“Deb, do you have a minute?”, “Deb, can I ask you a question?”, “Deb, I’d like to bounce something off of you” are some of the things people are saying to me recently. When the universe speaks to me, it’s clearly a sign that more of you are having the same challenges. There are important #RealityShifts that I want to share with you based on these recent conversations for which may change the trajectory of your 2023 career goals. Ready to read on?
Before I share the reality shifts you need to make, I want to give you some context of why these stories are the trends I’m seeing in talent as they struggle to break out and be the leaders they were meant to be. While the media & guru’s push the narratives of the “Great Resignation”, “Silent Quitting” or “Work from Anywhere”, are these really the topics we should be speaking about? I believe the root cause of all these Trends is a growing phenomenon called the “Human Awakening”.
We are realizing the energy we’ve invested in a corporate conformist society has taken a toll on who we want to be in pursuit of purposeful work. While we’ve enjoyed the experiences and resources of a traditional corporate pursuit, we are getting very, very, very restless about the work we were meant to do and how do we rediscover the person we once were. At the core of all these recent encounters is a yearning to do something different, but they are stuck for which I want to share some insights.
Start describing yourself as how you change lives & businesses
A new acquaintance of mine wants to elevate their side gig to full time pursuit as they think of retiring. They love both careers, but one is pulling them towards more purposeful work. During our casual brainstorming sessions, they describe what they do in terms of functional title: Coach, Advisor, Consultant. The problem with this, is you put yourself in a box with the thousands of others that label themselves as a title or function.
To stand out from the crowd, I recommend you describe yourself in how you change lives and business. Rather than saying I’m an Executive Leadership Coach, start saying “I help talented leaders rediscover their passion for play and make work fun again”. Wow! That’s certainly different and differentiates you from everyone else. Think of it as a living Eulogy of what people would say about you when you’re not there.
Start speaking as if you were in the next role you aspire to
I would be rich if I could monetize every person who shared their story with me about “I’m not this”, I’ve never been in that role, I can’t be that because I don’t have this” …Ugh, please stop saying what you’re not, but start speaking as if you are! Then if there are gaps, you address how you’ll fill in those gaps.
A colleague of mine is in career transition, and they are reflecting on what they’ve done and seeking new opportunities in what they have done in the past. They don’t see themselves as the next level higher such as the president or CEO of a company. They kept focusing on what they are not and not listening to who they are already qualified to be. I jolted them by saying, you’re already acting at the next level, but you don’t realize it. They stopped dead in their tracks and said they never thought of themselves in that way.
When we think about the skills we bring to the table, the title is simply a validation that we have everything we need to be successful. Where there are gaps, we are resourceful in bring in subject matter experts to advise us.
Could you shift your mindset and start thinking about yourself in the next role and the qualities (not qualifications) that are needed? Do you have most of the skills already and can picture yourself in the role? I can tell you that magic starts to happen as your mind shifts to a new persona. You have been the only you have been holding yourself back. Could we stop doing that and start being the person in your next role?
Start bringing who you are outside of work into your work
An old colleague of mine reached out to me who is thinking of a career transition. They know I’ve been through the same process and wanted to have a chat with me and pick my brain. They shared in advance some assets that floored me when it came to describing their history. Far different than a resume or website was the richness of color and their life passions which they brought forward in the copy. They were marketing a human being, rich with stories and pursuits vs. a resume of qualifications. They were interesting and fun and a person I would want to have a drink with and want to learn more about.
So why is it we go to work and check the human at the door? Yes, we’ll talk about our weekends with the kids and their soccer matches over coffee, but after these cordialities, its’ back to the grind. There’s a deeper message in bringing the human into the workplace far more than before. It’s about being authentic in your gifts and imperfections. It’s about discovering what makes you unique & interesting to others. It’s about being the human that comes naturally vs. conforming to a formal structure. I’m not saying you should be crazy, silly & reckless in the workplace, but stop being someone who you’re not!
I have recently started talking about Curling, Podcasting, writing a book, blogging, cooking, having 3 kids in Europe and everything that I’m passionate with anyone and everyone who I meet. I’m far more interesting to others than being “The Drop In CEO”, a coach or business advisor. I’m letting myself be myself, which to some it’s called a “Personal Brand”, but we are unique in that way. When we conform to ways of working like everyone else, we lose ourselves. When we position ourselves as the collective of all our passions & pursuits, we become much more interesting, and doors open. We are no longer that resume that goes in the “No” pile but move into the “Interesting” pile.
The shift is to start being the person who you already are into work, so we no longer have energy shifts into who others expect us to be. People might not like who you are or won’t find you interesting. But then you can determine if this is your tribe or should you be someplace else. It’s a risk worth taking to change the trajectory of your career.
Now let’s talk about you. Do you have questions about the trajectory of your career and don’t know who to talk to? Consider The Drop In CEO Collective where I bring together passionate leaders who want to make a difference, but need support. In the Collective we learn new skills, strategically network with others seeking the same goals and you get spot coaching that is complimentary. Now ask yourself, are you work investing 60 minutes a month into your career? Are you stuck and need someone or a group to bounce ideas around. I’m extending this offer to you and if you’re interested, message me so I can share an invite only link to attend. #askDeb
Are you ready for making a reality shift in your career or will you continue to follow the societal imposed trends? Take control now and let me part of your path forward and creating your 2023 career goals.
Until we meet, be well!
-Deb