1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to How I Work, a show about the tactics 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: used by the world's most successful people to get so 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: much out of their day. I'm your host, doctor Amantha Imba. 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: I'm an organizational psychologist, the founder of behavioral science consultancy Inventium, 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: and I'm obsessed with finding ways to optimize my work day. 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: This episode is another my favorite Tip episode. The title's 7 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: probably pretty self explanatory. It's about my favorite tip from 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: each of the interviews I conduct. So the extract I 9 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: have for you today is from my interview with Wendy Stops. 10 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: Wendy is a non executive director at the Commonwealth Bank, 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: which is Australia's largest bank, and she also sits on 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: the board of Coll's Group and Fitted for Work. Prior 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: to her board career, she spent sixteen years with Eccenture, 14 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: most recently as the Senior Managing Director for Technology in 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: Asia Pacific. Now, in this extract of my chat with Wendy, 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: we talk about the best career advice she has ever received. 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: So on that note, let's hear about this advice from Wendy. 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: What have been the best pieces of advice that you've 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: received that have had a big impact on how you've 20 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: approached things around work. 21 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's interesting because people always ask you, did you 22 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: have mentors. I never really had mentors in my career, 23 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 2: and it's surprising I found outw many other people were 24 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 2: exactly the same. Actually, but I always I guess I 25 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 2: don't know that it's so much advice that's been given 26 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: to me, but as more as things that I've learned 27 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 2: over time, and when people ask me, you know, particularly 28 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: the younger generation today as they're sort of working their 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 2: way up their ladder, and I think the younger generation 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 2: today is a little bit more susceptible to oh, I 31 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: don't like that, so I'll go find another job, or 32 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: I'll you know, do this, whereas in I guess back 33 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: in my day, you're kind of stuck with things you 34 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: know for a while. But the things I always say 35 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 2: to people, some of the key tips I give them 36 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 2: is firstly, do your job and do it well. Square one. 37 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 2: You don't get anywhere by not doing your job well. 38 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: And people say, well, that's obvious, and I'm like, well, 39 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: it's not obvious because when I say do your job 40 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: and do it well, I mean whatever you're asked to do, 41 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 2: do it, and do it well. So if you ask 42 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: to go and photocopy two hundred pages, you show them 43 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: you're the best damn photocopy that they've ever seen, you know, 44 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 2: So you know, don't winge about the things that are 45 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: a bit boring or whatever. Every job has good bits 46 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: and bad bits or whatever, and you've just got to 47 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 2: do them all. Well, that's my theory. And then you know, 48 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 2: if you're doing your base job well, you get noticed 49 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: for starters. If you're doing it well. But again, then 50 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: gives you a license to use a little bit of 51 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: creativity or a little bit of innovation or put up 52 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: your hand. And I say to people, just volunteer for 53 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 2: things that are just not outside the day to day job. 54 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: So you know, someone wants someone to help with the 55 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 2: annual Christmas party, or volunteer or someone you know. I 56 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: remember years ago I was I'd come back from a 57 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: stint overseas, and I come back, I went onto this account. 58 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 2: I was a consultant. Then I went on too this 59 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: account and there's a few of us on there, and 60 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: I noticed that we hadn't done like an account plan 61 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 2: for that account. So I asked the person who was 62 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: leading the account, would you mind if I help, No, No, 63 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 2: go ahead, you know, I mean I did that, and 64 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 2: it wasn't less than twelve months later I was actually 65 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: running the account right, So because then to the boss, 66 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 2: I was the obvious successor, because I was switched on 67 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 2: to what we needed and you know whatever, whereas everyone 68 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: else was just doing their day job. You know. So 69 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: I always say to people, just stick your neck out 70 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: a little bit, but you can't do that if you're 71 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: not doing your job well. Start stick your neck out, volunteer, 72 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: do some things. Don't do it to the point where 73 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 2: you can't do your job well, but enough that you 74 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 2: get noticed and you expose yourself to more people in 75 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: the organization, because when it comes to promotion times and 76 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: things like that, you just don't want the soul voice 77 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: that's speaking for you, want multiple people to speak for you. 78 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: So sort of being out there a little bit, you know. 79 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: So there's some of the base the basic advice that 80 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 2: I give people, and I could probably sit here for 81 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: an hour and real life a few more, but they're 82 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 2: the base ones that I say that you've just got 83 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 2: to get right and stick yourself out there and put 84 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: your hand up and do some things. 85 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's great, and like you said, they 86 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: like there's actually probably not that many people that do 87 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: their job well and every part of their job and 88 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 1: embrace even the seemingly more menial or less challenging parts 89 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: with the same vigor that they will approach well. 90 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 2: I've always said the key for the bad times are 91 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 2: the best times, because you learn so much in those 92 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: bad times, it then makes you a better person for 93 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 2: the next job, or the next career or whatever it 94 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: may be. So you know, you asked me before about 95 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,600 Speaker 2: the tough times with Royal Commission and whatever. Yes, it's 96 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: been tough, but I've learned a lot as well, and 97 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: I am now you know, even more switched on with 98 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 2: not just that board, but my other boards as well, 99 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,479 Speaker 2: you know, with various things. So I'm a great believer 100 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 2: in learning from the bad times and don't just bail. 101 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 2: You know, some people just want to bail. Oh it's tough, 102 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 2: I'm getting out of here. I'm going to go. No, no, no, 103 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: stick it out, because you'll learn so much. You'll come 104 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: out the other end much stronger, much tougher, and you'll 105 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 2: be a better in terms of moving your career. 106 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, God, I couldn't agree more that the hard 107 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: times with Inventium have been where the most powerful lessons 108 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: have come from for me. So that is it for 109 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: today's show. I hope you enjoyed it and got some 110 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: good career advice for yourself. If you know someone else 111 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,719 Speaker 1: that you think could benefit from this episode, why not 112 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: share it with them using the little share icon wherever 113 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: you listen to this podcast. And if you're enjoying how 114 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: I work, maybe you might want to leave a review. 115 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. If you've already been one of 116 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: the hundreds of people that have left review, it is 117 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: just super lovely of you, and maybe today's the day 118 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: if you haven't, and thank you in advance if you plan. 119 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 2: To do that. 120 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: So that's it for today's show and I'll see you 121 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: next time.