Finding comfort in sharing your success
Adelle McDonald shares how she overcame an early career roadblock to build a fulfilling career in tech transformation
So far I’ve been lucky to have a fulfilling and interesting career, spanning over 20 years in technology transformation. I’ve worked for organisations including Goldman Sachs JBWere, McKinsey & Company, Dell, National Australia Bank and Insurance Australia Group.
However, early on in my career I hit a roadblock. My progression to that point was based on data, so had been pretty straightforward. There was no ‘wiggle room’ or ambiguity because I’d hit my pre-agreed numbers.
But when my role changed and it became less about the numbers, I wasn’t sure how to continue my momentum. I’d gone from black and white metrics of success to shades of grey. There was no clear path forward for me now.
Looking back, I can see parallels between what I enjoy outside work and how I navigated my career slump. This is a recent revelation, so I’d like to share what I’ve learned to help others who either feel stuck in their job, are not 100 per cent sure how to reach their career goals or are looking for a boost to their confidence.
Colouring your world through constant creation
Every day we create. It's something we all do all the time, often subconsciously. From cooking or gardening to self-improvement, our creations reflect who we are and how we view the world.
The act of creation is a deeply personal one and ignites a sense of wonderment. It’s no wonder some people consider all acts of creation to be creative (in some cases even art).
Regardless of how our creations are viewed, there’s no denying we all have a uniqueness inside us. This includes how we solve problems when we write code.
Engineering is one of the best jobs in the world because we get to create every day, putting our stamp and leaving our mark on everything we do.
The other side of this ‘creation story’ is we become attached to what we do. This can make it hard to share our work with others as we tend to take their opinions as personal criticism.
However, sharing and the resulting connection can help take your work to the next level. It is also the first step to finding role models and other important people who can guide you in your career. (Adam Grant discusses this on his podcast ‘Work Life’ in the episode ‘Your Brain on Art’ with Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen.)
Removing barriers to connection
Don't let technicalities hinder you from sharing your work. As junior employees, we often assume the most knowledgeable person in the room is always judging us on our technical skills and execution.
For those who are genuinely curious and receptive, the situation is different. These individuals might share your viewpoint and appreciate the connection.
Even if they haven’t learnt anything ‘new’ on the topic, you can still give them a lot. The support to carry on, the insight to try a topical challenge again and even the encouragement to ask for help or to help others when asked.
Unfortunately, cultural barriers can prevent people sharing their work freely. Cultural norms like ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ really hurt in large organisations because it can mean remarkable achievements, behaviours and innovations may go unnoticed.
In 2008 I attended a talk called ‘Can you hear me now?’ This 90-minute presentation profoundly changed my perspective on sharing and self-promotion. As a young Australian in an American company, Goldman Sachs, my cultural view was not to ‘puff yourself up.’
But managers – overwhelmed by reports, meetings and responsibilities – often cannot see the daily contributions of their team members. Instead, they may rely on indirect feedback from others. This realisation was enlightening.
Without sharing and talking about what I do, there was no way my manager could know about my achievements. If I wanted them to know, to acknowledge or amplify my work, I had to communicate and share what I’d done.
Self-promotion is not just about seeking praise, but ensuring people who value our work are given the opportunity to hear about it.
Bringing out your best and finding your people
Months later when practising self-promotion for the first time, I learnt the importance of self-reflection. I examined how I faced challenges, my personal growth and the steps to accomplishment.
This made the whole journey clear to me, not just the achievement at the end. Recognising and articulating the tangible and intangible benefits of my work - and my impact - meant I could communicate these effectively to others.
Some role models may inspire us through professional achievements, while others provide a moral compass. Focusing on where we want to go is crucial for the journey as it leads us to search for relevant exemplars.
When searching for role models, variety is critical when searching for the inspiration and guidance which resonates with our personal circumstances and aspirations.
For example, the engineer might find inspiration in a pioneering scientist. While a first-time parent might draw strength from a co-worker and parent of three children.
ANZ’s Engineering Way – our platform to share, connect and grow
We’re very fortunate that with the launch of ANZ’s Engineering Way blog, we all have a wonderful avenue to share our work and amplify our voice. If this were available earlier in my career, I wonder how many more amazing people I would have met and learnt from!
Having a solid network is not just about furthering your career but also about how you can feed your thirst and curiosity of learning. It also provides a safe place to bounce ideas around in and garner support. Writing about and sharing your work, whether within your company or outside of it, has many benefits:
1.Knowledge sharing: the blog provides a platform to share your expertise, insights, and experiences with a wider audience. This enhances collective knowledge and fosters a learning environment where others can benefit from your journey.
2. Building a personal brand: regularly writing about your work helps establish your personal brand. It positions you as a thought leader in your field, increases your visibility and opens new opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
3. Encouraging collaboration: when you blog about your projects and ideas, you invite feedback and discussions. This can lead to collaborations that might not have happened otherwise, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. There are so many people solving similar problems across the bank and our industry that talking about it attracts people who want to solve them.
4. Reflecting on your work: writing requires you to articulate your thoughts clearly, which can lead to a deeper understanding of the topic. It encourages reflection and critical thinking and helps you to grow personally and professionally.
5. Creating a legacy: your articles can serve as a record of your professional journey. They document your growth, achievements, and the lessons you have learned along the way, which can be valuable to both you and others in the future. For example, this article or your body of work with the Engineering Career Pathways [link to article].
6. Helping others: when we share our accomplishments with the world, we may not know who we might help, but if we don’t share, we help no one. Blogging about our work opens the door for others to learn from our experiences, find inspiration, and even discover solutions to their own challenges.
Invitation to connect
Role models are essential in our professional and personal lives, but finding them requires visibility and connection. By sharing and embracing self-promotion, you can enhance your visibility, connect with potential role models and inspire others.
In doing so, you are contributing to a culture of recognition, learning and collaboration – and making the journey richer for everyone involved. I would love to hear what you are working on, why don’t you share it with me?
Adelle McDonald is the Customer and Origination Lead at ANZ. She specialises in technology transformation, complex distributed workflow design and engineering, problem solving, cloud solution architecture, and complex hybrid cloud implementations. Her most recent focus is on advanced generative AI.
Adelle has over 20 years of experience in the field of technology transformation and has worked for Goldman Sachs JBWere, McKinsey & Company, Dell, National Australia Bank (nab), and Insurance Australia Group (IAG).
She is an adaptive leader with a high degree of commercial acumen. To help people reach their next level and deliver customer-centric regenerative technology solutions, Adelle follows a four-step methodology: empathise, empower, execute, be efficient.
This article contains general information only – it does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances and objectives, it does not constitute any offer or inducement to acquire products and services or is not an endorsement of any products and services. Any opinions or views expressed in the article may not necessarily be the opinions or views of the ANZ Group, and to the maximum extent permitted by law, the ANZ Group makes no representation and gives no warranty as to the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information contained.