work/life & belief

Without belief we’re just jobseekers
Just workers, just commuters, just numbers
What we believe brings our work to life
Belief creates attraction around our careers
Belief makes us memorable to others and keeps us true to ourselves.

When we talk about belief (whatever we believe in)
We’re powerful, we get excited and we want to move forward
When we examine, understand and communicate with belief
(And we can do every one of those things)
We take real steps towards our beliefs coming true.

["I believe in the freedom of music." by Chuck Olsen on Flickr]

Some of my career beliefs...

I believe we are the experts when it comes to our careers
I believe our expertise is at its best when we talk and come together with shared aims
I believe work and life have a unique relationship within every single person

(A relationship too complex to separate but the perfect depth to explore)
I believe every moment in our working lives can be better understood
I believe every career has potential and every person has the potential to look forward

(and I am yet to meet the person who disproves that last belief)

All the best for now,

Paul

Listening to career feedback

Listening to feedback is important but how we react to feedback has the greater impact on our career & job search success.

Sometimes we get feedback that stops us in our tracks. After an unsuccessful job application or interview for example. In an appraisal with our boss or maybe even in a frank conversation with a friend. But what do you do with this information once you have heard it?

Do you need to change something? Should you act differently from now on? How do you know the opinion is valid? What evidence should you rely on to support or refute it?

[London Underground know we're not listening so they write on the ground too.]

'Best-in-class' career management requires that we listen to opinion & feedback regardless of its source but that we also apply questions like these before deciding what to do next:

✪ Has someone told me this before?

✪ How does this new information sit with someone whose judgement I trust? (a career partner for example)

✪ What does this feedback ask me to do differently?

✪ What facts agree/disagree with this opinion?

(e.g. in my career values, talents & goals)

✪ If I act on this feedback, what improvements might be made?

Listening to opinion and feedback - or perspective as last week's blog post described it - is essential to our career success. Feedback confirms what we know about ourselves because it is proof that other people see it too. It also helps us to understand the things we are less aware of about ourselves and keep improving as a result.

From a career management point of view, gathering external perspectives never really stops but choosing how we apply the learning that feedback offers, is where the real gains are made.

What is the most helpful feedback you have had in your career?

Your emails & comments are welcomed as ever!

All the best for now,

Paul