleagues or have left the organisation. Having genuine humility about my respective contribution to improving processes and systems, above the previous cumulative efforts, has definitely created the trust and support that I have needed to create further improvements within the organisations where I have worked.     

There is a phrase that is attributed to Isaac Newton and is often mentioned at scientific meetings when brilliant scientists are presenting what could be seen as major breakthroughs. They acknowledge that ‘If I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’ I find it hard to think of a scenario where this isn’t true, and I believe that acknowledging this is really important to stay grounded and open-minded and to garner the future support from stakeholders that we all need to be successful.’

Heart team member and talent specialist Rachael Galloway highlights the importance of not only supporting others but backing yourself too.

‘Learn to advocate yourself. Celebrate your wins. Stay humble, but acknowledge your part.’

A workforce where people respect each other and celebrate one another’s successes is crucial to creating a great culture. It reflects positively on employer brand. Working in an organisation where a sense of teamwork is embedded helps improve employee experience and will contribute to a more fulfilling career.

Find your value

Biographer Walter Isaacson shared some interesting insights into the mind of the late Steve Jobs. He summarised his learnings from Jobs to help others find their way on their career path.

‘The important point is to not just follow your passion, but something larger than yourself. It ain’t just about you and your damn passion… It’s about finding where you can contribute and benefit other people so that 20, 30, 40 years from now, people will say, this person didn’t just have a passion; he cared about making something that other people could benefit from.’

Being passionate about your work is great. But to create an impact on the wider organisation, you need to be invested in the vision of the business.

You don't have to follow the leader

The idea of climbing a career ladder is outdated. There are many ways you can succeed in whatever it is you choose to do. 

Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, uses an analogy to explain the modern career ladder.

‘Jungle gyms offer more creative exploration. There are many ways to get to the top of a jungle gym. The ability to forge a unique path with occasional dips, detours and even dead ends presents a better chance for fulfillment.’

Expect your career to take many twists and turns. Find what works for you, and make it happen!

Strive for better, regardless of your job title

What can you bring to the table that offers value and makes an impact on an organisation as a whole? Every individual has a role to play in an organisation’s success.

Audrey Choi, Morgan Stanley's former Chief Sustainability Officer, offers advice on how to approach a job.

‘What new perspective do you bring, and how can you think about doing something different? Which is not to say disobey your bosses. But I’m saying, how can we think innovatively about how we do this even better? Especially with regard to sustainability or impact of any kind. It’s not just the people who have it in their title who should be doing it. If only those of us who have it in our title do it, we’ll never get anywhere.’

To make a change and do things better, people need to think differently and offer an alternative approach or solution. This is why it’s so important to have a diverse workforce with new ideas and new ways of doing things. 

Visions and values are not just for organisations. If you have a goal, you have something to work towards. Sometimes, this goal needs to be identified or clarified, like Heart Talent’s Founder Cynthia Harris explains.

‘I was working for Stopgap at the time. My general manager (and mentor), Helen Bosworth, and I were in a taxi on the way to a client meeting. She asked me a question that totally took me by surprise. She asked me what I wanted to do when I left the company. It was possibly one of the most impactful conversations of my career. I’d already thought about the idea of starting my own business one day, so although it was many years later, I’d say that question was advice and a catalyst, all in one.

Keep learning

It’s never too late to learn something new, and we can learn so much from those around us. Regardless of your job title, take the opportunity to learn about the wider organisation for a more holistic view of the business.

‘Learn as much as you can from people around you. Get involved, and give your opinions. Avoid the ‘not in my job description’ mentality. Sometimes, that can hinder you from scoring better opportunities within an organisation. Of course, there’s a balance between stretching yourself in your role and being taken advantage of. But you’ll recognise the difference.’

– Evelyn Santoro, Head of Public Affairs at ChildFund Australia and Heart Talent partner.

Find a mentor

Heart Talent specialist Rachael Galloway reflects on her earlier career, where she endured a tough workplace environment. She found that having mentors helped her manage her career, which still holds true in today’s workforce.

‘I started my career back when everyone was smoking in the office and getting yelled at or told ‘You're fired’ and expected to return to work the next day as normal. But I had strong female mentors who helped, so my career advice would be that: get a strong mentor!’

Heart Talent Founder Cynthia Harris agrees with the value of having a mentor and explains how it can have a great impact on your career and life in general.

‘Get yourself a mentor. It doesn’t have to be anything formal. Building relationships at work will reveal who’s happy to help and guide you. Some industry member bodies have wonderful mentoring programs. I’ve done the RCSA mentor program twice, and my second mentor has become a friend. My relationship with her is one of the most impactful of my career.’

Mentors are a great asset in your career development, whatever stage of life you’re in. Find someone who holds the same values as you and who understands the direction in which you want to go.

‘Just get stuff done.’

It’s simple and to the point, but it’s the number one piece of advice from former US President Barack Obama.

‘I’ve seen at every level, people who are very good at describing problems, people who are very sophisticated in explaining why something went wrong or why something can’t get fixed. But what I’m always looking for is no matter how small the problem or how big it is, somebody who says, ‘Let me take care of that.’

Obama says that following this advice will get you noticed in your workplace because employers appreciate the proactive approach.

And one more…

Business is all about people.

At Heart Talent, we firmly believe that business is all about people. People don’t do business with a brand or company name. They do business with people. Your people are your organisation’s brand. They represent the vision, values and culture of what your business offers and reflect the employer brand. Building strong healthy relationships is key to a successful organisation.

Looking for more insights about talent attraction and engagement? Check out our employer resources.