"Helping without asking anything in return, at some point in your career, it will be rewarded.&
Melanie is currently responsible for Business development in cloud collaboration for US Service Providers at Cisco. I had the chance to speak with Melanie and she shares with us some of her insights on how to navigate the professional world for young professionals.
Q - There are a lot of young professionals or professional who are nervous or reluctant to speak up in a meeting. Do you have any advice on ways to participate without appearing show off, or too much?
A: You should never be afraid to contribute or speak in a meeting, however I can understand why it may feel intimidating when you are new to a team or an organization. The fact is, active participation is always encouraged so don’t be afraid to share your ideas. Here are a couple of tips to help build your courage to speak up. You can run your idea across some colleagues ahead of the meeting to get their feedback and support. These people can also encourage you in the meeting so you don’t have to feel shy sharing your ideas. Secondly, practice active listening and when you do speak up, make sure your contribution is meaningful and adds something new to the discussion. Teams are generally very supportive so don’t be afraid to share your ideas and contribute.
Q – What is the definition of sponsorship? Sponsorship is a pool of secondary or tertiary of people in your network that can help promote your career and personal brand and speak on your behalf especially in your absence. One of our senior female leaders at Cisco framed it up best, think of these people as your personal Board of Directors, who are responsible to help you build a successful career and will be on the lookout for opportunities to give you more exposure to senior leaders and help promote your career aspirations.
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