Making progress II

Career planning is difficult for a number of reasons. It forces us to deal with complex issues that have their root causes in all aspects of our lives. 

Using the example of changing jobs: At the very least, changing your job means a new routine for you and the people around you. In more extreme cases a new job can mean moving home, sacrificing a partner's career or having to study for new qualifications.

Whether the changes are large or small it is difficult to avoid the fact that career decision making affects more than just work.

Approached in the right way, complex issues can be changed from dilemmas into opportunities for progress. Admittedly, the solutions aren't any easier but the ability to interpret situations and make informed decisions can be considerably improved.

Making progress

"If I have done my homework* all I need to do is get myself into situations where people are asking me questions†. Whatever happens from there I make progress‡."

* In the context of work/life fusion, your homework is understanding your values, talents and goals.

† The people asking you questions can range from your current boss to an interview panel. They could just as easily be your spouse or other family members and friends. You can also question yourself.

‡ As for making progress, if you don't get the promotion or the new job, be sure to ask why! If you are not happy with the direction that your career is going in, work/life fusion will help you make progress. If you do get promoted and if you are moving towards personal success, I would argue that you have made worthwhile progress indeed!

Making contact II

Because not all career situations, questions or comments are suited to being dealt with publicly, you now have the new option of emailing worklifefusion[at]googlemail[dot]com and speaking 1-to-1.

Anything sent to this address will be treated confidentially and will not be published on the blog.

The hope is that direct contact will encourage new conversations. The subject of work/life fusion, personal success and everything associated with it, will continue on the blog as they have done before!

Making contact

I wrote a short article about job seeking a little while ago. In fact, it was one of the first things I wrote when my own career was going through significant change. A conversation I had today reminded me about my experiences and of one particular point in the article which was about job search success.

It was on the subject of how hard it is sometimes to call people when there has been a gap in communications. Quite often it is a genuine pleasure on both sides when you catch up with an old friend or colleague but making the first call can sometimes be difficult. The point that today's conversation reminded me of was this; not speaking for some time is very different from not wanting to speak.

Work and life move fast but more often than not the reaction to a call out of the blue is pleasant surprise and not confusion or hostility. Of course you can always choose not to call but if you are undecided, why not pick up the phone or send a note to someone from your past who doesn't necessarily have to remain there.

Have a great weekend all and a great 4th of July if you are reading from the US!

What you want and how to get it

The title of this post has been a well used device in career and business writing over the years. Its meaning is simple, to the point and easy to remember. It is therefore a useful way to approach career planning and there are many people who would look at a statement like this and say that resolving it was part of their success. My challenge is not a direct one to this statement but I do believe it can be more effectively applied.

The suggestion is that a greater opportunity for success lies in placing equal importance on the 'What you want' half of the equation. Most of the books I have read spend more time on 'How to get it'. According to what you have read you might have been encouraged to emulate the habits of successful people, win friends and influence people or even appreciate the significance of the whereabouts of your cheese. Methods such as these can deliver success but the relevance of that success to the individual has fewer guarantees.

So here's the argument. With a little more time and effort focused on exploring the 'What you want' question, the greater the opportunity for success with personal meaning. If anything, all that is required is to approach both sides of 'What you want and how to get it' with equal rigour.

If you have a personal experience or opinion, feel free to share it!

Redundancy - A personal view

The need for redundancies can be a time when corporate values hide at the back of the room. I worked at a company that liked to describe itself as a family to its people. During a previous economic downturn almost half of this family were made redundant. As you can imagine there was little mention of family during this time.

Thankfully, corporate values have come a long way. As exemplified by Alex in yesterday's blog post, although it is undeniably difficult, redundancy can be a time for professional and personal growth. It can also be a time for organisations to evolve in a similar way. During difficult times companies can learn more about their values and face searching questions about past conduct and behaviour. The way a company treats its people defines it as much as any values statement. Possibly more!

As individuals and companies face new redundancy situations it is wrong to say that the news is all good but it is encouraging to think that it is not all bleak either. When difficult situations such as redundancy are brokered honestly and with the interests of all parties receiving fair consideration, opportunities for future growth can be present also.

Update on Alex - Outplacement Success

I checked in today with a good friend and old friend of this blog whose past experiences can be found in the post Alex's story.

The good news is that Alex is still enjoying the same role. His experience and expertise are moving the business forward in its aims. He is enjoying making new contacts as well as renewing older ones. There is no more security than he had previously but Alex is far more secure in the progress that he has made since redundancy last year.

It didn't take too long in our conversation to realise that Alex is valuing the things that are important to him. He is utilising talents and making progress towards goals that mean something to him also. If you were to ask, Alex would tell you that none of this has been easy and a lot of hard work has helped. However, if you also asked him whether what he is doing now feels more rewarding? Well, I can't speak for Alex but the smile on his face rather speaks for itself.