Look Up and Around, Not Just Down

“Your executive team and managers are supposed to be looking out for roadblocks. They’re supposed to warn you so you can adjust course, or at least grab a helmet. But sometimes they don’t. So 20 percent of the time, individual contributors need to look up. And they need to look around. The sooner they start, the faster and higher they’ll advance in their career.”

“Your job isn’t just doing your job. It’s also to think like your manager or CEO. You need to understand the ultimate goal, even if it’s so far away that you’re not really sure what it’ll look like when you get there. That’s helpful in your day-to-day—knowing your destination lets you self-prioritize and make decisions about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. But it’s also bigger than that. You want to make sure the direction you’re headed in still feels right—that you still believe in it. And you can’t ignore the other teams who are working by your side.”