Last week the FPKE learning platforms were full. The book club met. The leadership class ran on Wednesday. The parenting group had its session. The live podcast and SUCA 3 also took place. Each had its own focus, but one topic kept showing up: how we steer our careers.
On the live podcast, we broke “piloting your career” into five parts:
- Knowing Your Destination – your career vision.
- Mastering the Cockpit – your skills, mindset, and habits.
- Responding to Turbulence – setbacks and pivots.
- Navigating Air Traffic – managing stakeholders and your environment.
- Fuel Management – motivation, burnout, and long-term planning.
There’s much more to explore. But the conversation moved naturally into the SUCA 3 class the next day that focused on “organising your team” as part of the SUCA Competency Model. This is where a question came up: How do the people around you affect your career?
It’s a common phrase: your network is your net worth. But most people repeat it without asking if they actually live it. One strong point in class was this: stop asking, do I have a mentor? Start asking, am I being mentored? The difference is in action. Having a mentor’s name in your phone means little if there’s no active exchange. And this isn’t just about mentors. It’s about the whole team you work with—and in many cases, the partner you choose to walk through life with.
Before we become “human resources,” we are humans. We think. We feel. We need connection. Even the best work is sustained by structure—and that structure comes from relationships and the people who know us and how they know us. Believe it or not, career progress often depends on decisions other people make about you. Who speaks for you when you are not in the room? Who will call you when they hear of an opportunity? Who will tell you hard truths when you’re going off track?
And let’s be honest, your partner or spouse is part of that team. The person you choose at home shapes the energy, stability, and focus you bring to your work. A supportive partner can be your co-pilot in the true sense. They help you with weather storms, celebrate wins, and keep perspective. A misaligned partnership, on the other hand, can drain your focus and slow your progress.
Your team of mentors, peers, collaborators, sponsors, family, and your partner—can make or break you. It affects your resilience. In my own career, there are moments I would not have recovered from without the people around me and therefore this reflection was personal for me. I’ve had seasons where my skills and work ethic were not enough on their own. What pulled me through was trust and belief from my team, including those closest to me at home.
Building a Team is a Skill
A good team doesn’t appear on its own. You build it. And you build it over time, with intention. You know who you need when you know what you want. If your career goals are vague, your network will be vague. But when you’re clear on your next step, it’s easier to see the people who can help you get there.
Think of it like a football club that wants to win a super league. The head coach can be brilliant. But if the players lack discipline, there’s no winning. The cheerleaders, the technical bench, the sponsors, even the players’ families—all matter. They each affect the result.
The Question You Should Ask
Many people start by asking, what can this person do for me? That’s the wrong first question. Instead, ask, what’s the quality of the team I have right now? This is not just about numbers. Ten people in your circle mean little if none of them will stand with you in a crisis. You want quality over quantity, and the quality is shaped by the inputs you give. We are reminded not to just be good at accumulating papers but be better at accumulating the relationships that we encounter in the path of accumulating the papers.
Where This Fits in Piloting Your Career
And now If we think back to the five parts of piloting your career, your team shows up in almost all of them. Your mentors and peers help you define your destination. They can challenge your thinking so your cockpit—the skills, mindset, and habits—stay sharp. They give you perspective when turbulence hits. They help you navigate air traffic by opening doors or shielding you from unnecessary conflict. And they can refuel you when your motivation runs low.
Let us remember that building and sustaining career is not a solo flight/team. You may be in the captain’s seat, but your survival depends on the co-pilots, ground crew, and air traffic controllers you trust, including the partner who shares your personal runway.
So, as you think about your next move, take time to look at your team. Ask yourself:
- Who’s in my corner right now?
- Do they understand where I’m going?
- Are they equipped to help me get there?
- And most importantly am I worth of their teaming with me?
Your answers will tell you a lot about how smooth or rough your journey might be.
Because in the end, no matter how skilled you are, you never fly alone.
Hillary Oonge is a leadership strategist, Personal Effectiveness coach, and Co-Founder FinanceProfessionalsKE . He leads transformation and performance strategy for finance professionals and organizations across Africa.
I SPECIALIZE IN Peak Performance | Strategy | Mindset | Execution
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