In this unique episode, Bethany Ayers and Brandon Mensinga share their personal stories. This episode is simply titled: Life Lessons. Bethany and Brandon are experienced scale-up COO’s and the co-hosts of the Operations Room.
We chat about the following lessons:
- Know where you want to go
- Lean into the fear
- Don’t try to be somebody else
- Focus on the job that is in front of you
- Know your superpower
- Accept critical feedback for what it is
- Leadership is about serving others
- Find people who stretch you
- Take opportunities when they present themselves
- Don’t be a victim, take responsibility for your life
- Do uncomfortable things
- Cultivate your network
- Be kind. Be respectful.
- Accept the fact that people won’t like you
Summary:
- Career goals and adaptability. 0:05
- Brandon and Bethany discuss their sleeping difficulties, with Bethany experiencing a bird phobia-related insomnia and Brandon going to a quiz night with his wife.
- Bethany struggles to fall asleep due to her bird phobia, while Brandon enjoys a UK-centric quiz night with his wife.
- Bethany Ayers shares her lesson learned from her career journey: know where you want to go, but be open to opportunities.
- Brandon Mensa adds to the discussion, emphasizing the importance of being clear on one's goals while remaining flexible and open to new experiences.
- Overcoming fear and ambition in business. 4:31
- Brandon shares his experience of struggling to land a job during an internship programme, despite applying for 10 marketing roles and interviewing 10 times without success.
- Brandon overcame his anxiety related to telephone interviews by taking small steps, such as practicing with friends and using positive self-talk, to build his confidence and land a job as a marketing specialist.
- Brandon leaned into his fear and ambition to secure a job, despite a long commute and initial discomfort.
- Leveraging his motivation and ambition, he drove himself to fulfill the potential of the company, learning to manage his fear along the way.
- Personal growth and career development. 9:37
- Bethany emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and being the best version of oneself, rather than trying to be someone else.
- She encourages individuals to focus on their unique strengths and skills, rather than comparing themselves to others.
- Brandon recognizes the value of his own strengths and weaknesses, and stops comparing himself to extroverts.
- Brandon takes inspiration from others' ways of working and incorporates them into his own toolkit, rather than mimicking them exactly.
- Bethany prioritizes becoming a domain expert and a practitioner in her field, focusing on the job she has and building her skills to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
- Brandon emphasizes the importance of focusing on the job and becoming a craftsperson, with opportunities for advancement and job security following suit.
- Embracing unique strengths and work ethic for career success. 17:09
- Bethany struggles with imposter syndrome and feeling unimportant in a leadership role due to her lack of a specific functional expertise.
- Bethany...
