How being terrible at Microsoft Excel actually helped me — Excel!

I have a confession: I’m really bad at Excel.

Many years ago, my boss walked over to my desk and asked me to compile a massive data file into a spreadsheet and pivot table. He wanted me to present it to him that afternoon. I agreed and got started.

By “got started” I mean I downloaded the huge data file, chose the format of .csv and populated my sheet. I then began Googling the formulas I needed and slowly added them, dragging them through the spreadsheet cells. This was most definitely not how it was done. I knew it was not only going to take me MUCH longer than expected, but my results would likely be pretty terrible.

I decided to face the music. There was no use letting my boss believe he was going to receive what he’d asked for when I was pretty confident I wouldn’t be able to deliver it at the expected level.

As I walked into my boss’s office, I was scared. My self-talk was a masterclass in berating. “Who gets this far in their career and is a dud at Excel?” “Why in the world haven’t you learned this?” “Natalie, you’re going to get fired. This just proves you have no business being at this level!”

I vividly remember what happened next. I walked into his office and said I had something to confess. “I’m really terrible and slow with Excel. I want to get that report to you, but it’s taking me forever, and I think I’m making some mistakes with it.”