2018-Aug-06

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It’s Always Your Fault — and 17 Other Lessons I’ve Learned

BY LISBET SHERLOCK · ANALYST RELATIONS · U.K.

Truthfully, when I joined Cisco in 2000, I took a while to get used to the idea that you own your own experience here. I’d have been surprised to know that I’d still be here — and loving it — in 2018. One of the best things is being surrounded by super smart people who are disciplined in taking stock and learning from what is going on around them.

Inspired by my colleague, Jill Shaul, who shared her lessons learned on a recent Ciscoversary, here are 18 lessons I’ve learned in my 18 years here.

1. It’s always your fault. There is always something you could have done.
2. It never hurts to make your boss look good.
3. The more people you get to know, the more opportunity you will find.
4. Ask for what you want. Don’t wait for someone to realise.
5. It’s really quite surprising how differently other people will see the same situation.
6. There are good and bad managers. When you get one that doesn’t give you energy, don’t wait for it to sort itself out, go and find one that does. (Wisdom care of Chris Dedicoat).
7. Don’t be a tech laggard. However painful, just try to keep up.
8. No one is talking about you. (The longer version of this is: In your 20's, you are worried about what everyone is saying about you. In your 40's, you don’t care what they are saying. In your 60's, you realise no-one was talking about you anyway.)
9. Being a working Mum gets easier and harder at the same time. Just take time to appreciate it.
10. When you are 50, something positive and liberating happens.
11. Exercise every day.
12. It’s really not OK to be an introvert. You really have to pretend you aren’t or it’s just too hard for everyone else. (While being an introvert is tough, I do appreciate the recent talk with Susan Cain on the Revealed Series.)
13. If you really don’t want to do something, say so. Not everything outside your comfort zone needs to be taken on.
14. Every decision you make is not a decision about what to do. It's a decision about Who You Are. When you get that, everything changes. (Thank you Cy Wakeman for this one!)
15. You won’t be criticized or penalized for putting family first. Actually, the opposite.
16. Small minds discuss people, medium minds discuss events, great minds discuss ideas. Don’t talk about people. (And thanks to Eleanor Roosevelt for this one.)
17. Always leave a party while you are still enjoying it.
18. Everything will be OK in the end. And if it’s not ok, it’s not the end. (From "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.")

I’m curious. What have you learned in your time here? Share with us in the comments.

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