”There’s nothing like being too ambitious”: Women in non-traditional industries with Adepeju Adebajo #SheHiveLagos
According to one of the speakers at #SheHiveLagos, Adepeju Adebajo, CEO, Lafarge Cement, it’s actually better to go through the road less travelled. Here, that road leads to non-traditional industries. Adepeju has experience in strategic planning, brand management, product development and management consulting. She believes that by challenging the status quo, you eventually create a new and fresh perspective to things you never thought of. This is where we get curious. And if you’re like us, don’t worry, here are 4 things you can do to nurture your curiosity. Do your research Explore the opportunities available in the market. Utilize them to nurture your curiosity and try new things. This can be anything really, it doesn’t matter what. Just ensure that you’re doing something different from your norm. This is what stokes curiosity. Set goals and priorities This may come off basic. I mean, who doesn’t know you need to set goals? It’s a simple yet effective way to shift from your usual comfort zone and actually get to doing something. Be focused. Plan things out and don’t allow anyone or anything heap unrealistic expectations on you and your goals. Intelligence. Diligence. Hard work Contrary to the mistaken assumption, education can give you that job you want. What it takes to keep that job is the right attitude, tenacity, discipline and a political antenna. If you have all these, you’re good to go. Quality education This might not be all it takes, but it’s a pretty well-known fact that quality education (especially in your area of interest) and creativity are interrelated. Adepeju has successfully moved across different industries, so of course we were excited to hear about the mantra she lives by. They are to kill for (well, kind of). Create your own future You are no more likely than the next generation to seek group consensus when making decisions. You simply shouldn’t be bashful about making decisions that people don’t agree with. Train a successor There’s a simple way to ensure that knowledge never stops but continues in your workplace or industry. Mentor people and raise a successor. Never be afraid to share what you’ve learned with other promising women. When you have a mentee, constantly find out what they know. It may likely be a far cry from what you’d expect. Find out if their skills are as strong as they could be and if they are not, help them in their weak areas. Be a good follower You can’t become a great leader if you weren’t a good follower and even as a leader, you’ve got mentors to learn from too. Learning from the right people, in the right ways is important. In hindsight, actions that feel right in the moment can wind up as obvious no-nos. The trick is to learn from other people’s experiences before you cross that line, because once you do, you’ll be doing away with avoidable mistakes. Treat others the way you’d want to be treated If I were to go back to the organizations I’ve worked, they would welcome me with a red carpet. That alone says a lot – treat people well. Once you reveal through your actions that people are important to you, there’s the chance that your work will be a lot easier and you will be successful.