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“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” -  Ursula K. LeGuin

 

Managing Transition - Ask Yourself . . .

 

Create a Road Map to your Future!

 

A roadmap helps you define a directional route or path (change or transition).

 

Can you take a trip without a roadmap?

 

When would this be a “good thing” to do?  When would this not be a “good thing” to do?

 

Is it okay to take the “scenic route”? How do you know which road to take?

In other words: Are you doing what you do best?  Are you happy doing what you are doing?  Are you doing what you want to do or are you doing what others expect you to do?

 

What do you do if the road is blocked or no longer there? (Does you career provide you with challenges and opportunities to grow? Are you fulfilling your needs, your dreams, both or neither?)

 

Roadmaps can take the form of:

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Strategic Plan (mission, vision, values, goals, objectives

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Business Plan (market analysis, financial projections, organizational structure, etc.)

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Project Plan (who, what, when)

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Career Plan (find alignment with your life purpose, define what a satisfying career looks like, career development goals and objectives)

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Diary or Journal (like a travel diary or travel journal)

 

Homework Exercise:  Ask yourself - - Where is your Passion?

(Anita Schamber, Ed.D.) To see if your career is in alignment with your life purpose, the best place to begin is at the beginning through reflection and assessment.  Laurie Beth Jones, author of The Path, indicates that if you lack passion, you are on the wrong life/career path.  Ask yourself:

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What gets me up in the morning?

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What can I do for hours on end without noticing the passage of time?

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What feedback have others given me about my enthusiasm for particular activities?

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If my current career does not stir my passion, what are the contributing factors as I see them?

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What would I like to change?

 

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"Success is loving life and daring to live it." - - Maya Angelou

Career Makers, are you in the driver's seat? (September 2007)

Control your own destiny or someone else will. Even if you're lucky enough to be in an organization where there's a clearly defined career path ahead of you, there is a big difference between sitting in the driver's seat and sitting in the passenger seat. Are you driving your career or business, or just along for the ride?

If you're good at what you do and you are in a fast growth industry, there may be many opportunities for you.  If you're in a slow growth industry, or one that is in decline - - focused due diligence on your part may be crucial.

No one can predict the future, so no matter how much you plan and prepare, you will probably encounter hurdles, road blocks, and set backs.  The best way to bounce back successfully from set backs is to develop resilience and learn from them.  Do this by taking the driver's seat to:

  1. Evaluate and affirm your strengths on a regular basis.  Don't just wait until your annual performance evaluation to do this; set a regular schedule for yourself to do this periodically throughout the year.
  2. Develop realistic and achievable goals, monitor your progress and identify what is holding you back.  Utilize input and feedback from others whenever possible to find ways to improve any areas of weakness you need to strengthen.
  3. Build your flexibility and maintain your enthusiasm despite what is happening around you.

I cannot emphasize the third point enough - - how you maintain your enthusiasm during tough times will make all the difference in your ability to physically and emotionally endure the journey.

Career Makers, are you moving too slowly?

A job is where you work.  On the other hand, a career is a long term journey.  If your job has become routine, you can make a few changes to jumpstart your career.

Here are a few ways to pick up the pace if the "wind has left your sails":

bulletSeek criticism - Don't wait until your annual review to get feedback.  As a senior director of IT in a Fortune 100 company, I requested a meeting with my boss once a quarter to discuss performance.  I initiated the meetings and came fully prepared with the status of my existing performance goals and opened the discussion for ideas on how to continue to improve my performance.  Doing this eliminated any "surprises", particularly since we operated in a very dynamic business environment where things were constantly changing.  Checking in on a regular, periodic basis also made it possible for my boss to keep his boss informed in a timely and accurate manner.  A win-win for all!
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Engage yourself - When the prospects of advancement slow down, look for opportunities to learn about other areas of the organization by signing up for a committee or task force.  Active participation shows initiative and a willingness to learn new things!

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Get real - Spending most of your time inside the "company" can limit your perspective and knowledge of what's really going in the world outside your business community.  There is a professional organization for just about every business field.  Find an organization and sign up.  Not only will it keep you better informed of actual events and news, but you will expand your professional network and build relationships that may afford you the inside track on future opportunities around town!

 

 

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Last modified: 06/11/08