Say what you will about Joe Biden, whether or not he supported his presidential election, and acknowledging that he doesn’t have the messianic stature of the two previous presidents, the man’s life’s work can be seen as a study in the development of his career. There are some aspects of Biden’s professional life that led to his ultimate achievement of winning the US presidency, but they also point to characteristics many of us can learn from as we navigate and grow our own careers. . Like anyone, he faced substantial challenges establishing himself professionally. However, there are attributes that he exhibited in doing so that contributed to his success over time and are worth examining.
A now well-known part of his biography is how, at age 29, he rose to the US Senate, and within weeks, lost his wife and young daughter in a car accident. The conflicting and monumental impact of these twin events would shake anyone’s world, but with reserves of strength, faith and support from key individuals, he forged ahead as his state senator and father of his surviving children. Finding the determination to carry on and do the right thing in such circumstances gave him an outlook on life to better face other difficulties and be grateful for what is most important. The takeaway in regards to racing? Resolution and skill priority settings are important.
Although Delaware voters kept sending him back to the Senate, it’s not as if Biden never knew electoral failure. He has run for president twice before, in 1988 and in 2008. Both attempts have failed. A failed accusation of plagiarism in ’88 and lackluster enthusiasm in 2008 left him looking as if the presidential path would never be his. However, he realized that failure is not ruinous. Being knocked down means you get back up. He kept his career alive, showed tenacity and continued his kind of ambition.
Rather than discourage him, the failure informed Joe Biden how to improve his future. He strove to be among the most influential members of the Senate with presidencies and engagements that generated both success and controversy. He accepted the invitation to serve as vice president, which for eight years contained a full and diversified portfolio. And, of course, he continued to succeed by running again for president confident that the unique circumstances of this election cycle could work in his favor. It worked.
An effective politician is a convincing communicator and networker. They know how to forge constructive relationships, build beneficial teams, and harness the synergy of brilliant minds. Biden has honed his ability to reach out to others and form profitable alliances. He’s been at this for a long time, which addresses another notable feature of his time. Much has been said about how Biden has lost his fastball with age. This may be true. Despite this, he demonstrated competence in running for and taking on this demanding job, garnering more votes than any other presidential candidate in US history. Not bad for a guy in his seventies.
Politics aside, then, we could afford to see in Joe Biden a person who persevered, avoided gloom, focused on what mattered most, maintained ambition, willingly faced new trials, rallied talented compatriots, and projected his considerable knowledge and experience. until well into the time. the older years of him. As we reflect on our own careers, we can assess how well we are doing in these career-building areas. While none of us would want to go through all the trials and tribulations Joe Biden has gone through, it’s still justifiable to view his career story as one of many ways to achieve success.