At some point early in the transition process, many executives share with me their concern that they may be facing a difficult journey to their next role. I am sure many pioneers felt their trek west was going to be a challenge too. Each journey is unique as far as that individual is concerned as it has occurred at a specific time and with a specific set of circumstances, but many have gone before them and there are lessons to be learned.
Westward ho! Hold it. In all likelihood, those who got to their destination successfully had done some planning prior to departing on the great trek. Certain professors from elite business programs or senior officers in military schools have been given credit for the development of strategic planning, but I suspect the practice was well-established before someone took or was given credit for it.
Back to the great trek west…you can almost hear the conversation. “So, where do we want to go and how are we going to get there?” “Do we have the right provisions and people for the trip?” “Do you have any idea of what the conditions are like out there?” “Why do we want to go there?” “What will we do if we get stuck?” and “Has anyone done it before – maybe we could speak with them or maybe they might be willing to guide us?”
Managing your career, especially through a transition takes planning and a strategy and you want to work closely with someone who you can trust, who has expertise and who has served as a guide for others.
Like the pioneers, you want to have the right support to help you get to your destination. You want a guide who can bring true value by understanding you, your experience, what it is you are trying to accomplish and why it will resonate in the market. You also want someone who will question your assumptions. Some of those rivers weren’t as shallow as they looked.
Having a plan is important because there are many aspects of the journey which you will discover are beyond your control. What you can control are your emotions, your effort and your belief in your offering. What you cannot control ranges from how the economy is performing through which organizations have specific needs and problems you would be able to solve.
We are all pioneers in life as we each only have one, but in career transition just as in life, we can benefit greatly from others’ expertise…others who know the trail.