KEep your Skills Sharp
Most jobs, especially white-collar ones, only require a refined set of skills that are relatively small. In the early stages of a career, this can lead to quite a bit of advancement, as you demonstrate that you’re really good at a few things. But, this can lead to some unintended consequences.
In the leadership structure of most big organizations, from companies to militaries, the need for specialization is only so important at the top. The skills for presidents, CEOs, and so on, are those of the generalist. They can read, write, and communicate well while maintaining not only personal tact but an eye on the bigger strategies at play. These sets of skills are also exactly what are necessary to succeed in small business and entrepreneurship.So, even if you have a steady job today, the learning experience of starting and growing a business of some kind might well make you better suited for large promotions at your job later on.
For me, this means that my skills learned in putting together larger building projects, and later leading others in so doing, has me looking at jobs in academic advising, as well as upper-level positions such as assistant deans, program directors, and so on. Regardless of the kind of thing you do at your job, the leadership and flexibility needed to start and run a small business are also fantastic skills for leading other kinds of organizations as well.
