Two new questions to re-imagine your career in a new world
In a career journey spanning half a century, there will be ups and downs, detours, changing jobs, and exits.
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One thing you will always be proud of in all these situations is the contribution you made: The product you helped to create to solve a problem, the team you built, the people you developed, the new markets you opened and the access you created for many others and the values you championed which changed the way teams worked in your organisation.
That's the story of our work. Humans have spent much of their lifetime working from Adam to our days of AI. It feels very natural.
It starts with a great apprenticeship and education, and off we go to work either in a factory or a glass building.
The work we do consumes our lives and our days. In doing this, we must ask some critical questions.
When asked and adequately answered, these questions give meaning and energy to our work. We do not just labour, going through the motions and waiting for the end of the day so we can close, go home, and come back the next day to repeat the cycle.
Others still work in deplorable conditions, which is backbreaking and unfortunate. However, for someone like you reading this article, there is every reason and opportunity to re-imagine your career in ways that bring tangible benefits to you and those you care about.
Here are two questions to help you re-imagine your career in a refreshingly different way.
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What contribution do you seek to make?
This question goes beyond your title or role. You are the "Head of Operations", but what's your contribution? What change do you seek to make? Asking what contribution I can make is different from what's my passion. The first question helps everyone focus on the change they wish to make in every situation.
A brands manager in a global fast-moving consumer goods company shared how her career took off when she correctly answered the question of contribution.
It started when one of the executives she had been working within the office for a while asked her, what do you do, the simple answer was I handle this brand.
The senior said no, that's not what you do. She attempted to make it better. "I am responsible for growing the brand." That's good, but it won't let you fly. Eventually, she asked for a couple of days to think about it.
The conclusion she came to about her contribution changed her career and life. She saw the role in a different light and saw many opportunities for impact in the role.
Focusing on the contribution you make or can make instead of your career role offers several benefits.
Focusing on career titles leads to fixation on qualifications, their associated traditional roles, and how other professionals played roles in the past.
Thinking of contributions opens up a world of new possibilities.
Suddenly, one finds several opportunities to apply unique skill sets in different ways to serve and change the lives of several others.
When professionals are focused on contribution, they understand that their qualifications in a specific area of knowledge are sunk cost. Since it's a sunk cost, it should not affect your decisions today and in the future.
You might have studied for a law degree, but that does not mean you must continue working as a lawyer. Legal education has given you many skills and a depth of knowledge that can be used differently. Hence, they seek opportunities to contribute to law practice or other aspects of society.
Similarly, a medical professional focused on contributing instead of building a career in the field will find many opportunities to contribute beyond staying in the consulting room.
Focusing on the contribution you can make takes away the burden of "finding your passion" or "role that makes you complete". Instead of wandering for something you are passionate about, you can always find opportunities to contribute.
You may have heard of the story of the cleaner who worked at NASA. This cleaner was asked the typical question what do you do? You will expect that he will say I clean or I am the cleaner.
His response was one of contribution because he understood the role he played. I help put men on the moon, was his answer. You may ask how you do that since you are a cleaner.
He does that by cleaning well and following all protocols so no astronaut may slip and fall and set the whole mission a couple of months back.
Your career may change, you may lose your position, and you may lose interest in your current job, but you will always be able to contribute. Professionals focused on contribution overcome the temptation to prove they have the "right job".
They do not become stuck in the "right job" that does not offer them any joy yet remains in them to prove to others that they made the right career decision. Instead, they are forever employed contributing.
What can you do to put yourself in a position to contribute?
Nurture your self-esteem to contribute: Our self-esteem significantly contributes to our success in a world facing new complex challenges daily.
Occasionally, you may need more tools and knowledge than is currently available to respond. No matter what happens, you must firmly believe in your capacity to create, innovate and resolve the day's challenges.
Every professional must own their career journey and development. You have the power to design your life contribution.
Nurture your curiosity to contribute: Being open-minded and courageous to ask questions about your role, capabilities, those you serve, the change you wish to make, etc., opens the door to a meaningful contribution.
Staying curious about your contribution will enable you to navigate the complex challenges of building a thriving career in a rapidly changing world.
Earn your freedom to contribute: We can make significant contributions when financial pressures do not constrain our decisions about our life's work.
You can earn your freedom by mastering the critical skills needed for the future and building the financial muscle that gives you the freedom to turn down the job without joy or meaning.
We have entered a new world where many professions and careers have been disrupted.
This change has also given us opportunities to re-imagine our life's work and contribution. This is our chance.
The writer is a Leadership Development Facilitator, Executive Coach and Strategy Consultant, Founder of the CEO Accelerator Program, and Chief Learning Strategist at TEMPLE Advisory.
The mission of The Leadership Project is to harvest highly effective leadership practices and share them in a manner that other leaders can easily incorporate into their leadership practice.
If you have an idea or leadership practice to share, kindly write to [email protected]. Until you read from us again, keep leading…..from leader to leader, one practice at a time.