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Dear graduates, education rewards individual brilliance – but fit is key to work success
The trouble is compounded because fitting in is seen as playing office politics.
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Ultimately, fit is about creating conditions where competence and character reinforce each other, says the writer.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Sriram Iyer
James is a fresh graduate from a top university, landing a coveted analyst role at a large multinational, ticking every box in the job description and submitting every deliverable on time. He believes that if he keeps his head down, does impeccable work and avoids trouble, his performance will stand out and his career will take care of itself.
A few months in, James is doing his job well, but his focus is almost entirely on individual execution rather than on how work actually flows through the organisation. He rarely networks with peers within or across functions, seldom checks how his work affects others and does not proactively clarify expectations with his manager. As a result, colleagues do not naturally see him as someone working with or contributing to the broader organisation.
