In 2007, I joined Facebook as a temp. I wasn't tied to a role; I just wanted to work on something that mattered. Over 15 years, I followed interesting problems — from developer comms, to running a small VC fund, to ads, and beyond — and ended up working across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp as the company grew. (At some point, someone hired me full-time. 😊 )
It's absolutely true! I did the same thing when I saw a problem: I just tried to find a solution. It helps me build better trust with my manager, but also in other teams, they see me as someone who has passion to help and solve problems. Currently, they are confident that they can rely on and trust me.
Thanks Ami, that's great. Can you share some examples of things you got handed?
I'm trying to imagine what my boss does that I can take off his hands as he doesn't do anything that is hands on. It would be running a meeting or a process that he has and would require probably some guidance from his end. I'm.trying to understand how I choose the right task and how to phrase it
My recommendation is always just to give it a try! If I were you, I might try explaining to my boss what I'm trying to do ("I'm trying to get a better sense for the problems I might take on in the next step of my career; I'd love to see if there's something you're doing today that I could take over with your support") and then see if that sparks a dialogue. That at least gets the conversation about potential projects started.
And even if it does require a little bit of guidance from your manager to run the meeting the first couple times, it means that long-term there's more capacity in the org because you'll be able to run it frequently and your manager can focus on other things. Good luck!
The most important part for me has been actually prioritizing it. It's hard to add this on top of a full workload -- I actually need to carve out time where I can prioritize this. So I try to explicitly mark a couple hours every week on my calendar for trying this kind of new project. It's generally good for my productivity overall because it keeps me engaged, helps me form new mental and personal connections that are good for my existing work, etc.
Sometimes prioritizing new problems requires me to hand off a couple hours of normal work to someone else around me -- which helps them try a new problem for them!
Thanks for taking the time with a detailed reply. I like that idea and I'll try to take it on. Thanks!
It's absolutely true! I did the same thing when I saw a problem: I just tried to find a solution. It helps me build better trust with my manager, but also in other teams, they see me as someone who has passion to help and solve problems. Currently, they are confident that they can rely on and trust me.
Just started a new job and this resonates! Thanks for sharing this 💪🏾
Thanks Ami, that's great. Can you share some examples of things you got handed?
I'm trying to imagine what my boss does that I can take off his hands as he doesn't do anything that is hands on. It would be running a meeting or a process that he has and would require probably some guidance from his end. I'm.trying to understand how I choose the right task and how to phrase it
My recommendation is always just to give it a try! If I were you, I might try explaining to my boss what I'm trying to do ("I'm trying to get a better sense for the problems I might take on in the next step of my career; I'd love to see if there's something you're doing today that I could take over with your support") and then see if that sparks a dialogue. That at least gets the conversation about potential projects started.
And even if it does require a little bit of guidance from your manager to run the meeting the first couple times, it means that long-term there's more capacity in the org because you'll be able to run it frequently and your manager can focus on other things. Good luck!
Hi Ami, thanks for the tips! Do you have more tips on how to handle taking on new problems when you're already stretched at your core job?
The most important part for me has been actually prioritizing it. It's hard to add this on top of a full workload -- I actually need to carve out time where I can prioritize this. So I try to explicitly mark a couple hours every week on my calendar for trying this kind of new project. It's generally good for my productivity overall because it keeps me engaged, helps me form new mental and personal connections that are good for my existing work, etc.
Sometimes prioritizing new problems requires me to hand off a couple hours of normal work to someone else around me -- which helps them try a new problem for them!
Ami - Thanks for the great ideas and tips, I am planning to implement them in my career!
Fantastic and timely as always! Have had similar “I’m not the expert here” dialogue in my head many times, stopping me from jumping in.
🙏