Richard A. Chambers (Rik, his nickname for short) was my Training Coordinator / Manager at Guinness Nig. Plc Ikeja Brewery, Lagos in 1994/95. During the approx. Over a one-year period that I reported to him, he repeatedly challenged me to “build” myself to be highly competent as a brewer and manager.
When I went to Benin Brewery, I had four spiral bound training reports (written by myself) filled with lots of large photographs (taken by Rik) of pretty much every area / process plant I had been trained in. These documents, as Rik assured me they would be, proved to be very useful references during my later years with the company. In fact, many new entrants (and some older managers) at various points found the need to borrow and make copies.
But that is not all. It was Rik’s prowess at Lotus Spreadsheets macro programming that really brought us together. Over a period of 6 months, he, in accordance with the formal role assigned to him, developed on his own an automated brewery variable cost analysis spreadsheet application that was adopted by both Lagos and Benin Breweries for purposes MONTHLY formal reports of the performance of the breweries.
Luckily for me, he noticed the interest I was showing watching him do the furious coding for various data entry / reporting interfaces, and decided to get me involved by handing me a laptop and asking me to check for errors in the formulas.
As time went by, he started giving me copies of ALL the code in the different applications, for the brewing and packaging departments. I was still a trainee, but 6 months after resuming at Benin Brewery, I was formally responsible for maintaining / updating Rik’s software for Benin Brewery. This was ALL the work at the top management level – the very complex formulas for calculating key performance indicators (KPIs) would have intimidated most people, but Rik had prepared me well.
It is no wonder then that by 1997, he had successfully developed four custom reporting applications to replace manual data management systems in the brewing department. Over time, other departments would find use for my skills, including engineering and packaging services departments.
But do you know the best part? I did all of this INFORMALLY, in my spare time, while still working full time as a brewer / manager. Nobody gave me time off, and I never asked for it. The challenge was there, and I was up to it, and the passion / excitement of making a tangible difference was enough. Having watched Rik do so many things OUTSIDE of his mandate, I had no trouble doing the same. He had set a good example.
My time with Rik prepared me for the successes I would later achieve at Guinness. Examples include the appointment to the company-wide Project Insight team that developed comprehensive formats for computerizing data collection from technical reports, analysis, and more. High-profile secondments to relieve senior managers in different departments / sections would be followed by promotions and then further secondments, including travel abroad to attend international courses.
But I did not rest on my oars; in fact, when I left the company (to start my own business), I had successfully acquired the MS Excel-VB programming skills through self-study, taking advantage of the change in the Lotus company. Smart Suite for MS Office. Therefore, I did not just dedicate myself to developing custom spreadsheet solutions. I’ve been doing it for YEARS before getting into it as a business.
It is important not to puff up your head or think that you are superior to those who are not so talented at what they do. I will NEVER be old enough to call ANYONE, not even a 5 year old, a boy or a girl. The last thing I want to become is a GREAT MAN, you know, the type who puts on all kinds of airs because he has money / power or position. It’s ironic that billionaires like Warren Buffet, who have MORE reasons to perform BIG, continue to use vintage car models and remain humble.
This article has been written to encourage anyone currently in paid employment who may feel that being recruited into roles that they consider outside of their job description would not be in their best interest. Opportunities for growth, advancement, and success will often come disguised as work, paraphrasing Thomas Edison.
And that’s why most people miss them! If you want to equip yourself for lasting success, make sure you achieve full mastery of your core responsibilities in a way that allows you to take on ADDITIONAL challenges successfully, making decision makers SEE that you have the ability to fill positions of greater responsibility.
Some people get carried away by the “status” they think their job confers on them. They become obsessed with acting like GREAT men and women. This mindset makes them feel that there are certain roles that are too big to play. And this causes them to lose career advancement, especially in a company looking for selfless leaders to make things happen.
No serious decision maker will offer you a promotion or career advancement opportunity without being confident that you have the ability, and an enduring passion, to deliver the desired results. Build the habit of Going the Extra Time (GTEM) at your job, starting today, and envision yourself moving toward NEW levels of success!