How to break the rules and build the career you want

I’ve been obsessed with disruption and rule-breaking of late, which is strange coming from a lifelong rule-follower. I was raised to do everything by the book and taught to never question the rules, wherever I might encounter them. Rules are there for a reason. One of my nicknames when I was little was Cautious Cari and that is how much of my formative years and early career progressed. And then life happened. I travelled the world and met people taking risks in business that I never knew were possible. What I found over time was that many of the rules in our professional lives—spoken and unspoken—are total rubbish. In every culture around the world, the family, industry, and professional rules differ. And the degrees of what is expected in terms of a career trajectory varies widely, especially for women. For some reason, girls and women get a disproportionate dose of rule following 101. So much so that, by the time we are poised to jump into leadership roles, many of us miss or opt out of those opportunities because we’re so busy doing our jobs, doing what we’re told we should be doing, and taking on more and more responsibilities rather than pursuing what we’re meant to do. Many of us miss or opt out of opportunities because we’re so busy doing what were told we should be doing, rather than pursuing what we’re meant to do. Cari E. Guittard, Professor of Women’s Leadership,Corporate Diplomacy, and International Negotiations The 3 Rs: essential hacks every career rule-breaker knows I’ve been fortunate throughout my career to learn from some of the best rule-breakers around the world. Many of them are entrepreneurs who created their own path and pioneered new ways of doing everything, breaking every rule along the way. What I admire about their careers is not where they have ended up, but the journeys they have taken and continue to chart moving forward. They have rewarding careers and fulfilling personal lives. Here’s what I’ve learned, distilled down to my top three hacks. The 3 Rs, for not just breaking the rules but for building the career and the life you want: The Reason, Reframing, and Relationships. 1. The Reason: your foundation Step one is taking the time to know what you want and what you value from work, your career, and your life. Be deliberate about this. Write it down and start from the end of your life and work backwards. Then, write down what you are passionate about. For me, I initially had 7 areas—my passion buckets—that I dedicated to filling up with experience, new learnings, new connections, and growth every year. Later I realized that 7 wasn’t sustainable, so I narrowed it down to 5, and then finally my core 3 buckets. It is amazing to me how many of my graduate students and peers in business never take the time to do these foundational steps. They just go from job to job, responsibility to responsibility, and then wonder why they hit mid-career and feel burned out, detached, and dissatisfied with their professional lives. So take the time to do this work. No cutting corners on this step. 2. Reframe: how do you define success? Answer this question and write it down. You answer this question. Not your parents or grandparents, not your partner or dog-walker, best friend or therapist. You—and only you—define what success and leadership looks like. It isnt defined by a position, title, salary, peer, family member, or organization. When you do this mental reframing consistently, you free yourself up to pursue a path that is focused on your calling—what you are meant to do. I have always loved the definition of a calling as being where one’s greatest passion intersects with the world’s greatest need. For me, success has always been to leverage what I’m passionate about, work with great people, learn and be challenged in my work, and then make a difference in whatever small way I can. That for me is my definition of success. You—and only you—define what success and leadership looks like. Cari E. Guittard, Professor of Women’s Leadership,Corporate Diplomacy, and International Negotiations 3. Relationships Social Capital: your network is your net worth We rarely invest in our social capital strategically throughout our careers. And by we I am speaking to working women everywhere. We tend to compartmentalize our social, familial, and professional relationships, spending the least amount of time on the latter. Listen, I hate networking. I’ve written posts on how I think traditional forms of networking is a waste of time and energy. You’d be better served spending your time and energy doing something you enjoy or learning something you are personally or professionally passionate about. That is where you are most likely to meet others who share your passion and with whom you can build a genuine, trusted relationship. Your social capital—the number of diverse, trusted relationships you have—makes all the difference in your career and leadership journey. Invest the time every week, even if just half an hour, in building these relationships. It takes time. Build it slowly and be patient. The investment will be worth it in the long run. Further inspiration: the rebel reading list Disrupters If you want some further inspiration on the career rule-breaking front, you must read Patti Fletcher’s new book Disrupters: Success Strategies from Women Who Break the Mold. It is such a quick read, jam-packed with personal stories of the rule-breakers in business that she profiled for her dissertation, as well as chock-full of practical insights and advice. This book is rare in the women’s leadership space, as it hits on many top-of-mind issues that all of us are actually dealing with. I appreciated so much of this book that I have added it to my required-reading list for the graduate elective I teach on Women’s Leadership Gender Intelligence at Hults San Francisco Campus. Id Rather Be in Charge Another favorite book is by one of my former bosses and veteran glass-ceiling-smasher, the advertising legend Charlotte Beers.  Reading  I’d Rather Be in Charge  is like sitting down with Beers for a series of intimate conversations. Beers not only shares practical insights for one’s career, but also a ton of essential personal branding and influence strategies. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls Along the rule-breaking rebel theme, I have to share one final resource. Its the book I have been reading to my four-year-old daughter every night: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This is an incredible read, not just for my daughter to learn about all the different models of success out there, but also to see women of every age and ethnicity breaking the mold, being brave, and finding their own calling, whatever that might be. I have since bought this as a gift for countless friends and their sons or daughters, because it is so powerful to be exposed to these real stories. These are the narratives and impressions that will—even if in some small way—shape how they view the potential of women and girls. I can sum up my career rule-breaking journey with three words: The Un-Guided Missile. Years ago, one of my favorite bosses and mentors, a legend in global advertising, gave me this new nickname and I cherish it to this day. He explained that it meant, You are going somewhere fast, not sure exactly how you will get there, but there is a method to your madness and YOU WILL GET THERE. Exactly. Like game changers? Break the mould in the business world with a Masters in Disruptive Innovation from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Day of Disruption: Changing mindsets across Hult’s global campuses, or explore overall business challenges with a Masters in International Business instead. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to find out everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .