A Parting Gift: 17 Truths For Business And Life

In an unorthodox move, I (blog editor) am taking a moment to preface Danielle’s post. Today is the last day that she will be haunting the virtual halls here at SME Digital. Though we are selfishly sad to see her go, we are thrilled to watch her continue to grow and spread her wings. She has made a lasting impact on our team, our clients, and our culture. To sum it up, she’s amazing and a total, total rock star. We are honored that she has grown with us and that we now get to share her with the rest of you. Danielle, I will always consider you a dear, dear friend, and I cannot wait to watch you fly.

As I move on from my role at SME Digital, I look back fondly on two great years of professional and personal growth and development. To keep this short and sweet, here are my parting 17 truths that I have learned during my time here:

1. You have a voice. Find the group that values yours and speak up.
2. Trust your gut. If you have a strong feeling about something related to your work, your team, or your clients, go with it.
3. The obvious is not always so obvious. Speak up. You will either save tons of agony or offer an opportunity to up-level.
4. Risk assess, don’t roadblock.
5. Trust and respect goes a long way. You are not the only one capable of creating greatness. Your greatness is not the only kind out there.
6. Get out of your box. You will grow and achieve in ways you did not think possible.
7. There is beauty in the chaos. Find the open space, inhabit it, and make an impact.
8. Find your zone. Whether it’s a block of time within each day or your special corner of the world, actively seek it out.
9. Be the team member you would want. Go that extra mile every day, every time.
10. Make time for the coffee/water cooler/happy hour chat. Knowing your team and clients on a personal level yields a deeper experience.
11. A win is never your own. Share the love.
12. Be a go-giver, not a go-getter (and read this if you haven’t already).
13. Rapid Prototype (again and again). The WOW is in the iterations.
14. Always ask what someone really liked about the work and what could make it even better. Always in that order. Paying attention to both will make you stronger.
15. Know your boundaries. And stick to them.
16. Seek mentorship. And be a mentor.
17. Challenge Yourself. Great things don’t happen in your comfort zone.

It’s been an honor to be a part of the SME Digital team, and it’s been a pleasure writing for this blog. And with that…