Reading time: 2 - 4 minutes
Video Time: 28 minutes 19 seconds
Business is receptive to people of all specialties, educations and paths. While many people choose to focus themselves early on, there are just as many people who a long, meandering route and find that business was the proper fit for them all along. The long way around is rarely a detriment, however. Skills are built up, people are met and perspectives altered from going a different way. Ann Moore, the CEO of Time Inc. and named one of the most powerful women in America by Fortune Magazine, is one of those people.
Growing up in a family with strong teaching and medical leanings, she betrayed her family’s expectations by briefly studying math before moving to political science with the intention of going into law. However, it wasn’t until she graduated and found her first job after graduation did she find her true passion lay in business.
Even after joining Time, the variety of experiences and learning opportunities didn’t narrow. She found herself working in the finance department and, after a year, took a path that few trod and chose to work with magazines rather than its rapidly growing cable TV department. From there, she further developed her skills and expanded her abilities. This process made her a powerful asset no matter where she worked.
This interview outlines her growth in a compelling fashion. Learning is something that should be constantly happening. But even more importantly, working outside of your desired field, or even before you know what you want to do, can build critical skills. People from different places bring different skills that can offer highly unique synergies that could actually be core competencies once they are properly applied. A lack of focus can drive things just as strongly as a tight focus.
