Reach Outside Yourself to Advance Your Career
When
flipping the channels of your TV, you are bound to come
across a Public Service Announcement (PSA) endorsed by a
celebrity asking children to approach their parents,
teachers, or someone they trust when they are at a
crossroads. Through these PSAs, children are told that
asking for guidance, encouragement, and support is a sign
of strength. They don't have to go through a transition
alone-help is just around the corner.
As adults, we tend to forget the value of reaching out to
others when we are in need of assistance. There is this
unwritten rule that we should be able to make decisions
without the guidance of others. The reality is, however,
that children and adults share a common ground: we are all
humans who encounter situations that are challenging from
time to time, and it doesn't make sense to go it alone.
Signs You Should Reach Outside Yourself
You
find yourself asking the same questions over and over
because you can't find a resolution.
You
find yourself in a career transition and aren't sure which
direction you should take.
You
need someone who can act as more than just a sounding
board, someone who can provide thoughtful and constructive
feedback.
When reaching out for assistance with your career, you
have the following options:
Friend. Friends can be sounding boards, have intimate
knowledge of your personal and professional life, and may
be able to offer objective and subjective advice.
Career
Mentor. Find a mentor within your company who is
experienced and willing to guide you in your professional
development. Your mentor should want to share their
knowledge and professional experience, and expose you to
new ideas and perspectives.
Career Coach. This is someone who is willing to meet you
where you are and assist in getting you where you want to
go. A career coach can ask questions that inspire
self-awareness and renewed enthusiasm for your
professional outlook.
Be in a State of
Mind
to Accept Assistance
Regardless if you choose to work with a friend, mentor, or
career coach, you should be open to new ideas.
. Fall in Love for Just 15 Minutes. It is easy to
pooh-pooh an idea when it is first presented by saying
something such as, "I tried that. It doesn't work."
Instead of dismissing someone's idea out of hand, try to
take in what they are saying and make the decision to love
their idea for 15 minutes. Listen and participate in the
discussion and buy into it, no matter how crazy you think
the idea is. You may be surprised at the progress you can
make by being open to others' thoughts and suggestions.
. Let Go of Resistance. If you find that you are resistant
to change, it may be because your purpose isn't clear, you
fear failure (or success), and/or you lack trust in your
own ability to make decisions that are in your best
interest. A good friend, mentor, or career coach will be
able to help you through your resistance.
Final Thought
Your advancement is limited only by your commitment to
your own career development. Involving others in your
quest will get you one step closer to who you want to be,
personally and professionally.
Are
you looking for career coaching and career
counseling services in a "bottle?" Check out
our bookstore.
