Here are my takeaways from the book “The Life Lessons Of Kamala Harris: How to use your voice, be assertive and own your story by Hitha Palepu” – Part 3
Never take any relationship for granted. In every interaction, ensure that you can offer value. Also, make the value you bring to the other person clear, whether you are reaching out to someone you wanted to connect with or someone who reached out to you for help.
Build personal connections with the people you want to partner with in your success. Go out of your way to ensure that they remember you for a long time.
Know that if you want to succeed, you do not have the option to be mediocre. Focus on your future self and show up, speak up, and follow up again and again. Put in effort every day.
Be aware of the biases around you; they are part of reality today and mostly workplace politics are influenced by those biases. So along with showing up as your authentic self, be proactive about handling the biases and be ready to face them. Spend your time and energy understanding the politics. By being proactive in managing the biases and politics, you can gain some control over the situation; otherwise, you will be managed by it.
If you have an unusual name, have a story about it to share. If your dressing style is different from others, mention something to make it clear or reduce the bias, own it, and be confident about it. E.g., if you wear bright red, mention, “Red is such a powerful colour, no?”
Look for a mentor only after having a clear understanding of what you are looking for in the mentorship relationship (a sponsor, a coach, a guide, etc.) and being clear about the value you offer the mentor as well.
Have a growth mindset, know how much you don’t know and be confident about it. According to Carol Dweck, the view you adopt for yourself effects the way you live your life. It’s amazing to see that a simple belief has the power to transform your psychology and, as a result, your life. If you adopt a growth mindset, you will not shy away from challenges and will be able to accept constructive feedback without being defensive or hostile in the conversation.
There are internal and external triggers that push us into a fixed mindset. Identify the triggers and jot them down. At the end of the week, review them and look for patterns. Identifying the triggers is the first step in adopting a growth mindset. After you know the triggers, teach yourself to pause and process them before acting on them when you encounter them in the future.
Discover the great power of pause. Instead of responding right away, pause, step back, and give yourself a moment to process what is happening, how it is making you feel, and how you want to respond.
Ambition alone is not enough to succeed. It takes a great deal of hustle and humility.
