Archive for the ‘Career’ Category

The new George Clooney movie Up in the Air depicts the life of Ryan Bingham, a hotshot corporate downsizing expert who travels from location to location, acquiring all kinds of airline miles doing the dirty deed that others would prefer not to do; he fires corporate executives.  He is obsessed with efficiency in getting the job done and summarily moving on, unburdened by any semblance of human emotion or concern for the impact of his actions.

He sees the accumulation of airline miles as the highest manifestation of success and life achievement.  This sad soul has forfeited connections with family and significant relationships for a sterile, unburdened life.

As a motivational speaker, he encourages us to let go of what we carry around in our metaphorical backpacks; the things weve acquired and the relationships for which we feel responsible need to be released.  All this attachment, he proclaims, slows us down  and hinders our ability to become the stealth shark at the top of the feeding chain, the most exalted position  a person can reach, according to him. Its all presented quite persuasively.

It was a surprise to me, as well as many others with whom I discussed the movie, that this film is being presented as a comedy.  I found it to be  profound commentary on our time, an early 21st century snapshot of an unpredictable economy, and the trail of human misery it leaves in its wake. Over and over again, we witness grown men and women, who have played by the rules, done all the right things, and have acted with trust and loyalty–only to find themselves reeling in anguish  and despair as they confront a new, surreal, world.  Their new realities are unemployment, loss of health benefits, and an even more pervasive loss of identity.  This gut-wrenching drama is being played out every day, by all types of employees, laborers, manufacturers and executives.

Binghams modicum  of encouragement came with the repeated mantra that all the answers to your questions can be found in the packet.  This was the solace repeated over and over to the poor person who was being rendered redundant. Handing over the all inclusive packet was yet another way for this corporate surgeon to distance himself from the experiences being felt by his victims.

I have since found out, not to my surprise, that the people in the movie were real people who had recently experienced corporate layoff: this explains why the feelings expressed in their faces were so realistically painful.  Bingham, with artificially infused empathy, would remind these folks that this could be a pivotal point that could change their lives for the better.  Of course, the idea that transitions in life can be potentially transformational is certainly not new, and definitely not foreign to me as a psychologist and a career coach.  Life crises can catalyze huge changes that can land us in far better places.  After all, its human natures resistance to risk that threatens to disrupt the status quo.

So, why do I cringe in hearing this sentiment from Bingham?  Its that phony facade revealing a lack of true empathy and feels like an icy blow making a mockery of redirection and redefinition.  Instead of offering encouragement and belief, his message evokes anger and creates obstacles that make it more immobilizing and difficult for the newly redundant  to move forward into a new adventure.  At the very least, people who are subjected to this kind of rupture,  are entitled to genuine connection as they are forced to encounter the most primitive feelings of fear, as their very essence of survival comes into question.  That reverberating sense of what am I going to do now? … repeating over and over again like a surrealistic dreamlike echo.

With the employment rate hovering at 10 %, and jobs evaporating with no clear signs they will be coming back any time soon, we have to shift our thinking and focus.  I believe that people need to inoculate themselves against the co-dependent drama that takes place in the traditional relationship between employer and employee. This is a relationship that we have all grown to expect as the norm.  If I do what I am supposed to do; if I am loyal and a team player , the reciprocal reward from my employer will be to offer me the opportunity for safety, security and growth.  That covenant  is no longer the case, hence the anguish you see in the eyes of those terminated.  They are in shock….I didn’t do anything wrong and this is happening to me.  We are living through times in which this relationship is changing, along with a lot of givens we presume will work for our private pursuit of success.  We are the generation that has to define the new paradigm, a paradigm that leverages  todays realities!

Right now, as we face seemingly catastrophic changes in our world, our focus can become more independent and autonomous.  The advent of a smaller more accessible world  through the world wide web, and increased advances in technology, provides an unlimited audience for anyone to demonstrate their gifts and talents by providing an unprecedented platform for creative expression.  There is potential opportunity for even greater wealth despite some initial pain.  This is a clear example of the pie getting bigger; it is the way in which abundance unfolds.  Reinventing and creating new resources requires a new process of learning.  One focused on developing emotional qualities, as human beings, acknowledging and nurturing our authentic talents, and discovering cooperative partnerships.  I will not be so smug as to think we have all the answers, or that the solutions are simple.  In any creative endeavor, more questions will be raised than answered; this is not necessarily a bad thing.   Positive changes are occurring and communities and networks are forming to co-create new learning environments, forums for creative contributions from the masses not just the elite.  We now live in a world where you don’t necessarily need to have connections,  you actually can just  choose to be connected.

I’ll be sharing more thoughts on the changing world of work as we witness its transformation from adolescence to adulthood.  I invite and welcome your personal stories about job loss terror and re-creation.  I hope none of you hold onto the feeling  of being redundant.  My objective is  help replace that feeling with a voice that expresses potential that continues to be defined and fine tuned.

So, please share with me and my readers your journeys, your stories, experiences and insights; what personal characteristics and circumstances pulled you through turmoil and helped you discover a more rewarding life.  We all have the wisdom and ability to help one another.  I look at this blog as a place where people can come for affirmation and hope. A place where  we can mine for the diamonds that lie hidden in each of us;  where those who have already discovered what worked for them can share  with others who are still searching to find their gems.  Stories that unravel unexpected outcomes give hope for those still caught in the fog, and makes the difference in continuing to move from strive to thrive. Please bring your energy, insight and ideas as we move through this unchartered territory.  Together we will prove Mr. Bingham  wrong.  What we put in our backpacks are meaningful connections, relationships that tie our commonality together and build a strength that can only be achieved through contribution and being part of a supportive, caring community.  Together we can really make the pie bigger!

U.S. Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale

I cleaned out my office today & ran across an index card with the Stockdale Paradox on it. In case you’re not familiar with the Stockdale Paradox, Jim Collins describes it in his book, “Good to Great” as:

“Retain the faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties AND confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they may be.”

I highly recommend reading about Jim Stockdale in this wiki to learn more about his experience as a Vietnam POW & how he was able to survive when many others didn’t: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale.

Surviving a POW camp is in no way comparable to conducting a job search or developing your career, but there are important lessons we can learn from Jim Stockdale’s experience.

Got Faith?

Stockdale said he never doubted he would prevail and turn this horrific experience into a defining event in his life. He never lost faith.

I think about a time when I was in a job that felt like a prison to me. I felt victimized, like I had no choices. But that wasn’t true. I did have choices. I hired a coach and started working on a plan to not just get me out of there but to really envision a future for myself. I read somewhere that faith is passionate trust. I trusted myself to know what I really wanted, and I trusted God to show me the way.

The Brutal Facts

Stockdale says we must have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of our current reality. There are two important points here – defining reality and discipline.

What is reality? I heard someone say, “If the dream is big enough, the facts don’t count.” Well, just like Stockdale, I believe the facts DO count.

There are certain facts about you that should be a factor in your career development. This is the brutal reality of YOU – the brilliant you, and it’s important that you know what it is and can sufficiently describe it to others.

And then there’s the other side of reality such as the people who show up on American Idol who can’t carry a tune and can’t understand why they aren’t chosen. Or the person who doesn’t want to learn anything new and thinks they can coast to retirement. Or the person who knows their performance has been lagging but thinks people won’t notice. This is our blind spot, and it is essential to make that spot as small as possible.

After you have a good idea of your reality, it’s time for discipline. Discipline might conjure up some images as being grounded or a drill sergeant commanding you to take 100 pushups in the freezing rain, but consider another definition of discipline: “self-control, training for improvement, and a systematic method.”  It seems to me that discipline is at the heart of leadership, so when it comes to determining our careers, it is essential to have a system in place to help us reach our dreams (strategies, intentions, goals). I hired a coach, increased my knowledge, and put a system in place to be more accountable so that I could expand my choices.

So, CAN be anything you want?  Maybe! Use these tips to guide you in deciding what you really, really want:

1. Take a look at the brutal reality of you. Who are you, and what are your strengths (skills, knowledge, abilities)? What is important to you? What would make you want to go work every day full of energy and passion?
2. Have the discipline to do what it takes to get you what you want. Invest in yourself by hiring a coach, going back to school, updating your resume, networking, etc. Stop doing those things that are getting in the way of what you want.
3. Have faith that you will prevail despite difficult circumstances.
4. Allow yourself to be surprised. Don’t wrap up your life so tightly that you miss some amazing detours off your path.

Do you have something else to add to this discussion? If so, I’d love to hear from you!

What would Christmas be without Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer?  The original story was created in 1939 by Robert May an employee of Montgomery Ward. May is said to have created the story based on his own childhood where he was taunted for being shy and small.

In the tv special, Rudolph wasn’t allowed to play in the reindeer games because of his bright, shiny, red nose. It seemed that everywhere he looked, he just didn’t fit in. He and Hermey, the elf who wanted to be a dentist, didn’t fit in either and so they head out on their own. In one of their songs, they sing, “Why am I such a misfit? I am not just a nitwit … seems I don’t fit in.”

Boy oh boy, have I been in situations like Rudolph and Hermey. At times I felt like I was on the island of misfit toys. I knew I wasn’t a nitwit and neither were those other folks; it just wasn’t a good fit. That’s when I decided to be the leader of me and find/create a tribe that fits me. With a wonderful community of support, I charted my own course. If others want to laugh and tease me, so be it.

Seth Godin, in his book, Tribes, says what Karen & I have been saying all along – that everyone is a leader and we need you to lead – yourself first. I feel very strongly that when you determine what you want, you’ll be in a much better position to help others get what they want, and then you’ll create something extraordinary together as leaders.

Maybe you’ve been excluded from the proverbial “reindeer games,” or felt like you don’t fit in, or have encountered some monsters on your path. If you choose to, you can return back to your brilliant essence, shine brightly, and lead – with noses of all different colors, shapes and sizes. With a community cheering you on and supporting you, there’s no telling what you’ll accomplish – in your business, your organization,  your home, your school … everywhere!

I’ve been reading the poetry of Henry Walker for a while now, just waiting for the right poem to share with you. I saw it this morning. I thought it was perfect, especially since I’ve been noodling with a new level of understanding of this Winter/Christmas holiday season. Where I arrived: in giving gifts we are trying to remember that we ARE the gift.

Henry has been teaching for over 40 years at the Carolina Friends School where our sons attend school. He has been and continues to be a gift to so many people, including my precious family. Thank you Henry.

what is my gift?

what is my gift?
the light that is most mine to give,
that gift that can shine
while I use the tools I have within my kit?
my gift is my heart,
the caring within me
that wells up and overflows out of me,

that which powers me to see what I see in my photography,
the twinkle of the eye as the wonder within a person
gives me a flash of itself,
the angle, the moment, the possibility
that lets a waterfall, a sunset, a flower, a mountain
reveal its own heart,
and the possible becomes actual,

it is the caring that powers my teaching
so that I can touch a wholeness who can self-organize
if given space, foundation, encouragement, release,
while it needs so much to resist all
that pulls down at its reaching and that rewards the base,

for now words are my familiar, my agents,
the sous chefs who help me fathom the depths, encompass the breadth,
reach up and back to the source,

how relatively easy it is to know the “how” of action,
it’s the heart that gives the “why,” the “where,” the “when,”
and then the “how” knows what to do–

and there’s a picture, a learner,
and sometimes a poem.

by Henry Walker
December 14, ‘09

Thanks to Chris Scholle at Social SAM for making me aware of a new movement via Twitter:  Conscious Capitalism . The movement was launched with a conference on October 20-23 of this year. They say the reason they are launching this movement is:

What a thrill is was for me to read these words!

Our intention in developing the IAM movement is to transform the way we work and live so that everyone can be their best.  The basis of our work, the starting point of every product or service we offer, the point we revisit over and over again, is to bring people back to their “essential best.” We define “essential best” as the awake, infinite, abundant, expanding, conscious part of each of us.

The reason we landed with this approach for the IAM body of work can best be explained by the Einstein quote: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” I’ve also seen this quote where ‘thinking’ was replaced with ‘consciousness.’ Another way of looking at what Einstein was saying: there is nothing more important to address than the evolution or transformation of our consciousness if we are going to work and live in ways that move beyond the problems or struggles we experience (what we like to call drama!)

What I know is that Conscious Capitalism requires individuals that see the transformation of their individual awareness as the first priority of anything they do, whether in business or their family life. This very personal process of evolving awareness is necessary for Conscious Capitalism to be different than traditional capitalism, otherwise we will be recreating the same problems that currently exist, as Einstein so poignantly described.

Our contribution to Conscious Capitalism includes use of the IAM Maps: the Essence Map (a map of consciousness), the Energy Map (a guide to dynamic self knowledge and understanding energy flow) and the Navigational Compass (a way of navigating through personal development and business development – which links individual internal conscious to external practical realities).

Some of the key aspects of IAM movement that contribute to the Conscious Capitalism movement:

• Start with individual consciousness first: Group, societal and environmental factors are important and change begins within. As within, so without. Individual consciousness is needed to embody evolving conscious leadership.
• Anchor in abundance based thinking: Scarcity thinking is the root of all conflict. Teaching and practicing “both/and” thinking is required for foundational and incremental conscious action that will benefit the whole, rather than being reductionist and benefiting a few. Abundance based thinking is essential if we are to experience mutual exchange of value and mutual benefit.
• Develop awareness of self as energy: Without the ability to separate our awareness of self  from physical realities, shifting to awareness of ’self as energy’,  it is impossible to participate in the transformation of capitalism to conscious forms. Until we shift our focus from drama to our essential best (energy self), alignment of our efforts will only create more drama, recreating old patterns, instead of aligning our values, strengths and passions to create new realities.
• Connect personal and business: Business can not become conscious if people do not bring their whole, evolving, conscious selves to work. Personal growth is required for business growth, and we need language, concepts and maps for making these connections concrete and practical.
• Connect to nature: Being reductionist and overly profit driven has caused people and businesses to become disconnected from the natural rhythms of life, living and indeed the environment. Ways to connect to nature are critical in remembering our wholeness, in re-establishing a healthy relationship with our planet and in generating financial prosperity.
• Address defense mechanisms: Until we can consciously and actively participate as a collective in healing from defensive patterns, we will not be able to fully participate in the sharing of information and resources. Full transparency and openness in our processes requires the ability to ‘love our way through’ our patterns of separation.

There are many aspects of both IAM and Conscious Capitalism that we have yet to discover. Yet if you look at these aspects here, we have a solid foundation to start with! The IAM body of work quickly and easily helps people work with the capabilities I have described here.

There are more aspects of IAM that contribute to Conscious Capitalism, and I’ll continue to add to this list. For those of you who are familiar with IAM, help me draw the connection between the work we are doing and what you would like to see Conscious Capitalism be. Let’s participate NOW in carrying both of these movements forward!

I tend to attract clients who are ready, really ready, to change and influence how work gets done. They see how being unhappy in a job is detrimental to themselves and a business. They see how the surplus of chaos and stupidity in organizations has got to change. They are reluctant to participate in ‘business as usual.’

My clients include newly liberated free spirits (laid off people) who would do just about anything to not contribute to business as usual. Or people who are currently employed who have woken up to the reality that ‘business as usual’ is failing and they are proactively interviewing for new jobs or exploring startup options.

These folks are determined to contribute to a more evolved way of working and conducting business, for themselves and society. They are people who typically have the resources to take time to rethink how they’ve been working and are motivated to create better ways not just for themselves but also for generations to come. They are not going back to the way things have been!

Imagine these same folks interviewing for jobs with people who don’t get it, folks who are blindly ’sheep walking’  thinking the dinosaur they work for is still strong. I could focus on these businesses – how to attract top talent, how to survive in a radically changing economy, but I’ll leave that for another post!

Given how these interviews with sheep walkers are going, my enlightened clients are discouraged, wondering how to proceed, and asking ’should I look for a job or start a new business?’

My advice to these folks, initially, is to proceed as if the job or the business startup were one and the same. In both cases you start with the following questions:

• What is the work that will most fully leverage my essential best?
• What am I passionate about creating or contributing to in the world?

By flushing out the first question, you determine how you can best create value for others – eventually matching your gifts with a compelling need that people have.

By considering the second question, you determine the markets, areas of industry, and business you would target, either in a job search or business startup.

I have heard that outplacement firms are advising folks to consider what companies they want to work for. This is a nice idea, a start to considering what you want. But it doesn’t take things far enough for my clients. It leaves these questions hanging:

• How do I make sure that my next job or work is not business as usual?
• How can the next stage of my career contribute to creating more visionary, evolved, effective, dynamic ways of working?

These are practical questions that, when carefully considered, will put you at the leading edge of the job seeking, business creating crowd – moving toward work that will be viable and sustainable in the future. These questions help you bypass or pull yourself out of the dying cycle of ‘finding that job or startup that pays the bills but is in a dying dinosaur business that will just lead to another layoff or struggle in a short amount of time …’

These are not questions that should land you in a dark corner, meditating on your navel, afraid to venture out into a scary world where people are still in a stupor or where uncertainty creates confusion.

Instead, these questions lead to the adventure of  explorative conversations with people about the unknown, or the chaos of our times … from which you can see new needs that uniquely match your gifts, perspective and vision … or from which new opportunities or order emerges.

I recommend a tight cycle of personal reflection/journaling/learning and venturing out to talk with people about what’s needed, what’s possible, what’s inspiring. Back and forth between reflection and action, that eventually leads to finding jobs or creating business that often didn’t exist before.

Some examples, based on personal and client experience:

• coach and consultant with background in technology, business and organizational change leverages new developments in social media and networking to contribute to the evolution in consciousness and business (that’s me!)
• technology marketing specialist participates in a startup business bringing a new, locally sourced bio-fuel to market as an alternative to petroleum diesel
• ICU nurse with MBA creates new job/startup helping doctors evolve their businesses so they can bypass insurance companies
• artist, knowledge management expert, change leader combines radically diverse gifts to move work toward business startup using artistic talents to capture learning and tell stories of successful change efforts, that will be used to inspire and guide new change efforts

From these examples, you can see people uniquely combining their gifts and experiences to meet a current need while also participating in creating a world they want to see emerge. The way forward demands ‘business as un-usual!’ And your strategy could include a job or startup, depending on what you bring, the need you are meeting, and the future you want to create both for yourself and for the world.

So what’s the next step for you?

Something that frequently comes up with folks I’ve worked with either as a recruiter or a career coach is this quandary of whether or not to take a job that pays a lot less than what you want. It’s a tricky dilemma, but consider the following scenarios:

Andrew has been searching for full-time work for 9 months. He is offered a job with XYZ company, but the pay is much lower than what he wants. After much consideration, Andrew takes the job and it isn’t long before he is making an impact.  After 3 months on the job, the GM is so impressed with Andrew’s ideas for improvement and performance, he offers him a promotion with a bonus.

Contrast Andrew with Brandy. Brandy has been out of work for 10 months. She was offered a full-time job but turned it down because the pay was too low. Brandy said she would “just wait it out.” Brandy is still waiting, and foreclosure is eminent.

Many times people get confused about taking a job that is not exactly what they want. I understand the dilemma. Some situations have a lot of complexity to them, so there is much to consider.

Here’s my take:

1. Talk the situation through with someone … be curious and open. You may not have considered all the options available to you. Getting help means you are strong, not weak.
2. No job comes with a lifetime guarantee or commitment – from either side (employer/employee). If the job doesn’t work out, you can look for something else. Now you’re in an even better position because you’ve likely learned a few things you can put in your “career toolkit.”
3. Every situation carries an element of risk to it. It’s important to weigh your options, but get some help if you have “decision constipation.”  There are numerous tools available to help with your decision
4. Make sure you understand as much as you possibly can about every job offer. What is the potential for advancement? Does the company invest in people development? What is the fiscal health of the company/organization? It pays to do your research.
5. Sometimes people are in a situation where they have to take a job they don’t really want – completely understandable these days. Just remember, there is a big difference between taking a job that pays the bills temporarily and denying your gifts to the world.

Let me know how I can help you. I want to know about your challenges and successes.

I’ve been venturing out into the world of blogs more and more and wanted to share a few finds related to career that align with where the IAM learning network is headed:

Career Renegade – Jonathan Fields is working to “level the playing field” of work after recovering from being an overworked securities lawyer.

Illuminated Mind – Another Jonathan who just quit his day job with the mantra “liberation”. Makes me wonder why so many people think of traditional work as a prison.

Escape from Cubicle Nation – Pamela Slim is clearly working to stay in integrity with who she is as she also ventures into new territories in how she works.

Brazen Careerist – Penelope Trunk is on the ‘out of balance’ side of the work/life balance equation and she’s openly working through how she’s finding her way. Great modelling as we’re all learning what equillibrium looks like.

I’ve notice myself sitting with a question as I think about the great work these folks are doing: what are they moving toward? I’m more clear about what they are moving away from.

So I’m curious:  what are folks wanting to create as they move away from the confines of the old ways of working?

The Future of Work

I was excited when I saw the cover story of Time magazines May 25, 2009 issue. “The Future of Work: Throw away the briefcase …” As I read the enclosed series of articles, my excitement waned. This was old news!

Some of the topics they did cover that I agree are an integral part of future work include:

• Doing what you want instead of following a standardized path: career customization
• More high-end talent and less commodity-type folks
• Returning professionalism to business schools (ya think?!)
• The inevitability of age diversity in the workplace
• Women’s transformational leadership style – engaged, motivational, more collaborative, less hierarchical
• Creating employee freedom as a compelling business strategy – work flexibility is key to a flexible workforce
• Green jobs – working on things and in ways that sustain the planet
• Collaborative decision making with culturally diverse people
• The end of perks like health care coverage and retirement
• The end of the career ladder
• The end of the cubicle life – telecommuting is a way to save

Yawn. Yawn. Yawn! All of this is true, and where are the new edgy ideas? I wanted to see something much more inspiring …

For example, I say:

The future of work is about asking the right questions, not about having the right answers.

Like:

• How do we thrive in constant change?
• How do we create less hierarchical and more collaborative groups?
• How do we work with people who are culturally different than us and love it?
• How do we create systems and structures that are more fluid, that support a more fluid workplace?
• How do we develop skills that allow us to be flexible, adaptable, and open?
• How do we create people and businesses that are more healthy and sustainable?
• How do we create a sense of safety and security when traditional ways of doing this are crumbling?
• How do we shift from standard career paths to personally customized careers?
• How do we work in more personally satisfying ways, while at the same time discovering ways to better serve others?

I could go on. And I’m wondering:

What questions do you have about the future of your work?

What answers do you have to some of these questions?

What do you find inspiring when you think about the future of your work?

The IAM Be Your Best lesson talks about how we choose to be our best in whatever circumstances come our way. We call this your Essential Best because it brings all of who you are into the picture – a holistic view.

This focus on your best is an interesting concept that seems so simple, yet can be completely forgotten. Just directing my attention to being my best helps me imagine a better outcome for my conversations with others, how I want to approach a project, how to have more fun, and so on. I can tell when I’m  focused on my best:  I actually feel lighter and breathe easier.

Focusing on my Essential Best helps me make decisions about how I want to show up at work, at home, with my friends and family. It’s a very subtle, simple shift from focusing on what’s wrong, to focusing on what’s right, that gets really great results. Something that helps make this shift is just taking a pause & asking, “Am I bringing my best?”

You might be surprised at how so few people just take a pause. Many times we think we have to give an immediate response, and that’s not always the best approach. Think about it. The next time you are making a decision, having a conversation, conducting a meeting, working with a team, and so on, take a pause & ask yourself, “How can I bring more of my Essential Best?”