Be yourself

Modern market demands demand that people have a wide range of skills. But what are the main and truly essential qualities for career advancement, regardless of work?

The answer could fill a book and it has thousands of reasons, if not millions. A multitude of experts say that career progression is a function of a whole, extreme self-confidence and extreme humility (or both at the same time). Still others say that professional success stems from more sinister behaviors, such as insensitive ambition or rampant narcissism. And then there is the whole “positive thinking” movement, which states that staying ahead is primarily a function of believing that you can do everything. In short, there is so much contradictory advice out there about the main components of success that it is enough to reduce you to a tired sigh of, "Whatever it is, it is good".

Being authentic is an essential quality, but it is not the only one you need for professional advancement. Everyone knows that in order to succeed in today's competitive global market, you also have to be smart, curious and highly collaborative. You have to be able to work with multiple teams and ignite them as a manager so that together they achieve the desired success. You need piles of positive energy, the courage to make tough decisions or not, and the stamina to get everything done in such a way so that the job gets done well. And, in fact, you have to have self-confidence and humility at the same time. This combination is called maturation. Over time, however, if you have everything you need in terms of talent and skill, your human side, or your humanity, will become your most attractive virtue for an organization. Your team and your bosses know that you are emotionally focused, what kind of people you attract, and what kind of performance you want from everyone. Your realism will make you accessible, you will connect with each other and it will inspire everyone. You will lead the team to the desired success.

So, back to the initial question: yes, the modern market needs people to have a wide range of skills to achieve success. Most of them have to acquire, develop and refine. But one of them - the most important - is already inside you, ready to be released. Be yourself. Don't get in your way. Let your humanity leave you and involve everyone. Your company, your partners and your teams are grateful.

The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies.