Andrew
Changing Perspectives
Rutendo Gwatidzo
BELIEVING that you have arrived and only your perspective matters is one of life’s greatest tragedies.
Exposure gives different perspectives and you can only aspire to the level of your exposure.
According to research, success comes from 10 percent performance, 30 percent image and 60 percent exposure. This formula is called P.I.E. method of success.
Working hard is important but that alone does not bring success.
We all need exposure to improve and remain relevant.
Once upon a time, while in primary school in Dande, I aspired to be a teacher and my greatest aspiration was to be a head teacher.
Others wanted to be nurses, police officers and doctors, as these were big dreams in our young years.
Inasmuch as all the aforementioned are honourable professions, our aspirations could have been different had we known much more.
By the time I was in secondary school, my school mates and I had broader exposure and my aspirations were no longer as limited as in primary school.
The exposure and big dreams continued to grow all the way to university.
When I completed tertiary education, I had a completely different perspective to life and my dreams had totally changed.
This is because I had now seen so many options that life was offering apart from those I knew while growing up.
Organisational status
The main reason why different organisations advertise is to get exposure.
Stakeholders need to know about the organisation to support it.
Owners, managers and executives attend different conferences and conventions mainly to get exposure and improve their businesses.
One area where many companies are missing it is having teams that have a culture that is not aligned to vision.
There are certain cultures that appear good until you get exposed to other ways of doing things, then you realise the need to change.
Culture is stubborn and many employees enjoy the comfort zone of doing things the way they want, not necessarily the way customers want.
Most leading organisations understood the need to improve on culture.
Mingling with other companies doing better helps to engender growth through getting exposed to new culture, ideas and strategies.
Importance of exposure
The same concept applies in different aspects of life. At some point I thought I had arrived.
This is when I had found a rewarding job that afforded me a good life in one high-density area in Harare. I then got exposed to a better life and realised what I had was just a drop in the ocean. I started dreaming again. To those who get exposure, pursuing dreams is like following an alphabetical order, once you reach B you will realise there is C, all the way to Z.
Exposure makes you who you are more than qualifications.
Many people are often promoted not because of their qualifications but because of exposure, which changed their attitude and broadened their horizons.
Come to think of it, who would want to promote an employee who thinks that he or she has arrived and is not driving the organisation to do even better?
On the other hand, an employee who sees a bigger future and drives efforts accordingly is most likely to stand better chances of promotion.
Exposure helps by foretelling the future. You can see where things are going and plan accordingly.
It helps seek bigger opportunities and experiences, which make a better person.
Do not be intimidated by successful people or businesses, reach out to them and learn from them.
In most cases, we excel based on what we know, hence exposing ourselves to new ideas and new things.
Times are changing: What you acquired 10 years ago might not be relevant now.
This is why in some instances new people join organisations and get promoted in no time to replace those that would have probably failed to adapt, adjust and grow.
One of the best ways to stand out is through exposure because it brings unique knowledge. Be challenged, encouraged and inspired to network, especially with like-minded people.
Connect with those doing better than you, tap into a well of information and advice to strengthen your knowledge industry.
Network with those interested in collaborating with you, not competing with you.
Join a community of people who understand your struggles so that they support you rather than cripple you.
Advertise yourself as frequently as you can and be open to constructive feedback.
Mentors are good if you can have them; they help you overcome your limitations.
Most lessons that are enduring come through exposure and experience.
There are so many ways of getting exposed and some of these are reading, watching television, researching (even on internet), travelling and networking.
Be deliberate about getting exposure and you will stand better chances of succeeding in what you do.
Rutendo Gwatidzo is a culture and change management strategist. She is an HR consultant, speaker, mentor and author of the book Born to Fight. She was listed by the ICDZ on the list of the 40 influential Under-40 leaders in Zimbabwe 2022.
Contact detail — 0714575805/ [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo official fb public page.
Online Reporter