Adversity

Catherine Middleton shares an excerpt from her latest book, How to Turbo Boost Your Career in 2025

You never know when adversity is going to tap you on the shoulder, turning your life upside down. It could be likened to being impacted by ‘speeding bullets,’ and we are not Superman.

Unfortunately, there is little we can do to sidestep the inevitable; whether it is mergers/demergers, executives leaving, company takeovers, or even companies going out of business, these circumstances will all affect our careers and personal lives.

Adversity thrust itself upon my career in 2001. At the age of 48, I was advised I needed open heart surgery to repair a damaged mitral valve. More than that, I had been born with heart disease, which was quite a revelation.

Born in the early ’50s at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in London. I weighed just seven pounds, was long, skinny, and pale, and although the nurses would unwrap me, they could find nothing wrong. This was before women underwent prenatal scans. It was not unusual for pregnancies to go full term before expectant mothers visited a doctor or turned up at the local hospital to have their baby. Consequently, nothing was known about my ‘condition.’

Funnily enough, the news answered a lot of questions for me.

• Why I had been rushed into hospital at the age of six, where I underwent heart surgery – not, of course, ‘the zip’ kind, but still quite invasive, as you can imagine. Luckily, my only memory of this episode was green tiles and a green lollipop, which incidentally tasted awful. Probably an antibiotic; however, what six-year-old is going to refuse a lollipop?

• Why I couldn’t run around with other children my age, instead becoming an avid reader at an early age.

• Why, looking back, there were times when I would fall asleep, sometimes with unexpected consequences. On one occasion I was happily listening to someone chatting away at a party when, without warning, I fell asleep. Alarmed, they asked my friend Linda, “Is Catherine OK?” She laughed and said, “Oh, she does that. Don’t worry, she’ll come around again soon.”

Another time, my husband and I had been invited out to dinner to discuss a new job the company wanted him to manage. It was an important meeting, and of course I wanted to make a good impression. All was going well until I fell asleep at the table! Everyone laughed it off, but I had no idea why it had happened.

There is never a ‘right’ time to experience adversity. When I learned that I needed heart surgery, I was just a few months into a contract with Energy SA, a small government agency. Not only that, but it was the role I had aspired to for a long time – to be an EA to a CEO. I had been in the right place at the right time when this position became available.

My first response was, “No! This can’t be happening; I don’t have time to take three months off.” I felt that my career was over. I had to walk into my executive Cliff’s office and give notice due to the impending surgery and the 12 weeks I would need to recuperate. I was heartbroken.

Now, miracles do happen, and I would like to share with you three such instances that were life-changing.

Miracle Number One

Upon approaching Cliff and explaining the situation, to my total surprise, he came back quick as a flash and said, “No, that won’t be necessary. We will have another staff member backfill the position until you are able to return.” I was overwhelmed!

In fact, in the short few months I worked with my exec, I had built a strong rapport with him that had generated mutual respect between us. He obviously valued the support I had provided to him during that time.

Miracle Number Two

When the surgeon went in to repair the valve, it was so badly damaged due to the degenerative effect of heart disease that the valve’s ‘life’ would have expired within just six months. The thought still sends shivers up my spine. The valve was duly replaced.

My initial reaction of “I don’t have time to undergo surgery due to my new position, I don’t have time to waste” turned out to be a dangerous one. The surgery took place within a month of my being notified it was necessary.

When I finally returned to work, I was asked to apply for the position (as I had been appointed on a casual short-term contract). Within six months, there were rumors of change, and that’s exactly what happened. Energy SA was merged with mineral resources and became Minerals & Energy Resources (MER).

My executive retired!

Miracle Number Three

I was approached by the new MER Executive Director and asked if I would like to come and work with him. His Executive Assistant was retiring. I was, of course, over the moon.

My experience in the face of adversity reflected how, without realizing it, my reputation had been catapulted ahead of me. I had been recognized for my ability to successfully manage the executive office. More than that, the importance of being able to collaborate and effectively communicate with all stakeholders was recognized, and my ability to wield power on behalf of my executive, but not in an aggressive manner. So, when the third miracle occurred, it came totally unexpectedly.

Now that I think of it, there was a fourth miracle, and this is the biggest one of all. I am sure I owe my life to Heather, a longtime friend who demanded that I see my doctor when I had run to get out of the way of an incoming golf ball but pulled up short, out of breath. Heather, an ex-nurse, thought I had a problem with my lungs. In fact, it was my heart not coping with the exertion.

I don’t usually share my story, but on this occasion, it highlights that life can really throw challenges in our way, out of nowhere. You can’t plan for such events; however, from a career perspective, it is so important to always portray a strong professional image in all things pertaining to who you are and what you do so that if and when adversity does tap you on the shoulder, you will have cemented your reputation and credibility within your profession.

As you would agree, our reputation precedes us. It emanates by word of mouth and is the result of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. Our actions speak louder than words; our ability to communicate, collaborate, and show a willingness to embrace our roles wholeheartedly are the hallmarks of our professionalism.

Career progression is based on two essentials: achieving excellence in all things, which in turn is inextricably intertwined with professionalism; you can’t have one without the other.

I wrote the following piece as testament to my philosophy on what I felt excellence portrayed for those working in the field of administration.

The culture of excellence is not a policy decision.

It is a mindset, an attitude,

A way of thinking and behaving.

An Administrative Assistant, whether an EA, PA, or other title,

Personifies excellence and should be seen as a person who can

Always be relied upon to get the job done.

They are the people who create

The win-win situations for their executive.

They are indispensable.

There are many aspects to how professionalism is reflected:

Self-Confidence Is Essential

Self-belief is immensely powerful because how you see yourself is how others will see you. If you see yourself as a timid ‘kitten,’ people will treat you differently than if you see yourself as someone who has confidence and reflects a strong image. If you present confidently and are tech savvy and able to communicate at all levels of an organization, there is no reason to downplay your expertise or standing in the world of business.

Remember, you are extraordinary; you have a strength within you that you don’t always acknowledge. Don’t settle for mediocre. Aim high and see what is possible. Someone said to me, “You are the only person who doesn’t know how strong you are!” It threw me, as I had never thought of myself as someone who had strength. People believe what they can see, so exude confidence, be strong, and let others know that you love what you do and are proud of it.

Transferrable Skills

Administration is a good example of where transferrable skills are valuable when changing direction in one’s career. Whether you are an accounts receivable officer, receptionist, or office manager, the routines, the processes, and your expertise will readily carry forward into new positions.

If applying for government positions, the style of management will be different, as there is a great deal of governance that intersperses throughout the agencies. This is not to say that roles in this field are not highly sought after, as they can be an opportunity to get involved in issues that affect policies within your state or district.

When it comes to being professional, where your wealth of knowledge and expertise is valued, it is highly desirable that you continue to grow your strengths and abilities to enable you to stay effective in these challenging times of technological advancement. To that end, there are several key strategies that can assist in meeting career aspirations for the future:

Build Networks

Building networks outside the usual work environment helps to broaden your professional circles.

Create Your Personal Brand

This should always be congruent with your personal style and the professional image you wish to portray. Your brand will determine both how others think of you and how they interact with you. In business, effective branding of a company is one of the most important aspects of any marketing strategy. Think of any high-profile company’s branding, from Coca Cola through to Cadbury’s or the Commonwealth Bank. We all recognize their logos, corporate colour schemes, and messaging.

If you want to exude confidence in the business world, it is equally important that your personal branding is professional and memorable. You have the power to reinvent people’s perceptions of you.

As a representative of a company or organization, how we present ourselves tells a lot about how we see ourselves. If we present in a professional manner, then others see us that way, and trust in our judgements and capabilities to do our job. It’s amazing what a jacket will do to an outfit; it gives authority to the wearer, whether it’s top-of-range fashion or something picked up on ‘special.’ It is how you wear an outfit that portrays your confidence.

Think about it: You’re at the airport waiting for your flight, and you see the flight crew walk past in their immaculate uniforms, walking with confidence, smiling, talking to other crew members. It engenders confidence that they have the expertise to take you effortlessly to your destination and in style.

Perception is a person’s reality, whether that perception is real or not. It can make or break a working relationship, so it is important to reflect the personality you want to present to your workplace. Be professional but approachable, empathetic but not easily swayed by other people’s opinions. Be supportive of other staff who may need a helping hand.

Reputation is the most valuable asset you possess. It is the opinion that people have about you in your role. It marks how much respect or admiration management and colleagues have for you based on your achievements and positive behaviors. These opinions will give you an edge as and when adversity raises its head and wants to disrupt your career, your life.

Ensuring you have dotted all your ‘i’s and crossed all your ‘t’s regarding the management of your career will hold you in good stead to be able to ride out the storm and land squarely on your feet so that you can take another leap of faith in continuing to be fulfilled in your career of choice.

Life can throw so many hurdles our way that impact career paths and life in general, and you never know where or when it will occur; however, building capabilities through continual learning and building your personal brand to reflect professionalism will set you apart as someone who is serious about their career and can be relied upon to get the job done.