Your leadership highlight reel:
Start by identifying what you like most about your job
What do you like most about your job? When you reflect on your career (so far) what’s the highlight reel? What are you most PROUD of in your leadership? What brings you JOY?
There are so many good reasons to reflect on this question.
First, when you’re stressed, under pressure, or things just aren’t going your way, asking yourself “What do I like most about my job,” can be incredibly grounding.
It’s also a great interview question (to ask or be prepared to answer). I almost always ask people I’m interviewing about what they like most (and least about their current job), and what they’re most proud of when they reflect on their career.
What’s in your Leadership Highlight Reel?
I recently stumbled on one of my first media interviews in 2013 when I was wrapping up a two-decade career at Verizon and launching Let’s Grow Leaders.
I was honored with Liz Wiseman’s Multiplier of the Year award (so they sent a film crew to my house to ask a few provocative questions). So exciting!
Nearly a dozen years later, I’m struck by my answer to this question.
“When you look back at your career at Verizon, what is the highlight reel?”
What strikes me watching my younger, less wrinkly, shorter-haired, self answer that question….
My answer would still be the same.
Growing Leaders.
(I guess that might have something to do with what I named my company 😉 It’s a quick video if you want the fuller answer.
For more about my journey from Verizon Executive to CEO to growing leaders around the world, you might be interested in these articles.
Succeeding as an Entrepreneur: Lessons Learned from My First 9 Months
Our About Page (Which includes our love story)
And as the story continues, my 2024 Global Speaking Reel.
How to Answer, “What Do You Like Most About Your Job” in a Job Interview
It’s interesting. If you Google this question, here’s one of the answers you’ll receive.
“Focus on the work rather than the people”
Ideally, focus on your work and the role rather than the people with whom you work. Use the opportunity to highlight your responsibilities, different aspects of the job, and the skills you use to complete tasks. It’s an opportunity to emphasize specific job-related achievements. For example:“I really enjoy interacting with the different customers and knowing I’m having a positive impact on their buying experience. This is an aspect that I’ve focused on, and, as a result, I was the top customer service representative last year. I’m proud of the communication skills I’ve developed over my time in the role, and the fact that I’m more outgoing and confident than when I first started in the role.”
I disagree. Here’s why.
Sure, I’d like to hear about what makes you a rock star in your role. But you know what else I care about? How do you collaborate with others, particularly under pressure? Tell me what was great about the team, and your role in fostering productive collaboration. Tell me a about a time you overcame a conflict and what you learned. Talk about how your team works together to solve better problems and share ideas.
I’d hire a great collaborator over a lone wolf any day.
Your turn. What do you like most about YOUR job?
When YOU think back on your career (so far), if you had to pick one theme, what is it? What makes you proud and happy about your leadership?
What would you name your leadership highlight reel?
Note: I’ve updated this article because it continues to be so popular. You’ll see lots of comments where people share what they like most about their job. I’d love to add yours to the mix.
What a great post! Thanks for sharing this exercise Karin. There is so much I love about my job, but let me attempt to distill it into three for you:
1. Synergistic approach to the positive impact we want to make.
2. Constant dedication and conversation around self development.
3. Meaningful work.
Also, I love the quote you used around positive verse negative thoughts. I will be using that!
Can’t wait to see the other comments,
Danielle Elizabeth Aaronson
@deaaronson
Oh, This is going to be fun! Danielle, Thanks so much for weighing in. Your list is inspiring!
I have a program for career transition. The common denominator of all my clients is they pick a new direction aligned with who they want to become vs. what job they want.
That’s the secret to career happiness.
Steve, I’m a big believer in that approach. Thanks so much. I sense that you live that as well.
Seeing the lightbulbs go off when people understand. Much of what we do is teaching people how to share their understanding or vision with someone else. When the lightbulbs go off, it’s just magic.
Joy, that’s a great feeling. Thanks for sharing.
For me, #1 is the people I work with. They have terrific attitudes and the work hard to utilize the skills they have to advance the mission of our company. #2 would be that I feel like my role in the organization is well suited to my skills. I am doing something I am good at…and I like it. #3 is the fact that I am included in the strategic planning of the organization. I am a part of setting the direction of the business and implementing our strategies. GREAT QUESTION KARIN!
Bill, just awesome. Thank you!
What I love about my new job.
Freedom to be creative with ways to accomplish complex tasks.
Learning so many different skills.
Being treated as an adult in a healthy team atmosphere.
I have many more but those are the 3 that come to my mind first.
Cindy, So great to hear that your new job is going so well. I’m really happy for you!
I’m a retired newspaper editor, but yours is an interesting question. So, my list, off the top of my head:
I loved the craft of what I did, which I mastered relatively early, but now, even in volunteer work these days, I continue to hone and build on those same fundamentals. I met too many people who hung in there at jobs they said they hated, but I’ve always felt blessed that I found work that I liked, in high school, in fact, and became good at, despite some bosses who muddied things at times. Pursue what you like; don’t ever just settle for a paycheck. And, find work that, by whatever definition, helps others.
I like competence, learning from it and, later, as a manager and supervisor, teaching and requiring it.
I like having responsibility delegated to me, assuming in a corporate setting the desired mission was well defined. I liked delegating responsibility and watching challenged staff members rise to success. Never got old. You see it all the time in every field: pick good people, teach them well, assign clear duties, get out of the way and let the energy and talent flow. Read Ben Bradlee’s obit and tributes, as only the latest of many successful people who say the same thing.
I like reward for performance, whether cash, promotions, a sincere “thanks”, or a public pat on the back. I hate ass-kissers who don’t work on competence in their jobs but schmooze every boss they see while angling to get ahead. Good bosses don’t fall for it, but way too many do.
And I like to work in an environment with colleagues who stimulate one another, be it with energy, talent, humor, support, willingness to collaborate, expertise and enough insight to always work toward the coomon good and the common goal.
That’s enough, but this should be an interesting list you build. //
Lowell, so awesome to have you join the conversation with such important insights.Doing work that you love and making a difference… ahhh….
well, that’s a great question. One unique way I know the answer to this, is they are the things I did as a volunteer before I was paid for them:
1. Identifying and mentoring young people for human rights work
2. Working with the clients and
3. Advocacy: writing and speaking about human rights for immigrants.
great exercise. Sorry, I’ve been awol here, but so so busy with the Central American children. I still read though.
Bill, Indeed. The fact that you would do the work for free is a sure sign. 😉
What I like most about my work (3 things)
I am part of a team with kindred, satisfying goals
I am part of a team that believes in and cherishes the organization we work for
I have the freedom, support and trust to innovate and fail
Lisa, So beautiful. Thank you.
Believing that leadership is “defining reality, enabling people, everything else”
Sharing knowledge, skill, and Experience in visual chunks
Making room in my life for those in our community less fortunate.
Receiving feedback from someone who was impacted by what you shared
Larry, Such a beautiful list. Thank you!
Great question Karin and love reading all the comments!
What I love about my job is making a difference in people’s work lives. When I leave a workshop and a participant comes up to me to say that I have helped them I feel full inside.
Thanks for this great dialogue!
Terri, Thanks so much. I’m having a blast with the comments too. i look forward to pulling all the themes together.
Hard to do for only 3 things. I get to support and help every other team member improve our processes on a daily basis. Living out my mentor, John Maxwell’s, definition of leadership, which is influence on a daily basis. Adding value to others; how does it get better than that?
1. Respect for people
2. Empowered to make a difference
3. Authentic focus on continuous improvement from top to bottom.
Rick,
Just excellent. Adding value. Love it. Thanks for sharing.
1. The process of creating and freedom to be creative
2. The Culture that resembles a family
3. Special assignments that are challenging, have a specific due date, but I am able to approach the project in my own way as long as I complete it successfully.
Jane, Thanks so much. Great ones!
Some great ones also coming in on Facebook.
Ann Assisting clients with projects that reduce their impact on the environment. Helping my staff to focus on the job and the outcome rather than on company politics.
Paige I love that (1) my job is deeply relational; (2) the people I serve tell me my work makes a difference in their lives; and (3) the work makes a difference in my life because those same people challenge, encourage, inspire, and entertain me
Jean 1) the spontaneous energy to get things done that surfaces when people focus on strengths – their own and each others 2) the (somewhat messy) relational process that intentionally involves making meaning together, and 3) the really great questions that challenge hearts and minds to open up to new possibilities.
Chris Developing people, helping customers, moving obstacles out of the way so everyone be more productive.
Stephanie Doing work that is important, with people I respect, and with people who respect me.
Karen Making a difference to business owners/ high level executives, having the opportunity to do good work without much of the politics that goes along with staff positions, getting to know people with varied backgrounds/interests in the community.
Tina I love the mission of my company. I also love the people I work with, they’re splendid. I like the actual work that I do too.
Hi
1) My job allows me to use my creative skills
2) I enjoy developing others and see them grow in their careers
3) The challenges help me use my resilience and never quite attitude
Jonathan, just awesome. Thank you.
The thing I love most about my job is the awesome prople I work with! I can honestly say I have coworkers I would trust my life with.
I also love being able to help others through knowledge sharing, collaboration, or just being another set of eyes on a situation.
The third thing I love about my job is that I am able to get involved in many different opportunities in which I can utilize my strengths to meet company objectives.
I like the challenges that I overcome in my job.everyday job must help me to learn, unlearn and relearn new things.