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Partnering for Success
The
course of our life, the things we achieve, the happiness we
feel, are all in some way effected by the people around us. This column includes tips on how to be more
successful and enjoy
life even in the tough times by forging winning
partnerships—partnerships that help you and those around you
prosper.
A
Column by Philippa Courtney
May 2002
Be a Talent Scout
Imagine if people asked you what you loved to do, instead of what
you do for a living. Labels like job descriptions help describe us,
but when we let them define us its like putting up lace curtains on
a window that looks out to sea, we stop seeing the full view.
In 1974 Polly Matzinger had dropped in and out of college for years
and worked at various jobs before ending up waitressing at a bar
frequented by faculty from the University of California, at Davis.
One day, while she was working, Matzinger put down some drinking
glasses and asked a question about biology that so intrigued Prof.
Robert Schwab, that the head of the university's wildlife program
decided then and there that she should become a scientist.
Today after obtaining her Ph.D., Dr. Polly Matzinger is a section
head at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in
Bethesda, where she has developed a theory about the immune system
that could revolutionize the way we treat disease. In a recent
Parade Magazine interview Matzinger recalled how Prof. Schwab
"discovered" her and changed her life. "He went on a campaign," she
said, "He'd bring me articles and say, "Read this" and then come
back and discuss them." Dr. Schwab could simply have told Polly
Matzinger that she should become a scientist. However, he not only
recognized her talent; he took actions to help her recognize it too.
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Wouldn't we all like to have people in our lives who look
past the labels and see our true potential? If we simply call
these people guardian angels we imply that this kind of
benevolent influence is rare. The ability to discover and
nurture talent is not uncommon. People with this ability can
become a partner in your success.
You can also become a partner in other people's success by
looking past the labels and helping them recognize their
potential. Is there an employee at work, who is stuck in a
rut, limited by a job description that they have long
outgrown? What can you do to help them expand their current
responsibilities or find a better position? Can you motivate
them to take some special training or pursue a new
opportunity? |
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Wouldn't we all like to have
people in our lives who look past the labels and see our true
potential? |
What talents does a friend
or your mate possess that you can help them develop? Help
nurture their gifts. Buy them books or encourage them to join a
group or organization where they can meet people who share
their interests.
My father was taken out of school at age thirteen and was told
that he would become a baker to help support his twelve
brothers and sisters. For most of his adult life he labored
long nights in a trade his family had chosen for him, not a
profession he would have chosen for himself. He had an amazing
singing voice and even though he had a passion to perform he
couldn't get past his own label of being just a baker.
Polly Matzinger worked as a waitress but that is not how she
defined herself. If she had, she would never have stepped out
of that role and asked that one question that helped someone
else discover her talent and become a partner in her success.
Become a talent scout. Look beyond the labels and recognize
potential in others. And don't forget to see past your own
labels so others will start to recognize the potential in you.
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