For 18 years, I played an integral role on my family farm. I knew the ins and outs of our feed ration for the beef cattle. I knew the fields dad planted to corn, soybeans, wheat, oats and hay. I had a decent knowledge of our machinery, which ones had some "technical difficulties" and how to handle them with care. I was the advocate for our business and industry.
Then, things changed. I left for college and became disconnected. It got even more difficult to stay in "the know" while trying to do well in college courses, increase involvement in student organizations and build a "credibility" for myself on campus.
Thing about when you see someone interesting or attractive. Do you approach him or her and introduce yourself? Say hello? Or are you like the majority of people who will talk yourself out of stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a chance? Instead, you scour the Internet and social media to try finding that intriguing person... when all you really had to do was say hello.
Imagine your last job interview. You spent a half hour or more being interrogated, probed about your experiences. Then, it was your turn. Ask away! What did you ask? Did you ask what other qualities you need to demonstrate to prove you were right for the role? Essentially, did you ask for the job? Why or why not? What is the worst that could happen if you ask?
In both situations, you could be told no.
Why are we fearful of the "what ifs" and "could happens"? Why does the big two-letter word push our interests aside and keep us from potential?
The biggest weakness in personal development and sales is fear of "no" or fear of "failure". You could be one of two people who have to this point:
Option 1. "Oh, I see what Caroline is getting at! I'll continue reading."
Option 2. "Pff, I don't care about personal development and/or I'm not in sales. This does not apply to me [as you close this screen]."
We often forget to give thanks to the people who help coach us, connect with us in our development and continue to give us advise on our goals and objectives in our jobs. Today, I give thanks to the many people at Syngenta who have initiated, continued my development and I expect will continue doing so in the future.
Vern Hawkins and Robin Thomas were two of the first people within the company I connected with while seeking job opportunities. I am pleased that they not only recruited me to join Syngenta, but continue investing time and energy to see my grow as a young ag professional!
Who is it within your company, not necessarily a line manager, that continues to enhance your experience as a leader or professional? How do you recognize his or her work? A simple 'thank you' is a great place to start.
The past week and a half, I have been traveling a lot. In reality, I have been traveling a lot this past month! No, it isn't really an excuse for why I have not posted a blog recently. And, no, I'm not trying to make my life sound all glorious because I have been driving and flying around the U.S. In reality, although I have been experiencing a lot, I have become anti-social while doing it.
Think about the last time you got in an elevator. You stand impatiently outside the doors with the button illuminated and the shaft creaking to a stop at your floor. You peer up from your phone screen just as the doors slide open to see a few other folks awaiting your entrance in the small square.
You take a few quick steps in, turn your back to the others inside and watch the doors merge toward the middle. Mere seconds after those doors close, your eyes divert back to your phone screen. You might have shared a brief smile and second of eye contact with your fellow elevator riders, but that did not make much difference.
Why not? Did you say "hello" or hold nice conversation with the people around you? Did you give an "elevator speech" (pun intended) about what you do or why you are in the area? Nope. You were looking at your Instagram feed or reading the latest Buzzfeed post. It's a shame.
As many of you may know, I love NASCAR. At the Daytona 500 on Feb. 23rd, Dale Earnhardt Jr., my favorite driver, won the race! It was an exciting moment for him and his fans. After a few stagnant years without any race wins, that Sunday's race was enthralling. The career of a NASCAR driver can have its ups and downs. Through the process, you work and work to get to the end -- where you can hopefully celebrate with some burnouts.
It's a NASCAR tradition to do burnouts after a successful race. But, you need to make sure they are done at the precise moment. In life, it can be the same way. I have realized I may be celebrating my burnouts too early.
The College Race
After 12 years of pre-college education, four years of college may seem like forever to make the finish line. However, the laps go by a lot faster when you get involved on campus, with jobs and internships, and through friendships that help time accelerate to top speeds. I can attest to getting super involved my first three years of college. From leadership positions and executive boards to planning committees and national conferences, I have always been full speed ahead.
It is easy to move forward at a rapid pace when you discover what you are passionate about. Agriculture, public relations, policy and outreach are things I love and have become engaged with. Just like a race car driver, you learn through the tough turns, the passing cars and the wrecks ahead what you need to do to adjust your strategy. However, there can be some difficulty getting off the goal-centric path.
Early Burnout
As a senior halfway through my final semester, I have reached an early burnout. "Senioritis" is an excuse I toss around frequently. Why? Because in my head, I have "crossed the finish line". I have a great starting job lined up, I have 13 credit hours remaining, and a care-free attitude with fewer outside commitments. This past week, I realized that this early burnout is not a good thing. I am disengaged with some student organizations I was once in leadership roles, I don't follow-up with friends as often, and I feel aloof on campus.
I have realized there is a legacy I want to leave behind and I am not modeling it. I need to apologize.
I am sorry to my sorority sisters who I do not see or support nearly enough. I am sorry to my ag friends I interact with here and there, but do not converse with on a deeper level. I am sorry to the people I may have disappointed or have disagreements with. If you are willing, I am up for mending the broken relationships that have evolved the past months or years.
Bible verse Ephesians 4:32 says, "And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." I ask that my dear friends forgive me for my mistakes and not do the same.
I have gone to pit row for refuel and fresh tires. Spring break is next week and marks the halfway point of the semester. I hope you will join me in a fresh perspective and slower lap pace. Let's save our burnouts until the waving of the checkered flag in May.
Three years ago, I created my LinkedIn account. It was a timid first step into the professional world and a door to the next upcoming years as a student at The Ohio State University. Just yesterday, I hit a milestone I had been yearning since "completing" my first profile on this social media site (I don' think a LinkedIn profile is ever absolutely complete). I can finally click on my Profile and see 500+ connections.
When I first thought about the typical person with 500+ connections, he or she is usually a top executive for a private business, CEO of not-for-profit organizations or a certified speaking professionals who gets paid to travel the globe and share inspiration messages. What am I? None of those. However, I think I have gained a greater understanding how those people gain all of those connections and what similarities we share.
Below are some things I have learned about LinkedIn the past few years that have helped me create a strong profile and actively use my account to build a professional network.
Common Interests
My sorority sister Rachel and I during
formal recruitment. She is a business major
and also has a LinkedIn profile. As you can
guess, we are connected.
One positive of social media is the ability to see common interests (and in LinkedIn's case, connections) with people in your community and industry. In my LinkedIn Summary, I share some of my interests and passions and what I can and am willing to offer others. It is not just what I am seeking, but what I can do for you too. There is also an Interests section for Additional Info that I share some searchable interests for LinkedIn users.
By searching people with common interests, you can make connections. After finishing our sorority recruitment last weekend, that is a tactic my sisters and I used when talking with potential new members. We found things in common to discuss, and the conversation built from there. The best conversations are had with people who find a commonality. On LinkedIn, you can embrace that connection by sharing content and learning from each other.
These past few months have proven to me how much I love traveling. Even though packing can get tedious and is still one of my least favorite tasks, it leads me to marvelous locations. Most recently, I ventured to Raleigh, North Carolina with AFA. Truthfully, I didn't want to leave.
Compared to our visit to California, this meeting was focused more on collaboration with corporate partnerships rather than the production agriculture. The student advisory team had the pleasure of joining leading agricultural companies, Caterpillar, Inc., BASF, Bayer CropScience and Syngenta. Not only did we present about AFA to nearly 30 business people during these visits, but we learned about their agricultural innovations as well.
