Choosing who to work with….

There are multiple people that you encounter in your professional life and no matter what the association, you will at some level be influenced by at least a few of them. The ones influencing you are not necessarily only your seniors or those that you report to. It could be anyone you spend a lot of time with… your peers, your subordinates, your clients, your vendors, etc.

In that, there three types of people:

1. The ones that let you be yourself: They let you work at your potential. They may be non-interfering or may help correct you in places/ mentor you or may be at times even criticize you. They however exert little pressure on you. Many would describe these as the best lot to be around! If you are a highly motivated, self-driven, strong professional that knows precisely where he is going in life, these sure could be angels.
2. The ones that hold you back: There are those that always pull you down and complain that you are not working a few notches below your capabilities… You get hired into one role and you hear constant nagging about how you should really work way below your capability range. Now while this is always necessary and understandable, gauge if this is hurting you more than desirable and for a span of time that is longer than acceptable. It might be a definite area that warrants change. On the flip side, dealing with these sorts of people might be where you learn patience and people’s skills.
3. Those that force you to work at a level higher than your capabilities: Hate them, but they are the ones that challenge you to a higher level of existence. While it is always important to evaluate if the expectations are even realistic, the one fact that can never be challenged is that it is when you are challenged beyond your abilities that you grow. Within the perimeters of being realistic, it is these people that you shouldn’t shrug away or run away from.