Lorna Donatone remembers the first time she told a boss that she would like his job. “It didn’t go over so well,” says the newly appointed Sodexo region chair for North America and CEO of Schools worldwide.
The first thing Donatone will say if you ask for career advice is to get involved in the leadership of diversity programs. “It exposed me to the larger organization for my personal development benefit, for my ability to see what other opportunities are available within the company and to meet people and help advance our diversity and inclusion mission,” she says.
Below are three more tips from Donatone:
1. Flex your communication style to your audience
I don’t mean having different messages for different audiences. It’s being able to understand an audience and send a message the way they can hear it.
2. Occasionally unplug from business
Business is tough these days. As we all know, it’s 24/7. Being able to detach sometimes is essential.
3. Don’t go chasing titles
Understand what you want to do, your skill set and your development areas. Go after the jobs that are going to stretch you—but don’t just chase titles.