While most of us start out with the belief that our careers will follow a certain path, for almost all there will be time when despite our best efforts and planning there are dead ends and sometimes, crashes. David Byrne of The Talking Heads summed it up well!
The ability to control our destiny from a career perspective can be enhanced by obtaining the right credentials, demonstrating the ability to deliver results, participating well in the organization and showing commitment. It also requires some luck and timing!
I did use the word “enhanced” because there are no guarantees and in this fast-paced world, things can change very quickly.
Today’s hero is being asked at midnight, “So, what results will you be delivering tomorrow?” and we all know the pressures that accompany leadership roles within organizations.
The fast-paced journey that defines careers these days is a difficult one as the ability to keep up and the odds are low that one can continue to excel when the demands are so high. Executives operate in a world where they are stretched for resources, face constant timelines and compete in a very competitive market place.
And then one day, they find themselves on the outside looking in and wondering, to quote The Talking Heads, “Well…How did I get here?”
Moving from being a key member of the team to being told you are not going forward with the organization is an experience that often leads to someone asking him-or-herself that early ‘80s existential question.
My research shows that 70% of my clients agree that they were disappointed that they were let go. However, 66% also agreed it was a relief. People are moving at such a pace these days, there are times when the pressure is so great that even losing a job can be seen as a relief.
The end result is that transition can provide people with an opportunity to exhale, collect their thoughts and give true consideration to what it is they want to pursue next.
The good news is that 87% of the sample viewed their transition as an opportunity and I have had the pleasure of working alongside more than 500 executives as they explored and ultimately answered the next question, “So, what’s next?”