Dear College Graduate
Dear College Graduate Me,
Congratulations! You survived, often thrived, at West Point and now it’s time to put all that training and study into real practice. As you step into leadership and adulthood, here are some thoughts for you, and other college graduates like you, to consider.
1. Your reputation will follow you. Develop and cultivate your character. I don’t mean your “personal brand” or your “image.” Know what values are core to who you are, communicate those, live by those, and reflect them in all you do. Choose the harder rights over the easier wrongs. People will know you by the fruit of your life. Live with upright character. This includes your online presence. Have a personal philosophy about your online presence and engagement is wise.
2. Be confident in what you know and what you don’t know. You have spent four years learning a lot. Understand what actual knowledge and skills you have and use them with wisdom. But, you also have a lot to learn. Maintain a humble spirit and seek out opportunities to learn, grow, and develop. It is okay to not know everything. No one expects you to know it all. Go in with a learning spirit, ask questions about WHO your team is and then WHAT they do. They will be excited to show you. Then, when it comes time for you to use the skills you have, they will trust you more.
3. Use your voice. Be quick to listen, and slow to speak. But, when someone violates acceptable norms and crosses boundaries, do not hesitate to call them out. You will work with selfish people who are looking out only for themselves and their desires, regardless of moral or ethical standards. Your organization and your role as a leader requires you to hold and enforce these important standards.
4. Learn which battles are worth fighting. If you go to your boss about every little thing you think needs fixing, you won’t have a good batting average. Swing at the right pitches. Prioritize and analyze the environment and maximize your opportunity to influence your leadership.
5. Peer coordination is critical in achieving influence. If the organization has an issue that you observe and you think you ought to address it with your boss, talk to your peers first. If all of you go into together, with a united front and on the same page, you’re more likely to be successful because it isn’t just “your” problem. There are power in numbers.
6. Anyone can identify problems, leaders solve problems. When you go to your boss with an issue, go with some solutions in hand. It’s more likely they will pick one of your solutions, or create a hybrid thereof, when you come in with solutions. Not only that, but it shows that you are a problem solver in the organization. Leaders solve problems. Anyone can identify a problem.
7. Celebrate your team! Look for opportunities to celebrate. Sometimes, it’s just telling someone that you see them and appreciate their hard work. Put people in for awards and rewards. Recognize them in front of others. Try to figure out what works best for each person, and celebrate your team.
8. You are not your job. Your job is part of what you do, and it might greatly influence who you are, but it is not the totality of who you are as a person. Find friends, community, hobbies, and opportunities outside of work where you can participate, serve, and find meaningful connections with others.
9. Both find and be a mentor. Look for opportunities to invest in other’s growth and find others to speak into your life and your growth. Being and having mentors is important. Do not expect someone to ask you to be either of those. You need to be active in finding both these relationships.
10. Friendships are essential, and sometimes you must go first. Navigating friendships as an adult can be as tricky and awkward as dating as an adult! You will have relationships from college that are likely to last forever, especially with the digital connection technology we have now. Value and invest in those. Also remember, some friendships have seasons. If you find your relationships are all give from you, with very little interaction back, be wise with how you spend that time. The deep friendships that will enrich your life require trust and active relationships between people. Find those people!
You are going to face challenges, heartaches, victories, and conundrums. You are well equipped, and you will become more well equipped as you travel the road with a willingness to learn. You will appreciate how hard times help forge both your character and your resilience. You will discover that you are capable of doing and becoming more than you can imagine. You will develop friendships and relationships that will transform your world and their worlds for the good. Make wise decisions with the best information and intuition that you have, but don’t fear failure. If you fail, fail forward. Learn from it and become better for it. When you work for poor leaders, don’t spend too much time and energy decrying it, but rather lead where you can and do it as you want to be led. But, do not be afraid to speak up and speak out when and if poor leaders cross the moral and ethical lines.
Life is full of ups and downs. Remain grounded in faith, and work to live a life of purpose and service. When you positively lead and influence where you are, you will have an impact beyond what you could imagine. Don’t try to change the whole world, but rather lead well where you are. Every person matters. Every person needs good leadership. Be that leader.
With love and fondness as you embark on your journey,
Brittany
