Happy April.

To support you in being F.I.R.S.T. (Future-Ready. Innovative. Relevant. Strategic. Trusted.), here's 1 tip, 1 question and 1 quote.

1. The F.I.R.S.T. Tip

During World War II, fighter planes would return from combat full of bullet holes. However, most of the bullet holes were in the wings and the tail section. The US military’s response was to increase armour to the wings and tail.

However, Abraham Wald, a mathematician, suggested that it would be more prudent to armour the parts where there are no bullet holes, which is around the engine. His logic was that bullet holes to the wings and tail did not inflict fatal damage, whereas there were no planes coming back with holes to the engine because those went down immediately. This insight led to the armour being re-enforced on engines, which resulted in minimising the loss of aircraft.

The deeper insight to this story is that a lot of us fill our days with “busy work”, akin to visible “bullet holes” that may not contribute significantly to our results. Instead, asking where our “engines” are and focussing on those areas might help us enhance our impact.

Tip: Don’t lose sight of the invisible important, for the insignificant busy.

2. The F.I.R.S.T. Question

The vertical career is disappearing. And that is great news… if you are taking charge of your career.
Previously, if we were lucky, our organisations or bosses told us what to do and where to go, but now with people getting busier and disruption changing the way we work, and the nature of our jobs, we need to ask and answer these questions for ourselves.

Remember..
* No boss can map your career as clearly as you can.
* No HR person will know better what's important to you.
* No one cares more about your career or you than you do.

That’s why, no matter what stage of your career you are at, activate your Career GPS - KNOW your aspirations, motivations and strengths, and SHOW them to the boss as well as at work.

That is the path to success and significance.

3.The F.I.R.S.T. Quote

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