Business magnate and Executive Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr Daniel McKorley, has shared key career lessons he says he would prioritise if he had to start his professional journey all over again.
Drawing from more than three decades of building businesses including McDan Aviation, McDan Group, McDan Shipping, the McDan Entrepreneurship Challenge, and five years of developing a salt brand at Electrochem Ghana Limited, Dr McKorley said his experience has exposed him to “the full arc of careers: the pitfalls, breakthroughs, mistakes, and transformations.”
In a reflective social media post, he noted that many of the lessons he learned came “the hard way,” while others were shaped by observing top leaders over the years.
According to him, one of the most critical strategies young professionals must embrace is learning how to make their work visible.
“You can be the highest achieving person in your team, but unless you’re showing it, people won’t know,” he wrote, stressing that “visibility will always beat hard work” because decision-makers tend to advocate for people and results they are familiar with.
He explained that while doing good work builds credibility, “making that work visible earns you opportunity,” particularly when promotions, projects or recognition are being considered.
Dr McKorley also urged young professionals to deliberately take ownership of their careers, warning that progress does not happen by default.
“A brutal truth you have to understand: No one will go out of their way to help boost your career,” he said, adding that individuals must invest time in their growth beyond their formal job roles.
As part of this approach, he advised professionals to learn how to ease the burden of their superiors by tackling difficult or unpopular tasks.
“Sometimes, the quickest way to move forward in your career is to handle the messy, boring, and frustrating stuff that no one else wants,” he noted.
On the importance of networking, the McDan Group chairman described relationships as a major driver of long-term success, revealing that many life-changing opportunities in his career came from people he had known and supported years earlier.
“The jobs, clients, businesses, and partnerships that have changed my life all came through people I knew and helped years before,” he wrote, encouraging young professionals to build relationships with people who have expertise, experience, and exposure they aspire to attain.
Addressing those who may feel left behind in their careers, Dr McKorley offered reassurance, saying, “you’re probably not,” and reminded them that “every career unfolds differently.”
He emphasised personal growth as the most valuable investment, noting that “the best investment you can make is in who you are becoming,” before urging readers to take action: “Now, get to work!”
