In Ego Is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday encourages us to shift our focus from self-importance to potential contributions we can make for others. This is especially relevant in analytics roles, which often require skills highly sought-after by your less tech-savvy colleagues. It’s typically your job to support Product Managers or business roles within your team. However, you may also find yourself guiding other non-direct stakeholders towards vital information or even conducting data analysis for them. This is where analytics positions present a golden chance for Internal Networking.
Adopting this service-oriented attitude over time can make you an invaluable asset, thereby expanding your influence across the company. I’ve seen how junior roles have become highly regarded after helping numerous people. They end up gaining a comprehensive understanding of all data systems within the company, becoming the go-to person for any data-related queries. They evolve into a walking data catalog, signifying crucial data governance for the company - a boon not just for them but also for the organization when good data governance is not in place.
An even more significant side effect is the surge of happiness and fulfillment you experience each time you assist someone unexpectedly. Working in data positions can sometimes be frustrating due to lack of access to the Ideal data to solve a problem, uncertainty about what others truly need, or feeling like your impact isn’t as substantial as expected. These frustrations can weigh heavily on you at times. From personal experience, I’ve found that lending a hand to others serves as an excellent source of purpose when things seem slightly off-course.
So if you haven’t already, extend your help to team members and others in your company. Do it for the sheer joy of it, and who knows? The old Lady Karma might just repay your kindness in unexpected ways.