Page 27 - The Interconnected Individual: Seizing Opportunity in the Era of AI, Platforms, Apps, and Global Exchanges

70 THE INTERCONNECTED INDIVIDUAL

teams, people know who you are. They are going to choose you. It is like
sandlot baseball. You get chosen to be on a particular team, because others
want to recruit you.
Other people bring you in and this is a very important part of work. How
do you learn to share success? How do you learn to share credit? How do you
learn to be a good helper? These become very important skill sets, because
you will be successful if a lot of other people want you to be successful.

Become a Good Communicator: It Is Essential
for Leadership

Can you learn to both give and receive signals in order to be an intelligent
communicator and listener? Communications—informal and formal
spoken, written, and “Netiquette”—is a generic skill you can work on
to improve for the rest of your working life, regardless of sector, job
type, function, or how you evolve your career. Be a good communicator.
Consider how much more valuable you will be if you understand how
to read signals in a meeting; read and give signals in a professional
relationship, be it with a client, a colleague, or a manager. Know how
to listen and respond to each of those roles. Know how to check on
assumptions; and how to constructively critique others’ work.
Being an intelligent communicator and listener is a phenomenal
skill. How do you translate that skill into being a valued team member?
Understand how to follow directions and guidance. Know when to ask
questions if you do not know what you are supposed to be doing and do
not assume that you know the right answer.

Pivot and Be Flexible, so that When Circumstances
Change, You Can Change with Them

Reid Hoffman advises:

Your identity doesn’t get found. It emerges . . . your Plan A is
what you are doing right now . . . You pivot when you need to
change either your goal or your route to getting there . . . Career
plans should leverage your assets, set you in the direction of your
aspirations, and account for the market realities (p. 35, 59).