Article originally published by the Philadelphia Business Journal on December 21, 2020.
In December of each year, I reflect on my post-CEO career, what got me here, and how grateful I am to the people who helped me along the way. I would have never imagined that my career would turn out as it has. I am an example of the adage, “Get out of your comfort zone. You never know where the future will take you.” A great lesson for all of us.
For the past six and a half years, I have been a weekly guest columnist for the Philadelphia Business Journal, writing about leadership, entrepreneurship and corporate governance. My articles are based on my 40 plus years of experience, serving in the trenches, rising through the organization and eventually becoming the CEO of PQ Corporation, a global chemicals and engineered glass materials company operating in 19 countries.
My articles are also based on my experience serving as a director on public, private, private equity, trade association and non-profit boards. During my career, I have worked for and observed great leaders, and those who are not so great.
Last December, my book was published, “Be Different! The Key to Business and Career Success,” based on my experiences. Through my writing, speaking and coaching others, I am fulfilling my passion, which is to help people be more effective leaders and achieve success.
When I graduated from Drexel University with a degree in chemical engineering, I had only one professional goal in life: advance in my business career to become the general manager of a business unit with P&L responsibility, which I achieved when I was named president of PQ Corporation’s subsidiary in Canada.
Once I achieved that goal, my next goal was to become the CEO of the company. I had no timetable. I knew if I kept getting out of my comfort zone, achieving results, not making the same mistake twice and practicing effective leadership, I would advance, which is what occurred through 11 jobs at PQ.
When I left PQ after the company was sold in February 2005, I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, but I knew I wanted to continue along my career journey and not retire. I focused on networking, which opened up opportunities to serve as a director on a number of boards.
I had no training as a writer but was about to again move out of my comfort zone. After writing numerous articles about effective leadership on LinkedIn, I approached then publisher Lyn Kremer and editor-in-chief Craig Ey of the Philadelphia Business Journal and asked if they had an interest in me becoming a guest columnist writing for the digital edition of PBJ.
After reading my articles on LinkedIn, Ey said yes. Two years later, I was promoted to national syndication and published in 43 sister PBJ publications across the U.S. I am grateful to Kremer and Ey for giving me a shot as a columnist at PBJ. To date, I have written over 330 articles for the Business Journal.
We should always be grateful to those who help us do what we do. We should also help others as they travel along their career journey. I could not do what I do today without a great team backing me up. I thank Alexa Josaphouitch and Julia Casciato, English major graduates from Drexel University who edit my Business Journal articles each week. I thank my son Rob, who reviews my articles before submission to PBJ and shares his view on how the articles can be strengthened.
I thank my current national syndication editor Ben Eubanks and his predecessors, who have helped me become a better writer. I thank the current leadership team at the Philadelphia Business Journal – publisher Sandy Smith, editor-in-chief Ryan Sharrow, and managing editor Michael Potter. They give me an opportunity to have a public voice to share what I think, which is very valuable to me.
I thank Jon Shettsline and his team at Argyle Interactive, who maintain my SilvermanLeadership.com website and send out my articles in an email blast each week to my friends and colleagues.
And finally, I thank my readers. They do not always agree with what I write, but often provide useful feedback. My readers are also a source of ideas for future articles, which is greatly appreciated.
My advice to those of you who are at the end of your primary career and are thinking about what’s next – pursue your passion and what makes you happy. Perhaps your passion is to do nothing and just enjoy life. Perhaps you still want to remain active in your career, but do something new. If you want to remain active, build on your prior experiences, which will increase your probability of success.
Get out of your comfort zone. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way and make your own opportunities. This is what I will continue to do in 2021. We never know where the future will take us.
Stan Silverman is founder and CEO of Silverman Leadership and author of “Be Different! The Key to Business and Career Success.” He is also a speaker, advisor and widely read nationally syndicated columnist on leadership, entrepreneurship and corporate governance. He can be reached at Stan@SilvermanLeadership.com.
