Tags: #learning-how-to-work You are the adult in the room. What I mean by this is: in the US, for the first 18 or so years of our lives we are socialized to either wait to be told what to do, or to ask for permission from adults to do the things we want. Teachers, parents, coaches dictated the structure of our daily lives. In my first year working I noticed multiple times in which I took entirely too long to take the initiative on something--maybe ask for a meeting I needed to have to gain clarity, or a work effort I needed to push forward. Why did I wait? Because I thought leadership, aka "the adults" would push this forward and tell me what I need to do. Sometimes people will tell you what you need to do. But if you know there's something that needs to be done, take the initiative and do it. Don't wait to be told. Don't wait for permission. Because you're the adult in the room. Created: September 07, 2021 Last Modified: September 07, 2021