When I joined AGM Inc. in 2020, I took the role of Administration Secretary. I answered phones, managed correspondence, prepared briefings, and kept things organised. Five years later, I serve as Liaison Director, leading ESG strategy, government engagement, regulatory compliance, and corporate coordination across a large-scale mining operation.
People sometimes ask me what happened in between. The honest answer: I showed up prepared, said yes to hard assignments, and delivered before I expected to be recognised.
Here is what I learned — not theory, but practice.
1. Do the job before you get the title
My first year at AGM was not glamorous. I supported senior leaders by making sure their briefings were accurate, their meetings were coordinated, and nothing fell through the cracks. I studied the organisation. I learned how decisions got made, who needed to know what, and where things tended to stall.
When gaps appeared, I stepped into them — not waiting for permission, but offering to help. I drafted documents that needed drafting. I followed up on commitments that others had forgotten. Over time, people began to associate my name with reliability.
The promotion came after the performance, not before it. This pattern repeated across every role I have held. If you want more responsibility, start carrying more weight now.
2. Become the person who connects things
Organisations suffer from silos. Operations does not always know what government relations is managing. Compliance may not be looped into aviation scheduling. Leadership may need information that sits across three departments.
I made it my business to understand how different functions connected — and to be the person who could bridge them. This meant learning about mining operations, procurement, human resources, aviation logistics, and community relations, none of which were in my original job description.
Cross-functional knowledge is not a distraction from your role. It is what makes you valuable when complex problems arrive — and in any large organisation, complex problems arrive every week.
3. Preparation is the quietest form of confidence
Early on, I learned that walking into a meeting with a ministry official or a senior executive without preparation is a form of professional negligence. I started building a habit: before any significant engagement, I understood the objective, reviewed the background, anticipated questions, and prepared responses.
This sounds obvious. It is also uncommon. Many professionals rely on thinking on their feet. I prefer thinking beforehand.
Preparation earns trust faster than charm. When people see you have done the work, they treat you differently. They share more. They ask your opinion. They give you harder problems — the kind that lead to growth.
4. Accountability means owning the outcome, not just the task
One shift that separated my earlier roles from my later ones was this: I stopped thinking about completing tasks and started thinking about owning outcomes.
A task is "send the regulatory submission." An outcome is "the regulator has what they need, understands our position, and the process moves forward." The difference is follow-through, communication, and problem-solving after the initial step.
When you own outcomes, you become harder to replace. You also earn the right to lead, because leadership is ultimately about taking responsibility for results you cannot control alone.
5. Build relationships before you need them
The most valuable professional asset I have is a network of people across institutions — ministries, regulators, financial organisations, industry peers — whom I have treated with respect over years, not just when I needed something.
This is not transactional networking. It is showing up consistently, communicating honestly, and respecting other people's time and priorities. When difficult situations arise — and they always do — having pre-existing trust makes everything move faster.
What I would tell my younger self
Do not wait for a title to start leading. Do not confuse visibility with contribution. And never underestimate the value of quiet, consistent, well-prepared work.
Promotions are not rewards for tenure. They are recognition of capability already demonstrated and responsibility already carried. The five I earned at AGM were not handed to me — but they were made possible by leaders who noticed when someone was ready for more.
If you are early in your career and reading this: be that person. Your organisation will notice. And if it does not, someone else will.