Exercising Discernment that Aligns With Your Goals: How to Assess Opportunities at Work
“Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” - Sara Blakely, Founder of Spanx
First generation professionals are often hungry to prove themselves in the workplace and may be tempted to raise their hand for each and every project offered to them. While this sense of helpful initiative will behoove one’s career overall, it is important to be discerning about which opportunities offer real value. There may be unlimited opportunities to work on projects but there is a finite amount of time in the day, and energy to put toward meaningful work. In this Article, we review three important questions for first generations professionals to practice discernment when considering workplace opportunities.
Before we begin, this Article is specifically discussing extra initiatives or projects you will be offered at work, such as employee resource group involvement or lending a hand with a multi-departmental project. This is not the analysis when your manager assigns you a project within the scope of your role. In those instances, consider asking your manager questions regarding building of applicable skillsets or executive leadership visibility, but know your ability to decline the assignment is more limited.
This Article does, however, apply to any involvement outside of work, such as volunteering or non-profit board service, which builds skills that could be applied at work in a mission-based environment. Volunteering is a great way to develop meaningful executive skills, such as collaboration and goal-setting.
Does This Align With My Goals?
Before jumping to a response, consider if the project will set you up for success long-term. Have the confidence to ask internal questions about the opportunity before jumping right to the yes. Keep your long-term plan in mind by asking key questions:
Is this a quick task that falls just outside the scope of my role? Or will I need to interface with a new team in order to complete it?
Will this task demonstrate an aspect of my skillset that my team hasn’t seen yet?
Is it an opportunity to develop new skills?
Is it a new skillset that will improve my career in the long run?
Is there an opportunity for visibility to higher management or leadership?
Who is the executive lead over the project?
Not all opportunities will align with your goals. Remember that your time is valuable and much of your time spent during your career should be curating applicable skillsets, especially in the performance of extra work.
Use your be judgement when considering an opportunity with trade-offs in value. For example, if an opportunity could build a new professional development skillset, but for a team you don’t know very well, consider asking your manager if there is an opportunity to build that skillset in a way that will directly impact your team. If there are none available on your team, consider going for it anyway.
Using these key questions to assess opportunities is also a perfect conversation to have with your mentor. They likely have raised their hands for an extra project during their career, or have built leadership skills outside of work, and can share how their involvement affected their career.
2. Check Bandwidth and Timing
One you’ve decided that the opportunity is worth pursuing, you must be very honest about how much time you have to dedicate to the initiative BEFORE accepting. It is considered unprofessional to accept an opportunity and then remove yourself because you did not have a good idea of your current demands. They key questions here could include:
How much time is expected during each week?
Are there deliverables and if so, how many and how often?
How long does this project or initiative run?
How many extra hours do I have in a day, not including regular breaks and administrative tasks?
Are you currently caught up on all trainings, recaps, notes, and actual work?
Are you confident in your organizational skills to balance the demands of multiple teams?
3. Consider Who is Asking and Why
Now that we have established the project will build valuable skills and there is time to dedicate, we can dig a little further into the opportunity itself. You will likely know from which department or leader the ask has originated. Consider the following:
How will my interaction with this leader or department improve my standing at work?
Is there is an opportunity that it could diminish my standing if the project does not go well?
What are the stakes of this project for the leader? (This assumes the stakes are obvious or have been shared within the ask)
Does this department work regularly with my department?
Is this an opportunity to create cross-departmental collaboration in the future?
Understanding these answers can help you be strategic with your response. While building visibility in the workplace is important, you want to be sure the opportunity to which you are attaching your efforts has long-term value. If it offers company-wide visibility, like an employee interest group leadership position, you may develop a reputation as a subject matter expert on that topic. If it offers visibility to a particular department, you may be able to foster familiarity to ease collaboration in the future. If it helps your leader achieve a certain goal, they will have a positive impression of you and your work ethic during your performance review.
It may be helpful to discuss the opportunity with your leader or manager to determine if visibility presented is worth the time you will be spending. they often have inside knowledge of company initiatives and how the work will reflect long-term. Conversely, your manager will know if the ask may not be worth the time required to execute, in terms of long-term value or conversion.
4. How to Say No Gracefully
If an opportunity presented in the workplace does not align with your goals or long-term vision, or you simply do not have time, it is perfectly acceptable to politely decline. Obviously, if the ask was made generally, such as in a company messaging board, you do not need to respond individually. However, if you were asked to participate personally, it is considered unprofessional not to respond.
Here is a short email template you can use:
Hi [Name],
Thank you so much for thinking of me for this opportunity. I really appreciate the chance to get involved. After reviewing my current commitments, I’ve realized I wouldn’t be able to give this project the time and attention it deserves.
I hope it’s a great success, and I’d love to stay in the loop for future opportunities when I have more capacity.
Thanks again for understanding,
[Your Name]
Navigating workplace opportunities as a first generation professional requires both intention and self-awareness. By asking the right questions, you can ensure your time and energy are invested in ways that serve both your growth and your values. Practicing discernment as you begin your career is a skillset in itself and by leveraging the thoughtfulness within this Article, you will be able to assess opportunities with greater speed and accuracy as you grow your career. As always, be confident in the value you bring to any opportunity and be sure each opportunity you accept aligns with your career goals.
More Posts You May Like
