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Have you ever thought to yourself: “Is my career progressing the way I want it
to go?”; “Am I really doing what I want to do?”; “Do I really have the skills
that will make me successful”? The good news is that all successful people have
thought these questions more often than not. The great news is that the really
successful ones take great interest in answering these questions very strongly
and that is what really differentiates them from the rest. There is no right
time for these questions to be answered, but more often than not, you will find
that this question occurs to you when you are in your mid-career, typically
after you have spent a decade in the industry.
Individuals who are successful in organisations tend to be highly motivated. In
order to have a successful career which is also motivating in parallel, it is
important to understand the components that constitute and impact one’s career.
An individual’s career journey can be divided into three elements as illustrated
in the figure below:
The meeting of these key elements is paramount to solving the career conundrum.
Let’s consider the scenarios below to further explain the above figure:
• Scenario 1: Aspirations and Achievement are met, Advancement is not met.
Status – Plateau; This is where you have clear aspirations and leverage your
abilities to deliver, but commensurate rewards and recognition in the form of
advancement have not been achieved.
• Scenario 2: Aspirations and Advancement are met, Achievements are not met.
Status – Passenger; This is where you are growing and meeting your aspirations
through career advancement, but you do not get a sense of realizing your
potential and capabilities.
• Scenario 3: Achievements and Advancement are met, Aspirations are not met.
Status – Penguin; This is a state where you are experiencing growth and
have been rewarded for your contributions, but are not going anywhere, much like
a penguin – a good bird to be around but cannot fly and hence cannot go anywhere
far.
• The fourth scenario is where you experience all these elements; where what you
are doing is in line with what you want to do, you experience that you are
contributing and are being rewarded for your contributions. This scenario is the
most productive of all and is where one is likely to experience career mojo.
It is the synergy of these three key elements that creates career success in
organizations – a state where you enjoy your work, you are successful, and
others feel that you are an important part of the team and value your
contributions. This contributes greatly to career planning and individual
development.
Aspirations, Advancement and Accomplishments are key watchwords in organisations
today. They form the core of an individual’s persona in the work world that he
or she is a part of. Individuals who have had successful careers have often
taken steps in order to achieve their goals. Below are7 Keys to unlocking
successful careers in organisations:
Keystone: Set yourself rational and achievable goals. Devise measurements
against each one and the frequency of measurement. The performance management
process is a key element in organisations that enables this.
King’s Speech: As a metaphor, this refers to communicating your goals to
all stakeholders and asks them for help to achieve them. By enrolling them with
the King’s speech people find themselves compelled and hence are enrolled into
your vision.
Kite Flying: Dare to dream. Dreams are a very effective tool to make
progress in your career. Let your dreams soar like kites. Informal networks in
organisations enable people to share and communicate their dreams.
Kin’s Help: Ask and you shall receive. Take help from people around you,
regardless of kith or kin. More minds mean more options. Identify a mentor or
coach in the organization whom you can look up to and set up regular meetings.
Great kings have always been surrounded by wise men and women.
Kaleidoscope: Have regular points of introspection. Evaluate your
achievements and see how this makes you feel. The different colours of emotions
will come out. The SWOT analysis tool is a very good way of ensuring your feet
are grounded.
Knowledge Networks: Network with peers in the industry. Formal and Social
networks contain a wealth of information and ideas. Become part of the social
movements; let people know your beliefs and attitudes. The Johari window theory
is a great example of what you can achieve; the more you discover the more you
will reveal of yourself.
Knights: Identify some of the pioneers in the field as your role models
and establish contact with them; seek mentorship, gain perspectives. Let them
know your views on the topics. This will give an opportunity to get your
perspectives heard, corrected and ultimately improved.
The above points are some of the keys that when followed can enable you to have
a rewarding career. Great organisations have always put people at the forefront
because they understand that they are in a people focused business. Similarly
successful individuals have always had the unquenchable thirst for learning and
have constantly pushed themselves in terms of their contribution. The key is to
find a balance and understand what works for you.
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