10 Career Missteps

This week, I was practicing for an Amazon phone screen. This means I was going through all the leadership principles. When I got to Are Right, A Lot, I found myself struggling to find “Safe for Interview” (SFI) failures. So, I made myself list my top 10 career missteps.

In the process, I jogged my memory but also found a general pattern/framework.

I found the decisions had common themes:

1. Data (not enough)

2. Communication Pitfalls (often too verbos and/or blunt)

3. XFN Empathy/Expectations (were off)

4. Listening to User (revenue projections before user pains)

5. Lack of Shared Values (reading the room)

6. Tough Feedback (delivery mechanism was problematic)

7. Hiring Decisions

Real Problems, but not exactly SFI

1. Frustration Getting the Better of Me

2. Career Movement: Should have left when challenges were absent

I am sharing these lists in the event you find failure questions difficult to come up with and maybe a “seed” word will help you focus.