Special Interest Group: Women in Information Management (WIIM)

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  • 1.  Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

    Posted 08-24-2020 13:37
    This is how Maya Angelou, an accomplished author, poet laureate, songwriter, director, and civil rights, activist, defined success.  As far as our jobs go, do we like what we do and how we do it?  And, do we feel differently depending on the day?  I do like what I do but sometimes I have to make new efforts, reevaluate what I am doing, and think about how I am doing it every six months to remember to not hang out in familiarity in autopilot.  Am I being constructive, acquiring knowledge, ensuring those who report to me have opportunities, and is my contribution to my job still relevant.  Does anyone else do the same?




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    Lorelei Chernyshov, CIP, IGP
    Merrick Bank
    Assistant Vice President, Information Governance
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  • 2.  RE: Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
    Best Answer

    Posted 08-25-2020 02:24

    For many years I have used goals, both personally and professionally, to create an environment for self evaluation. The purpose of the goals is not to define success or failure, but to allow me to stay on target and remember my core values throughout the year. Many people avoid goals because they feel like they have failed when the don't reach them. I have always believed that if you set 100 goals and only reach 10, that is 10 more than you would have acknowledged without goals. Intentional living, particularly in my career, ensures that I don't let myself get complacent or discouraged. Your insight in this area is so spot on. Thank you for sharing.

     

    Deborah Robbins


     

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     






  • 3.  RE: Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

    Posted 09-05-2020 17:46
    Intentional living is a great principle and I believe what allows us be "successful" whatever that success means to you - typically if you enjoy what you do, how you do it then likely you are successful at it. Continued learning, self-awareness and growth are all part of intentional living. I believe most of us feel success when we feel we are making a positive impact not just collecting a paycheck.

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    Julie Harvey
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  • 4.  RE: Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

    Posted 08-25-2020 14:49
    I shared the following tweet from one of my LinkedIn network during a conscious data practices meeting when we were discussing something very similar.  I believe you have to stay true to the mission, however you define it and really dig deep to determine if where you are suits your mental and spiritual requirements.  There have been times I have taken considerable pay cuts in order to keep sanity and remember my value and I have never regretted it.  Reality is we have to pay the bills but if our jobs are making us one dimensional, stressed, etc. it is probably time to rethink what path we are on.  The beautiful thing about being human is that we are ever growing and evolving and with that comes new perspective which leads to innovation.  I love what Maya Angelou says and agree 100%.  If you love what you do, there will always be a place for you, and I always tell people when you cease to learn you begin to die so I always encourage everyone to branch out and learn not only in their field but in hobbies as well.  Well rounded individuals often bring a wealth of knowledge to any table and make for great collaborative partners.  For my direct reports, I have always operated with the following things in mind:
    1.  Open and honest communication  (which means I have to listen more than talk)
    2.  What can I give of myself to make my team successful (this may mean a few less conferences for me or even a pay cut to get budget to further my team and maybe giving my time to mentor outside of work hours)?
    3.  How can I best advocate and evangelize the importance of what we are doing?
    4.  Defining success in clear terms not ambiguous industry speak and creating a clear path with action items to get there (helps a ton in reviews)

    If I can do these things and add value, I am happy.  If I can't I am evaluating what I should be doing as a next move.


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    Amy Harrelson
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  • 5.  RE: Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

    Posted 10-14-2020 18:55
    Thanks, Amy.  Where you wrote "I always tell people when you cease to learn you begin to die," fully resonates with me.  Learning is the essence of living and that includes engagement in your job and relevancy in your field and curiosity as motivation.  In learning, we connect with people and share ideas bringing about collaboration which is the golden nugget of a fulfilling work experience.

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    Lorelei Chernyshov, CIP, IGP
    Merrick Bank
    Assistant Vice President, Information Governance
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