As a leader, you know that you have to work on advancing your career. But if you find yourself constantly thinking, “I’ll work on that after I get through this quarter” or “when summer’s over” or “later, when I have more free time”, then Bobbie LaPorte’s June 4 “Calling the Game” video is for you! Take just three minutes to watch now—and get some actionable tips for taking charge of your own career path.
Procrastinate Some Other Time—Career Opportunities Don’t Wait
Hi, this is Bobbie LaPorte, back with another week of “Calling the Game,” where I share my own experience and insights while giving you valuable tools you can use to call your own game…and plan the best moves for you and your team.
I’m going to call this week’s post: “I’ll work on my career later…”
Sound familiar? For some of you, it might. This is definitely a refrain I often hear….even from some of my clients who are committed to working on their career advancement.
I hear reasons like: I’ll wait until after this quarter ends, or once I finish this major project, or this summer when things will slow down.
Or worse: you assume your boss will take care of it – or just hope you will be lucky.
Today’s executive marketplace is demanding and challenging – but it also presents an opportunity for savvy professionals to use their personal agency and take charge of their careers.
Why? Because the map to career advancement, to what is required for success as a senior leader, is more clearly defined than ever. You can review many of the prior posts in this Calling The Game series for insight and inspiration.
Here are some simple steps you can take – now – to become the architect of your career:
- Clearly lay out your professional contribution – which I define as the intersection of what you like to do/what you do well/what the market needs. This will help inform your career management plan.
- For starters, consider how you can optimize this positioning in your company; where are the opportunities for you to grow internally.
- Get comfortable with self-promotion, which I define as “sharing your successes with people who matter.” You need others in the company to know what you and your team are doing and how it benefits the company.
Does this take time and intention? Of course. But no one can do this for you. In these dynamic times, you never know when an opportunity may come up.
You need to be ready.
Okay, that’s it for this week’s “Calling the Game.” Hope this helps you gear up for a great week and navigate any curveballs that may come your way!