Apologies for being a bit quiet over the past few weeks. I spent just over a week in Tasmania on holiday and attending the Career Development Association of Australia's annual conference. Having 4 days in a cabin at Cradle Mountain was a time to slow down and rejuvenate. This time in the fresh air led to many ideas particularly about the necessity of slowing down.
Our day-to-day life operates at a such a fast pace as we race from activity to activity in the vein hope of actually crossing off all our to-do's in our diary.
We view this as normal.
Yet those mere 4 days at Cradle Mountain of unscheduled time was like plugging into a power socket and being recharged. Feeling refreshed like that, is that not normal? Are we so used to our frantic pace that we see fatigue as an unfortunate but necessary part of life, rather than an indicator of going too fast?
So consider this post as a gentle reminder to slow down. In the next 24 hours do one thing you enjoy doing...read a book...go for a long stroll...play a game of scrabble...
I will share some insights from the conference, but not now. I'm off to do one of my favourite things...a run in the forest....
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Monday, 10 March 2008
Will 'Free Agent Nation' stand the test of time?
I recently responded to a question on linkedin.com about the future of Daniel Pink's book "Free Agent Nation" written in 2002. Here are my thoughts:
Daniel Pink has certainly popularised the notion of working for oneself and if all of his ideas are taken at face value then I wouldn't want to be head of a large organisation! I do, however, feel that Pink is somewhat extreme in his predictions. Having been in the career field for almost a decade and seeing thousands of people experience career challenges I don't think that Free Agent Nation will live up to the hype.
Rather, I see a bifurcation appearing in the labour market between:
(1) those who prefer working in a large corporate, whether it be for perceived stability, access to resources, esteem needs etc; and
(2) those who pursue a more portfolio career (including Free Agent notion).
The internet is an enabling factor in pursuing a portfolio career. Sites such as elance.com and mturk.com are allowing people who otherwise would not have had the social drive to setup themselves up as a Free Agent can do so from the safe anonymity of their computer.
Daniel Pink has certainly popularised the notion of working for oneself and if all of his ideas are taken at face value then I wouldn't want to be head of a large organisation! I do, however, feel that Pink is somewhat extreme in his predictions. Having been in the career field for almost a decade and seeing thousands of people experience career challenges I don't think that Free Agent Nation will live up to the hype.
Rather, I see a bifurcation appearing in the labour market between:
(1) those who prefer working in a large corporate, whether it be for perceived stability, access to resources, esteem needs etc; and
(2) those who pursue a more portfolio career (including Free Agent notion).
The internet is an enabling factor in pursuing a portfolio career. Sites such as elance.com and mturk.com are allowing people who otherwise would not have had the social drive to setup themselves up as a Free Agent can do so from the safe anonymity of their computer.
Monday, 4 February 2008
Go Green with your Career
I'm sure that 'carbon' has to be in the running for the word of the year for 2007. It really came from nowhere to be one of the biggest buzz words of the year with most TV ad breaks having at least one ad that mentions 'carbon neutral' or 'environment' or 'green'.
This environmental movement has some key principles which are quite thought provoking when applied to your career:
1. Sustainability
No point being highly efficient in your career if you burn out. The rates of stress leave and illness in our society are testament to the difficulty that people have in operating at a sustainable pace in their career.
2. Leave the world a better place
The emotional cry of environmentalists is that we are only custodians of the planet for our children's generation. In other words, leave the world a better place then when you arrived. What a great goal to have. What difference will you be remembered for?
3. Renew, Reuse, Recycle
The three R's. We have to renew ourselves several times throughout our career. I was only talking with someone yesterday who had built up her business over the last 8 years and was excited about the prospect of selling so that she could do something else. She felt a career renewal was in the air.
Our career also involves reusing the skills and knowledge that we have to propel us on to other things. Our skill set is our foundation but it needs to be looked after so that it remains current and can be enhanced.
Experience is the best teacher so learn from your past and recycle what worked well. Build on your strengths. Recycle out what didn't work so well.
4. Innovate
I believe that the power of big hairy audacious goals such as the Kyoto Protocol is that it forces us to innovate to achieve the goal.
Take time to create a picture in your mind of your ideal future. Be bold with this picture. Once you have it in focus your subconscious will slowly move you toward this place. It will require some innovative thought and action. It will be exciting and confronting. You'll be scared and exhilarated.
It's called life.
Enjoy the ride.
This environmental movement has some key principles which are quite thought provoking when applied to your career:
1. Sustainability
No point being highly efficient in your career if you burn out. The rates of stress leave and illness in our society are testament to the difficulty that people have in operating at a sustainable pace in their career.
2. Leave the world a better place
The emotional cry of environmentalists is that we are only custodians of the planet for our children's generation. In other words, leave the world a better place then when you arrived. What a great goal to have. What difference will you be remembered for?
3. Renew, Reuse, Recycle
The three R's. We have to renew ourselves several times throughout our career. I was only talking with someone yesterday who had built up her business over the last 8 years and was excited about the prospect of selling so that she could do something else. She felt a career renewal was in the air.
Our career also involves reusing the skills and knowledge that we have to propel us on to other things. Our skill set is our foundation but it needs to be looked after so that it remains current and can be enhanced.
Experience is the best teacher so learn from your past and recycle what worked well. Build on your strengths. Recycle out what didn't work so well.
4. Innovate
I believe that the power of big hairy audacious goals such as the Kyoto Protocol is that it forces us to innovate to achieve the goal.
Take time to create a picture in your mind of your ideal future. Be bold with this picture. Once you have it in focus your subconscious will slowly move you toward this place. It will require some innovative thought and action. It will be exciting and confronting. You'll be scared and exhilarated.
It's called life.
Enjoy the ride.
Friday, 11 January 2008
Redefining retirement: the best is yet to be
As we begin the new year, some of we baby boomers may be turning our minds to the “R” word (retirement) when we can have a rather more permanent break from the routine of work.
This more traditional notion of retirement may conjure up images of rest and leisure activities, more time with family, travel, adventure, getting around to that list of home tasks that have been under the fridge magnet for many years, and access to that pot of gold called Superannuation.
This perspective on retirement as a destination does, however, strike fear into the hearts of many – the thought of leaving behind a lifetime of what defines us can be daunting and this fear can often result in workers staying in roles they don’t enjoy as a way of preserving their identity, at the expense of their own fulfillment.
The prospect of a leisure based retirement can also be challenging for some life partners who have been known to belatedly modify their nuptial vows to:
….. for better or worse - but not for lunch!
The good news is that the changing world of work over the past 10-15 years and the abolition of a mandatory retirement age have created limitless possibilities for the modern retirement experience, including:
This more traditional notion of retirement may conjure up images of rest and leisure activities, more time with family, travel, adventure, getting around to that list of home tasks that have been under the fridge magnet for many years, and access to that pot of gold called Superannuation.
This perspective on retirement as a destination does, however, strike fear into the hearts of many – the thought of leaving behind a lifetime of what defines us can be daunting and this fear can often result in workers staying in roles they don’t enjoy as a way of preserving their identity, at the expense of their own fulfillment.
The prospect of a leisure based retirement can also be challenging for some life partners who have been known to belatedly modify their nuptial vows to:
….. for better or worse - but not for lunch!
The good news is that the changing world of work over the past 10-15 years and the abolition of a mandatory retirement age have created limitless possibilities for the modern retirement experience, including:
- 3rd age careers
- Seachange/treechange
- New business
- Part-time and/or portfolio careers
- Tailor-made leisure and holiday opportunities, e.g. s.k.i. holidays
- Lifelong learning, work, leisure and volunteer activities
In fact, the word retirement as a concept is also up for grabs – we can create our own definition. The experience will be as unique as each of our circumstances.
Henry Thoreau invites us to “live the life we imagined”.
How we achieve that may be food for thought as we start the new year with fresh reflections our Christmas break when we can reflect on our achievements and our preferred way ahead.
“Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rage at the close
of day
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Dylan Thomas
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Creating an inspirational workplace
One of the most innovative networks I've seen established was setup by the local church in the city-fringe business community of Toowong where our head office is located. The Reverend Marian Free wanted to connect with the extensive business community in her parish so she established St Thomas' Business Community with the purpose to 'make the connection between faith, work and the living of life'.
At the final breakfast event of the year, Dr Robert Hendy from Med-E-Serv facilitated an open discussion on the year's theme: Creating Inspirational Workplaces. Here are some of the ideas that arose:
What is an inspirational workplace?
At the final breakfast event of the year, Dr Robert Hendy from Med-E-Serv facilitated an open discussion on the year's theme: Creating Inspirational Workplaces. Here are some of the ideas that arose:
What is an inspirational workplace?
- There is a vision or purpose that people can connect to
- People are encouraged and affirmed
- Ethics are upheld
- Leaders have integrity
- Life outside work is valued
- Genuine communication at both the organisational and individual level
- Use a powerful story to make the vision of the organisation tangible
- Support staff to find meaning in their working life
- Make people feel valued through "connectedness, relatedness; and meaningfulness".
Monday, 26 November 2007
Why being a politician is a tough career
I know that you are well and truly tired of commentary on the election but something really struck home to me when I was watching Joe Hockey and other members of the Coalition on the election coverage on Saturday night.
We were watching people being retrenched in front of our eyes.
And this happens every 3 years.
That’s a tough working environment. Every two-and-a-half years they have to spend 6 months justifying why they should keep their job based on their performance over the past 2 or so years.
Politicians have to find out what their boss – the public – expect of them, and then deliver on these expectations.
While the political career landscape is starkly transparent thanks to 24/7 media, our career is also subject to regular scrutiny, albeit in a less public sense. Most companies hold formal performance reviews every year and, if our performance is not up to scratch, then we could find ourselves out of work.
So, to learn from the Coalition’s mistakes, make sure you know what is expected of you; deliver on these expectations; and reinvent yourself every ten years or so.
We were watching people being retrenched in front of our eyes.
And this happens every 3 years.
That’s a tough working environment. Every two-and-a-half years they have to spend 6 months justifying why they should keep their job based on their performance over the past 2 or so years.
Politicians have to find out what their boss – the public – expect of them, and then deliver on these expectations.
While the political career landscape is starkly transparent thanks to 24/7 media, our career is also subject to regular scrutiny, albeit in a less public sense. Most companies hold formal performance reviews every year and, if our performance is not up to scratch, then we could find ourselves out of work.
So, to learn from the Coalition’s mistakes, make sure you know what is expected of you; deliver on these expectations; and reinvent yourself every ten years or so.
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
What will you leave behind?
The lyrics of a recent top 20 song by The Cat Empire is called 'No Longer There', caught my attention:
"what will you leave behind when you're no longer there?"
Interesting question isn't it. Makes me think as to why we work, our motivations to spend 40 odd hours a week doing a particular set of activities. If you 'were no longer there' can be analysed at several different levels, depending on where 'there' is:
Your Position
So, if you left your current position, what would you leave behind? Will it be in a better state than when you arrived. Would it work smoother, faster, more efficiently? Will the next person be able to pick things up quickly and easily understand what you've done so that they can build on that for the future.
Your Company
If you left your company, what would you leave behind? Would it be a state of destruction or strong relationships. Would you be remembered favourably? or forgotten quickly?
Your Working Life
At some point we will stop working, whether through our choice or not. What will be your legacy? What will you be remembered for? Over time your career will have common themes that point toward your contribution to society, community and other people. But why wait until the end to figure out what this is? If you can identify these threads that hold the tapestry of your career together then you can weave a brighter, larger tapestry and direct the design to be what you want, not simply the product of unconscious action.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)