How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work | Carla Harris

翻译人员: Yanyan Hong 校对人员: jacks peng

It was the spring of 1988

那是1988年春天，

when I had the aha moment.

就在那时，我忽然有了顿悟。

I was at my first roundtable,

那是我第一次参加圆桌会议，

and for those of you who don't know,

对不太了解这种会议的人来说，

the roundtable was a very commonly used phrase on Wall Street

在华尔街， 圆桌会议是个很常见的词汇，

to describe the year-end evaluative process

用来描述年终评估过程，

for analysts, associates, vice presidents, all the way up to managing directors.

评估分析师、合伙人、副主管， 一直到执行总经理。

That was the process where they were discussed behind closed doors

那是一个与外界隔绝的闭门会议，

around a table, i.e. the round table,

顾名思义就是围着桌子， 例如圆桌，

and everyone was put into a category --

所有人都会被分门别类——

the top bucket, the middle bucket, the lower bucket --

高档、中档，以及低档——

and then that was translated into a bonus range

然后这会被转化为分配给每个人

that would be assigned to each professional.

的奖金标准。

This was my first time there, and as I observed,

这是我第一次参加，据我所观察，

I saw that there was one person that was responsible

我看到只有一位负责人

for recording the outcome of a conversation.

记录每一次谈话的结果。

There were other people in the room that had the responsibility

房间里有其他人则在负责

of presenting the cases of all the candidates.

展示所有参会者的案例。

And there were other invited guests who were supposed to comment

并且有一些受邀来宾， 当候选人所在职位被展示后

as a candidate's position was presented.

给予相应的评估。

It was interesting to me that those other people

让我觉得有趣的是，那些外来的来宾

were folks who were more senior than the folks that were being discussed

都是些职位资历比 被讨论者更高的人，

and they theoretically had had some interaction with those candidates.

理论上来说，他们都曾与 这些候选人多少有过互动。

Now, I was really excited to be at this roundtable for the first time,

我真的对于第一次 参加圆桌会议很是激动，

because I knew that my own process would go through this same way,

因为我知道我自己 被评估的流程也是如此，

and that my bonus would be decided in the same way,

而且我的奖金也会 以同样的方式被决定，

so I wanted to know how it worked,

所以我想要知道它是怎么运作的，

but more importantly,

但更重要的是，

I wanted to understand how this concept of a meritocracy

我想要明白精英体制 这个概念真正的含义，

that every company that I talked to walking out of business school

它又是怎样令每一个 从商学院走来的公司

was selling.

如此推崇的。

Every time I talked to a company,

每次当我走进一家公司，

they would say, "Our culture, our process, is a meritocracy.

他们都会说，“我们的企业文化， 我们的流程，都是最精英的。

The way you get ahead in this organization is that you're smart,

你要想在这样的公司出类拔萃， 那你就必须是聪明的，

you put your head down and you work really hard,

你得埋头苦干， 你得勤勤恳恳，

and you'll go right to the top.

然后你就能登峰造极。”

So here was my opportunity to see exactly how that worked.

因此，这是我看到它 如何运作的机会。

So as the process began,

所以随着流程开始，

I heard the recorder call the first person's name.

我听到记录员喊了第一个人的名字。

"Joe Smith."

“乔·史密斯。”

The person responsible for presenting Joe's case did just that.

负责展示的人就展示了乔的案例。

Three quarters of the way through, someone interrupted and said,

当3/4的流程快走完时， 有个人打断并说道，

"This is a great candidate, outstanding,

“这是个很好的候选人，非常出色，

has great analytical and quantitative skills.

有着很强的分析和统计能力。

This is a superstar."

他就是个超级巨星。”

The recorder then said,

记录员接着说，

"Sounds like Joe should go in the top bucket."

“听起来乔应该被分到高档。”

Second person, Mary Smith.

下面第二个人，玛丽·史密斯。

Halfway through that presentation, someone said, "Solid candidate.

当展示做到一半的时候， 有人说，“可靠的候选人。

Nothing really special, but a good pair of hands."

没有什么特别之处， 但是做得不错。”

The recorder said,

记录员说，

"Sounds like Mary should go in the middle bucket."

“听起来玛丽应该分到中档。”

And then someone said, "Arnold Smith."

接着另一个人说， “阿诺德·史密斯。”

Before the person could present Arnold's case,

在展示阿诺德的案例之前，

somebody said, "Disaster. Disaster. This kid doesn't have a clue.

有人说道，“简直就是灾难。噩梦。 这个孩子毫无头绪可言。

Can't do a model."

模型都不会做。”

And before the case was presented,

在这个案例还没被展示前，

the recorder said,

这个记录员就说，

"Sounds like Arnold should go in the bottom bucket."

“听起来阿诺德应该分到低档去。”

It was at that moment that I clutched my pearls --

就在那一刻，我震惊地 抓了抓我的珍珠项链——

(Laughter)

（笑声）

and said, "Who is going to speak for me?"

然后说了句，“到底谁会为我发言？”

Who is going to speak for me?

谁会为我发言？

It was that moment that I realized that this idea of a meritocracy

在那一刻我才意识到 精英体制的含义，

that every organizations sells is really just a myth.

这个被所有企业推崇的， 不过是一个虚构的想法。

You cannot have a 100 percent meritocratic environment

当人为因素参与评估过程时，

when there is a human element involved in the evaluative equation,

你就无法拥有百分百完美的 精英环境。

because by definition,

因为根据定义，

that makes it subjective.

人为让它有了主观的因素。

I knew at that moment that somebody would have to be behind closed doors

在那一刻我意识到 有人得在闭门会议中

arguing on my behalf,

代表我，为我发言，

presenting content in such a way

以这样的方式展示内容，

that other decision makers around that table

也让那些围着桌子的其他决策者

would answer in my best favor.

会对我作出有利的评判。

That was a really interesting lesson,

那是非常有趣的一课，

and then I said to myself, "Well, who is that person?

然后我对我自己说， “好吧，那谁是那个人呢？

What do you call this person?"

我又该如何称呼这个人？”

And as I thought about the popular business terms at the time,

就在我思考当时热门的 一些商业术语时，

I said, wow, this person can't be a mentor,

我说，哇哦，这个人不能是位导师，

because a mentor's job is to give you tailored advice,

因为导师的工作是为你 提供指导性的意见，

tailored specifically to you and to your career aspirations.

为你和你的职业抱负量身打造。

They're the ones who give you the good, the bad and the ugly

他们是给予你那些好的、坏的、 丑陋的各类指导性意见的人，

in a no-holds-barred way.

以毫无保留的方式。

OK. Person can't be a champion or an advocate,

好吧。那个人不能是 拥护者或是支持者，

because you don't necessarily have to spend any currency

因为你不必花任何金钱，

to be someone's champion.

去成为某人的冠军。

You don't necessarily get invited to the room

如果你是个拥护者，你不一定

behind closed doors if you're an advocate.

会被邀请进那个密室中去。

It was almost two years later

大约在两年以后，

when I realized what this person should be called.

我才意识到我该如何称呼那个人。

I was speaking at the University of Michigan

我当时在密歇根大学 向攻读工商管理硕士

to the MBA candidates,

的学生们做演讲，

talking about the lessons that I had learned

谈论着我从短暂的

after my three short years on Wall Street,

三年华尔街经历中学到的教训。

and then it came to me.

就在那时，我灵光一闪，

I said, "Oh, this person that is carrying your interest,

我说，“这个承载着你利益的人，

or as I like to say, carrying your paper into the room,

或者按我的说法，那个带着 你的文件走进那房间的人，

this person who is spending

这个花费这他们宝贵的

their valuable political and social capital on you,

政治和社会资源在你身上。

这个将要在圆桌会上 代表你推销你的人，

this person who is going to pound the table on your behalf,

this is a sponsor.

就是一个举荐人。

This is a sponsor."

这就是举荐人。”

And then I said to myself,

然后我对我自己说，

"Well, how do you get a sponsor?

“好吧，那你怎样才能得到 一个举荐人呢？

And frankly, why do you need one?"

坦率地说， 为什么你需要举荐人呢？”

Well, you need a sponsor, frankly,

好吧，你需要个举荐人，坦白说，

because as you can see,

因为你知道，

there's not one evaluative process that I can think of,

我想不出有哪个评估过程，

whether it's in academia, health care, financial services,

不论是在学术界，医疗界， 还是金融服务界，

not one that does not have a human element.

不会涉及任何人为因素。

So that means it has that measure of subjectivity.

所以这意味着一切都有主观因素。

There is a measure of subjectivity in who is presenting your case.

这主观的衡量标准在于 谁在展示你的案例。

There is a measure of subjectivity

这主观的衡量标准体现在

in what they say

他们说什么，

and how they interpret any objective data that you might have.

以及他们以什么方式去 解释你提供的客观数据。

There is a measure of subjectivity in how they say what they're going to say

这主观的衡量更 体现在他们会怎么说

to influence the outcome.

来影响结果。

So therefore, you need to make sure that that person who is speaking,

因此，你要确保那个说话的人，

that sponsor,

那位举荐人，

has your best interests at heart

打心底为你争取最大的利益，

and has the power to get it, whatever it is for you,

并且有力量去争取， 不管是不是为了你，

to get it done behind closed doors.

在那闭门会议中搞定它。

Now, I'm asked all the time,

现在，我常被问道，

"How do you get one?"

“你如何才能找到那位举荐人？”

Well, frankly, nirvana is when someone sees you in an environment

坦白说，在涅槃极乐的情况下 有个人会在某个环境下看到你，

and decides, "I'm going to make it happen for you.

就做了决定， “我要帮助你你实现梦想。

I'm going to make sure that you are successful."

我要让你获得成功。”

But for many of us in this room, we know it doesn't really happen that way.

但对于这个房间里的大多数人，

我们知道它不会真的 以那样的方式发生。

So let me introduce this concept of currency

所以让我介绍下货币的概念，

and talk to you about how it impacts your ability to get a sponsor.

以及它是如何影响 你找到举荐人的能力的。

There are two types of currency in any environment:

任何情况下都有两种货币：

performance currency and relationship currency.

绩效货币和关系货币。

And performance currency is the currency that is generated

绩效货币是产生于

by your delivering that which was asked of you

你如何完成你被要求的工作，

and a little bit extra.

以及一些额外的。

Every time you deliver upon an assignment above people's expectations,

每次你高于人们的期待 完成一项任务的时候，

you generate performance currency.

你就收获了绩效货币。

It works exactly like the stock market.

它正如股票市场一般运作。

Any time a company says to the street

在任何时候， 一家公司向华尔街宣布，

that they will deliver 25 cents a share

他们会发售的股票每股25美分，

and that company delivers 40 cents a share,

而那家公司最后提供了 每股40分的股票时，

that stock goes up, and so will yours.

股票就会上涨，你的情况也是。

Performance currency is valuable for three reasons.

绩效货币是非常重要的， 这有三个原因。

Number one, it will get you noticed.

第一，它会令你被注意到，

It will create a reputation for you.

它会提高你的声誉。

Number two, it will also get you paid and promoted

第二，它会让你得到 相应的报酬和晋升，

very early on in your career

在你职业生涯的起步阶段，

and very early on in any environment.

并在任何情况下的早期阶段。

And number three, it may attract a sponsor.

以及第三， 它也许会吸引到一位举荐人。

Why? Because strong performance currency

为什么？因为有优势的绩效货币

raises your level of visibility in the environment, as I said earlier,

提高了在环境中，你的被关注度， 就像我之前说的，

such that a sponsor may be attracted to you.

这样举荐人自然而然会被你吸引。

Why? Because everybody loves a star.

为什么？因为人人都爱明星。

But if you find yourself in a situation

但假如当你发现你处于

where you don't have a sponsor,

没有举荐人的境况时，

here's the good news.

我这有些好消息给你。

Remember that you can exercise your power and ask for one.

记住你可以运用你的能力 去寻求一位。

But here's where the other currency is now most important.

但在这里，另一种货币 就显得尤为重要。

That is the relationship currency,

那就是关系货币，

and relationship currency is the currency that is generated

并且关系货币产生于

by the investments that you make in the people in your environment,

你在工作环境中做的人际投资，

the investments that you make in the people in your environment.

你在工作环境中做的人际投资。

You cannot ask someone to use their hard-earned

你不能要求别人 把他们辛苦赚来的

personal influential currency on your behalf

个人影响力货币白白浪费在你身上，

if you've never had any interaction with them.

如果你从来没和他们有任何互动，

It is not going to happen.

这一定不会发生。

So it is important that you invest the time to connect, to engage

所以更重要的是，你需要花时间 与他们建立联系，去互动

and to get to know the people that are in your environment,

并去了解在你环境中的那些人，

and more importantly to give them the opportunity to know you.

更重要的是， 给予他们了解你的机会。

Because once they know you,

因为一旦他们认识你，

there's a higher probability that when you approach them

当你接近他们时， 你会有更大的机会

to ask them to be your sponsor,

请求他们成为你的举荐人。

they will in fact answer in the affirmative.

事实上，他们会给予你肯定。

Now, if you're with me and you agree that you have to have a sponsor,

现在，如果你赞同我的话， 也觉得你需要一位举荐人，

let's talk about how you identify a sponsor.

那么让我们来谈谈 如何识别一个举荐人。

Well, if you're looking for a sponsor,

好吧，如果你在寻找一位举荐人，

they need to have three primary characteristics.

他们需要拥有三个基础特征。

Number one, they need to have a seat at the decision-making table,

第一，他们需要在决策桌上 占有一席之地，

they need to have exposure to your work

他们需要了解你的工作成果，

in order to have credibility behind closed doors,

从而在闭门会议中有可信度，

and they need to have some juice,

并且他们需要带些“果汁”，

or let me say it differently, they'd better have some power.

或者换句话说， 他们最好有些权势。

It's really important that they have those three things.

拥有这三个特征非常重要。

And then once you have identified the person,

然后一旦你已经锁定这个人，

how do you ask for one?

你又该怎样去请求他呢？

The script goes like this.

剧本是这样写的。

"Jim, I'm really interested in getting promoted this year.

“杰姆，今年我真的超级 想得到晋升的机会。

I've had an amazing year

我有着如此非凡的一年，

and I cannot show this organization anything else to prove my worthiness

我已经尽我所有， 向这个公司证明我的价值，

or my readiness for this promotion,

我已为晋升做足了准备，

but I am aware that somebody has to be behind closed doors

但我了解到我需要 有人在闭门会议中，

arguing on my behalf and pounding the table.

代表我，辩护我，推销我。

You know me, you know my work and you are aware of the client feedback,

你知道我的，我的工作 以及客户积极的反馈，

and I hope that you will feel comfortable arguing on my behalf."

所以我真心希望 你愿意代表我去争辩。”

If Jim knows you

如果杰姆了解你的话，

and you have any kind of a relationship,

你和他之间有任何关系，

there's a very high probability that he will answer yes,

他答应你的可能性就很大，

and if he says yes,

如果他答应了，

he will endeavor to get it done for you.

他就会尽力去帮助你争取。

But there's also a shot that Jim might say no,

但也有可能杰姆拒绝了你，

and if he says no, in my opinion,

在我看来，如果他说了不。

there's only three reasons that he would tell you no.

无非三种情况，他会拒绝你。

The first is he doesn't think that he has enough exposure to your work

第一，他不认为自己对你的工作 有足够的了解，

to have real credibility behind closed doors

因此在闭门会议时， 他没有足够的可信度

to be impactful and effective on your behalf.

来代表你和有效地影响你的利益。

The second reason he may tell you no

第二个他可能拒绝你的原因，

is that you think he has the juice to get it done,

是你以为他有权势去帮助你，

but he knows that he does not have the power to do it

但是他明白 其实他没有这么大权力，

and he is not going to admit that in that conversation with you.

并且他也不想承认这点。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And the third reason that he would tell you no,

另外，他拒绝你的第三个原因，

he doesn't like you.

就是他不喜欢你。

He doesn't like you.

他不喜欢你。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And that's something that could happen.

那是极有可能发生的事。

But even that will be valuable information for you

但即便如此, 这也是对你很有价值的信息，

that will help to inform your next conversation with a sponsor

那会帮助你建立 与下一个举荐人的谈话，

that might make it a little bit more impactful.

可能会让它变得更有效果。

I cannot tell you how important it is to have a sponsor.

我无法形容拥有一位 举荐人是多么的重要，

It is the critical relationship in your career.

在你的职业生涯中， 这是至关重要的关系。

A mentor, frankly, is a nice to have,

坦白说，如果你可以拥有 一位导师，那很好，

but you can survive a long time in your career without a mentor,

但是没有导师，你照样可以 在你的职业生涯中生存，

but you are not going to ascend in any organization without a sponsor.

可是没有举荐人， 你就很难在任何企业中得到晋升。

It is so critical that you should ask yourself regularly,

这重要到你需要时时提醒自己，

"Who's carrying my paper into the room?

“谁是那个带着我的文件 走进房间的人？

Who is carrying my paper into the room?"

谁是那个带着我的文件 走进房间的人？

And if you can't answer who is carrying your paper into the room,

如果你回答不上来谁是那个带着 你的文件走进房间的人，

then I will tell you to divert some of your hardworking energies

那么我会告诉你转移一些 你埋头苦干的精力

into investing in a sponsor relationship,

去投资一段举荐人的关系吧，

because it will be critical to your success.

因为它对你的成功至关重要。

And as I close, let me give a word

让我用一些话来结束这个演说，

to the would-be sponsors that are in the room.

致这个房间里的未来举荐人们。

If you have been invited into the room,

如果你有幸被邀请进那个房间，

know that you have a seat at that table,

这证明你拥有了一席之地，

and if you have a seat at the table,

如果你拥有了这一席之地，

you have a responsibility to speak.

你就有发言的责任。

Don't waste your power worrying about what people are going to say

别浪费你的精力 去担心人们会说什么，

and whether or not they think you might be supporting someone

不管他们是否会认为 你在支持某人，

just because they look like you.

只是因为他们与你相似。

If somebody is worthy of your currency,

如果有人值得你的货币，

spend it.

那么就花在他身上吧。

One thing I have learned after several decades on Wall Street

在华尔街的几十年里， 我学到了一件事，

is the way to grow your power is to give it away,

想要增长你势力的唯一方式， 就是去给予它，

and your voice is at the heart.

并且你的声音就是核心。

(Applause)

（掌声）

And your voice is at the heart of your power.

你的声音就是你力量的核心。

Use it.

别辜负了它。

Thank you very much.

非常感谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）