nicole1

By Nicole Crimaldi, founder of MsCareerGirl, a must-see site for career-minded “divas.”

It’s a bit ironic that I was asked to guest post on “What Would Dad Say” considering the fact that I’ve been spending an unusual amount of time with my Dad lately. After a failed relationship and living situation- neither one of which my Dad agreed with in the first place- I quickly moved out of my apartment in Chicago without much of a plan for what is next. So what does that mean? It means my Dad drives me and picks me up from the train station each day. During each of our drives together, he fills my head with business and life lessons.

My Dad has always been an idol of mine. He came from very humble beginnings and has become very successful without ever having received any kind of education or silver spoon. He survived the odds in the difficult and labor-intensive world of Environmental Drilling and owns a successful business with my Mom. More about his awesome story here.

I have to admit that I look forward to these little drives to and from the train station. I always wonder what he will say next. It may sound weird that me, a sassy twentysomething, would care to hear my Dad’s lessons. Sounds very unlike my generation, doesn’t it? Well, hanging around with him makes me realize how “Gen Y” I’ve been the past few years.

Here are a few of my favorite Dad lessons so far:

Think like the Manager, not the Technician. This is his favorite thing to say, and repeat. This lesson is based on the book “The E-Myth” which explains the three competing personality types that are usually within every entrepreneur: the Manager, the Technician and the Entrepreneur. While I most represent the “Entrepreneurial” personality type who is full of ideas, but struggle with order, the Manager plans, has order and predictability. Perhaps most of my generation has gotten away from the basics of being the Manager. We are so used to instant gratification that we “fail to plan,” and therefore we “plan to fail.”
What is your goal? Are your actions reflecting your goal or taking you farther away from it? Simple, yet not something most of us do.
Survive the times. My Dad says he never planned on still being in the environmental drilling industry. He said he had always kept his eyes open for other opportunities, but before he knew it drilling became lucrative and something he was really good at. Why can’t more of us twentysomethings be happy with where we are and realize that the beginning of any career path is the worst part? It will get better, just keep going and stop complaining.
Trick your mind. My commute used to be a 5-minute car ride to work. Now I leave the house around 7am and get back around 7pm. It’s not the end of the world, but it is a definite change. We all have things we can complain about: working too much, raising kids, paying bills, doing things we don’t want to do. If you just tell yourself you have no other choice, you can stop complaining and start focusing on more important things. This small adjustment has worked wonders for me lately.
Every day is a class, pay attention. What can you learn from that client that is a huge pain in the ass? Is there something more you could be doing in your job that would make you enjoy it more? Is your attitude right? Are other people the problem, or are you the problem? What can you learn from every situation to make you better and get you closer to your goals? Pay attention and you may be surprised at what you find.
The greatest lessons may be found in the places you least expect them to be, even if it’s in the car with your Dad.
What lessons or lesson have you learned from YOUR dad?

Ed. Note. Sharing the Podium today as a guest is Nicole Crimaldi, the founder of MsCareerGirl.com, a personal finance and career blog for young women. Nicole is passionate about helping women advance and is taking this passion to her work with Financial Education Literacy Advisers where she creates and delivers financial education programs for both consumers and companies.