Character flaws can prevent your career advancement

I came across a very interesting article entitled Barrier to success: one weak spot.

The article talks about how highly qualified individuals can derail their careers from a single character flaw; an Achilles’ heel of sorts. You may have all the talent and knowledge in the world, but one little mistake can tarnish your overall image.

I highly encourage you to read this article, especially if you’re a young professional like me. At this point in my life, I have serious aspirations for advancement in my company. Within my first month on the job, I researched everything I could about my company, it’s culture, and it’s potential for growth. Additionally, I’m doing my best to become a highly reliable employee in hopes that my superiors will recognize my performance.

What disturbs me about this article is that you (and I), may have an Achilles’ heel and might not even know it! People are creating an opinion of you, whether good or bad… which sticks with you for a long time. I guess first impressions really do matter!

But have no fear, I think people can change. With proper guidance, and some determination, I think you can overcome any character flaw. The first, and perhaps most obvious step is to be open for improvement. This is more difficult than it sounds. To be truly open for improvement, you must accept…and even invite constructive criticism. You won’t know what to fix if you don’t know what needs fixing.

What may also help is to establish a mentor within your company. This person should be someone who can assist you with your career development. A superior would be your best bet. I think that by showing a sincere interest to improve yourself, you will resolve any character flaws you have and show that you are serious about taking a leadership role in your company.