Say the hard things

The most career-defining moment of my life happened before my career even started.

In my first year at college, I studied chemistry, physics, maths, and graphic design. I wanted to be a scientist and design was an “easy” fourth subject. One day my chemistry teacher sat me down and asked, “Sam, why are you in this class?” I explained that I wanted a good job, and hoped to become a forensic scientist. Her response has stuck with me ever since. “But you don’t enjoy it and you’re not very good at it.”

At the time, I thought this was harsh, uncalled for, and downright rude. I was stunned, but she was right.

I didn’t enjoy it and, whilst I might get a passing grade, I wasn’t good enough to make a meaningful career from it. We continued talking and realised my passion was in graphic design. So I doubled down on that instead. I stopped pursuing chemistry and dove further into design, which took me into the digital art space, then a degree in interactive media design, and ultimately the tech industry where I still thrive today.

If not for the candor of my tutor that day, I’d likely be stuck in a role that didn’t quite fit. Never fully enjoying my job and never being all that good at it.

The moral here isn’t about following your dreams, it’s to be candid with your feedback and to pay attention when people are being candid with you. Great feedback can change your life. I keep this memory with me when I need to deliver tough feedback to my team members. It can be hard to hear this kind of feedback and even harder to deliver it but the most crucial feedback is often the most difficult to deliver.

So thank you, Fiona, for telling me what I needed to hear, changing my career, and teaching me the power of candor.