This post is not about Excel
Spoiler Alert: This is not a post about Excel tips.
When I worked at the best little garden center in Texas (Calloway's Nursery) many moons ago, I had the privilege of working for a supervisor who demanded excellence and taught me invaluable lessons about leadership.
Upon joining her staff she put me in charge of the budget. Me, a wordsmith, in charge of numbers! I was terrified. To encourage me, she shared a story that has lasted a lifetime. At any early age, someone instilled the belief that she could do anything. She passed that gift on to me. She believed in me, so I not only felt honored but compelled to exceed her expectations.
Because she believed in me; I believed in myself. And month after month, year after year, I managed the marketing budget and balanced it against the P&L statement - down to the penny. No fancy software, just an Excel spreadsheet, basic math skills, and the drive to deliver.
That lesson has carried me through my career:
Belief fuels growth. 🚀 When someone believes in you, it unlocks the confidence to rise to the challenge.
Persistence matters. 💪🏽 Even without all the answers, determination and resourcefulness lead to solutions.
Transferable skills endure. 👩🏽💻 The discipline I learned managing budgets has helped me lead teams with empathy, produce creative work, and shape workplace culture across industries.
Coming up with viable solutions that help push myself and the organizations I've served has been very rewarding. I don't know if my former boss realizes how much her words meant to me, but they have helped shaped the professional I am today. For that, I am deeply grateful.
Image credit: Microsoft
