Sharjeel Ahmed Qureshi

Two years completed at Google. Some things I've learned in addition to what I wrote last year: - Writing helps a lot. Writing helps you generate ideas. Writing also helps you recall what you've done and sometimes keep you motivated by reminding you that you are making progress and doing a good job. Before I started writing this post, I had a feeling I haven't learned anything in the past one year. - The twice-a-year performance review to write self assessment and review peers forces you to write, which has a lot of benefits. - Specially learning diplomacy is not required when your disagreements are for the sake of betterment of product, end-users or overall well being of people around you. People can easily sense whether you are coming from your ego or you genuinely care and react accordingly. - A small act of appreciation can turn acquaintances into friends who'd go out of their way to help you. Don't hesitate to appreciate people whenever they deserve it. - Best advice for getting promoted is written in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends & Influence People -- read it, again. - Be the person who'd everyone would want to refer to, both for competency as well as attitude.

While entering through my office's gate, I noticed that I was being followed by a woman. I suspiciously looked around her waist to find any badge she might be wearing and sure enough after moving my head a bit here and there, I saw it under her purse. I looked up to smile at her to let her in but then my smile faded away as she smiled back. I said, "Hi Susan, sorry about that". And the CEO of YouTube replied back with a gentle smile "It's OK. You should definitely check the badge".