Careers don’t just happen!

I am always amazed when I listen to people talk and hear a belief that their career will ‘take care of itself’. Careers are designed and built – or they don’t happen. What happens instead is a series of accidents – some of them lucky, most of them not.

The saddest thing in the world is a person who at age fifty-plus, finds that the thread has snapped. They put-up with work they didn’t like for a long time, but now it is no longer possible. They never gave any thought to planning and now they feel the only viable direction of their employment history is retirement in ten more long years.

It really doesn’t have to be this way! Don’t let this happen to you or those you love!

Listen to Your Intuition!

Each day I speak with different individuals about their career concerns. One of the most interesting things that I have heard consistently is the number of times people knew something was going to happen in their careers before it actually happened. This applies to a wide range of issues such as: a department or entire division being closed; a re-organization being announced, an employee announcing their resignation, a senior leader being fired, etc.

Most of us have strong, accurate gut feelings that are underutilized. If you are uneasy with a person or a situation, or have a nagging sense that there is “more to the story” than meets the eye, you are probably correct. To hone your instinct, don’t turn a deaf ear when it “speaks” to you.

I encourage you to actively develop your intuition over time. Even if you are skeptical, you can practice this. Every time you get a hunch about something at work (or in any part of life) make a point to write it down. Collect all of your hunches in a journal and then go back and review it over time. This process will help you to fine tune your ‘listening’ ability. Ultimately you will be surprised at the types of insights you are able to discern!

All the best, Rob

Developing your own unique style

In the work I do with individuals, one of the things that I have observed is how often people feel they need to be like someone else. There is this perception that it is important to look like, have the skills of, and present themselves as some ideal type.

Nothing could be farther from the truth! It is critical to develop your own personal style. The more a person behaves like a cookie-cutter image of someone else, no matter how admirable he or she might be, the less is works. The key is to focus on polishing your strong qualities and sanding down your rough spots. Above all else: Be your (best) self rather than a cheap imitation of someone else. That is a key to career success!

Welcome!

Welcome to my Blog!

This is the space where I will be sharing my personal and professional interests, views and passions. This is a space where you are welcome to comment and react and be a part of a dynamic learning. Whether it is about your career development, teams, creativity or the current state of the environment, I will be sharing my thoughts and rants with you and look forward to yours in return.

I look forward to a dynamic exchange!

Rob