After serving as the COO of Meta, Sheryl Sandberg is all set to step down. These lessons from her career are the bible of success in the corporate world.
In 2008, Facebook’s leading lady took a risk of stepping out of a well-rewarding job at Google and joined the growing world of social media. Mark Zuckerberg‘s company was still a startup back then with a small workforce and even smaller office. However, Sheryl Sandberg saw the future of the world that just wants to chase dopamine.
And so began Sheryl Sandberg’s journey of Facebook. Sandberg joined the social media giant at the age of 38 when Zuckerberg was still just 23. He is now 38, the company’s name has been changed to Meta and clearly, a lot has happened in the last 14 years.
Sandberg, the first COO of Meta scaled the free-to-access social media platform to a $500+ billion global company. Here we have compiled 11 indispensable success lessons that can only be learned from the career of Sheryl Sandberg.
Until women are as ambitious as men, they’re not gong to achieve as much as men.
Sheryl Sandberg, Inspirational Quotes
11 Career Lessons To Learn From Sheryl Sandberg
1/11
Reap Human Relations To Succeed
This one makes sense because professional success is never an individual phenomenon. The road to the top is paved through support of people you work with. While skills and brains can help you excel in your career, it is emotional quotient (EQ) that builds relationships.
Sandberg well-displayed these qualities throughout her 14 years of career at Meta.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, Sandberg displayed exceptional relationship management and emotional awareness, both self and of others around her.
“I think she has a very good combination of IQ and EQ,” Zuckerberg said — He further added:
If you get someone who’s great at strategy or great at product and they’re not a great manager, that’s great. If you can have someone who’s excellent at one of those things, you hire them every day. I think it’s just exceptionally rare to find people who spike in both of those areas.
Video: How Sheryl Sandberg says she dealt with her grief after her husband’s death
2/11
Make People Feel How They Want To Feel
This lesson is an extension of the one mentioned above.
The general rule of thumb goes like this- treat others how you want to be treated. However, Sandberg took it a notch higher. One of the most helpful technique to excel in career is to treat people how they want to be treated.
Somebody might be happy on being publicly praised, while there are many who don’t like limelights and want to stay lowkey.
Know what people exactly want and treat them in the way that makes them happy.
Video: Sheryl Sandberg reflects on the lessons she learned facing unthinkable tragedy with the hope that it can help others find the hope, strength and resilience
As women get more powerful, they get less likable. I see women holding themselves back because of this, but if we start talking about the success-likability penalty women face, then we can do something about it.
Sheryl Sandberg, Motivational Quotes
3/11
Thick Skin Will Take You Places
No one at the top reached there merely through happy experiences, praises and promotions. It often takes a myriad of criticism, backlash and controversies to be a leader. Sheryl Sandberg’s career offers a crucial lesson in this regard.
Sandberg’s career is a testimony of the fact. From Cambridge Analytica to the fake news policies of Meta, Sheryl Sandberg had to sailed through endless controversies to stay on the position intact.
4/11
Don’t Trust The Brand, Work For Its Vision
Sandberg was already working with Google when she finally joined Meta. Google needs no introduction. It is a behemoth of a tech giant. However, it was the vision of Mark Zuckerberg’s company that inspired her to leave Google and join Meta.
When she joined, Meta was no where near Google in terms of revenue, infrastructure and team size. However, like every successful person, she aligned with the vision and chose to go for it.
Video: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, on Using Your Voice For Good
5/11
Don’t Ask For A Mentor, Earn One
In her book Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg has dedicated a whole chapter to instate this career lesson. Mentorship is a lot like any other relationship. You don’t really go and ask a friend to become a friend. You build that comfort and trust and with time, turn into friends.
Similarly, let the mentorship develop on its own. Especially stop reaching out to strangers to be your mentor. Build a real, strong relationship with someone you look up to in your professional space. Frequently reach out to them with genuine queries, not the ones that you deliberately create, and express gratitude and respect.
I think we would be stronger if half our countries and companies were run by women and half our homes were run by men.
Sheryl Sandberg, Motivational Quotes
6/11
There Is No Straight Ladder To The Top. It’s A Jungle Gym
This is another rule of success that Sheryl Sandberg revealed in her book Lean In.
Gone are the days when the way to reach the top was to climb the ladder. There is no more a straight route to success. In fact, it is like a jungle gym scramble. You can either climb, hang, or jump to where you want to be. It all depends on your ability and risk-taking capacity.
Video: Meta Interview | Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Meta
7/11
Keep An Achievement Journal
Sandberg has often talked about her habit of journaling. However, this one is a little different.
We often talk about how journaling gratitude helps a person improve and relax. She points out, that journaling your achievements at the end of the day is equally important.
According to a research, the employees who journal their achievements at the end of the day recorded higher happiness level than the ones who don’t.
8/11
Ask For What You Want
More often than not, people don’t get what they want unless they ask for it.
If you want better policies for female workers, ask for it. If you trust your contribution and think you deserve a better pay or position, ask for it. If you need better resources to excel in your career, ask for it.
Video: What Will Be Sheryl Sandberg’s Legacy?
9/11
Mention The Problems That Others Don’t
The success in the corporate and business world depends a lot on your capability to stand out. If you don’t the chances of getting lost in the herd are very high.
This is why this lesson is probably the most important on this list. Mention the problems that others are afraid to mention. Say it where it makes sense and before the people who can bring the change.
My hope in writing ‘Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead’ was to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what we can.
Sheryl Sandberg, Motivational Quotes
10/11
You Can’t Know Everything. Be Open To Learn
Sheryl Sandberg, in her book Lean In, gives a silent lesson on how she struggled with the tech infrastructure during the initial years of her career. She was often the unaware one in the room on the subjects being discussed.
However, instead of letting it push her down, she made herself open to learning. She reached out to the right people with knowledge and learned what she didn’t know.
There will always be things that you don’t know. Be willing to learn and be comfortable in asking questions.
Video: Sheryl Sandberg opens up about the death of her husband
11/11
Keep Your Sisterhood Close
This lesson is for every female entrepreneur and employee trying to excel through the business world. Promote other women around you and help them grow. The road to the top is often more challenging for women than it is for men. In fact, there will be times when you might be the only woman in the room.
These are the times when you will need your sisterhood.
Network well with the women around you. Build genuine relationships and help them grow both personally and professionally.
This is perhaps the most important lesson that Sheryl Sandberg has taught the world.
Video: How Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg Found Love After Losing Her Husband
What Is Sheryl Sandberg Known For?
She is the women behind the $100+ billion of ad revenue of Meta. Sandberg is the first COO of Meta and has served the company for more than 14 years. She is best known for her advocacy of women empowerment in the business world and the right balance of IQ and EQ in leadership.
How Much Of Facebook Does Sheryl Own?
Sheryl Sandberg owns 1.4 million shares of Meta, which are valued at around $290 million at present. This share holding makes up for 17% of Sheryl’s total net worth.
How Rich Is Sheryl Sandberg And Her Net Worth?
At present, the net worth of Sheryl Sandberg is valued at $1.8 billion. She is the richest woman in the tech industry second to only Meg Whitman.
