Last week we talked about identifying your values and defining your vision. We looked at your goals which help you achieve and maintain those values within your career. The next phase is to determine where you are now and define what needs to change to allow you to achieve your goals.
To do this you need to assess, remove, and improve.
Assess your current position and skill set.
- Where are you now?
- Does your current position fit with your values?
- Does it give you the skills you need to put you on the path to achieving your vision?
- What are your strengths and are they in line with what you want to achieve?
“If we look at peak performing athletes, they don’t identify a sport they aren’t very good at and work hard to become #1. They build on a pre-existing strength or talent for a particular sport. Once you know your strengths, you can do the same. Shift your focus from fixing your weaknesses to excellence and mastery in areas you enjoy.” Linda Murray.
Identify and remove any habits that will hinder your path.
Look at your current role. Have you built up some habits that may not serve you well when moving forward in your career? We can very quickly become comfortable with doing things “our way” but not necessarily the “best way”.
Have you been in your role for a considerable length of time? If so, it is time to look at the role and the way you handle it.
Decide if there are habits you have put in place that won’t serve you moving forward. An example of this would be not delegating tasks because “it’s easier to do it yourself.” Are you caught up in the belief that doing it yourself means it’s done the right way? This is one example of a habit that needs to be reviewed and removed! Maintaining control is not healthy for you or for your fellow co-workers. It does not empower others to take responsibility for their role and it doesn’t allow you (or them) to grow effectively.
Define the areas that need improvement.
Now is the time to examine the KPIs your organisation uses when assessing your performance. Take an honest look at these criteria to identify areas that you can improve on.
List the areas you feel you can improve on. List them in order of importance in relation to your end goals. Set out the parameters around what needs to happen vs what is happening at the present time and then detail the steps you need to take so you can make these improvements.
Consider these areas:
- Do you need additional training?
- Do you need coaching?
- Are there additional skills that need to be achieved “on the job” through mentoring?
- Do you need to meet with other stakeholders to achieve your goals?
Next week we will look at the timeline for achieving your goals, what that process looks like and what you need for self-assessment along the way.
If you’re ready to move on in your career and don’t want to wait, pop over to my Career Clarity Online Program. This program, a combination of online learning and one-on-one coaching, will accelerate your career.
