Dear WIG.ng!!!
I am one of those people who strongly believe in strong friendships. Some of the friendships I enjoy now were built from primary and secondary school, over twenty years ago.
These friendships have been tested like any other human relations, but we have remained a source of strength and support for the better parts of our lives, especially in our adult lives. We have made money, lost money, changed jobs, moved cities, married, had kids, divorced, lost parents, lost mutual friends, survived illnesses…I mean we have been through the whole nine yards together, and moving through every joyful or sad phase has been a tad bit easier, because we have had each other.
You may wonder why I am painstakingly broaching the subject of friendships considering this is a professional platform. Very true! But you also have to constantly remember that all individual areas of our lives are interconnected, whether we agree or not. The same level of intention and practicability we invoke into forming and sustaining friendship is required in our professional career. While a number of people may term this as a form of networking or mentorship, sometimes it is best to adopt simpler and relatable terms, such as friendships: professional friendships.
I cannot overemphasise how professional friendships have been instrumental to achieving certain goals in my professional career. As a matter of fact, I have been able to achieve and surpass some professional feats, simply because I had built and sustained certain professional friendships, friends who saw opportunities and recommended me, others who guided me to a path I never envisaged, and friends who made themselves available with their time, understanding and any form of support I required, even and when I did not realise I need them. I have professional friends who pushed me to achieve more, reminding me I was always undervaluing and underestimating myself, hiding in the shadows and not sharing my little wins. Friends who identified certain areas where I needed improvement and guided me through. I could go on and on on this subject.
These friends could be peers, superiors, junior colleagues, individuals within the same or outside your professional field, what really matters is how the relationship is serving your professional growth and advancement. We must begin to be intentional about forming these friendships, as no human can achieve any form of advancement or expertise without riding on the wings of formidable support. If there is one thing you should be intentional about in 2022, it is intentionally and strategically building your professional friendship. It is simple. All you need to do is:
- Identify what areas you are lacking in your career;
- Identify who you think can assist by guiding you;
- Initiate and pursue that professional friendship;
- Review if the friendship is serving you; and
- Continue, end or search for new friendships.
I believe that this singular tip would greatly affect the trajectory of your career, beyond your wildest imaginations. Cheers to great personal and professional friendships.
Please share your progress with us at Wig.ng..
Nwatam
Founder.