Progress Report - MAC015 to MAC020

These past six episodes have covered a lot of good content.  Have you spent any time implementing the ideas in your career?

Episode 015 - Asking vs Guessing was about how some people default to Ask mode where they will ask for everything expecting to get a "Yes" only to the things that really matter.  Whereas other people default to Guess mode where they try to guess when they will get a "Yes" and only ask then.  But, asking a guesser or guessing with an asker can lead to potential team dynamic issues that you'll need to correctly navigate.

In Episode 016 - What does it mean to be a leader? I cover some internally focused activities you can engage in to show leadership and then I cover some externally focused activities.  As your career progresses, you will need to make the transition from internal to external facing leadership in order to reach higher levels.

I spend some time talking about The Career Ladder in Episode 017.  Looking at Junior Level, Senior Level, Management Level, and Executive Level and the expectations in terms of responsibilities as well as length of tenure should give you an idea of where you are and where you should be based on typical progression timelines.

Episode 018 - Selling Yourself provides a lot of insight into how providing a strong message of the value you provide to the company can set you apart from other people when it comes time to get ahead.  Start by having something to "sell", so build up your skills and deliver on your projects.  Know your strengths because those are going to be the aspects that you showcase.  Identify your value to the company and make sure that the key decision makers are aware of it.  And lastly, look for a champion who can vouch for you.

Probably the most important episode of these last six weeks is Episode 019 - Work / Life balance.  Make sure you are spending an appropriate amount of time on non-work related activities and relationships to ensure that you don't find yourself in a position of burn-out.

And the last Episode, number 020 - Re-organizations, I talk about how this time of year is when companies like to start talking about shaking up the organization.  If you are prepared, it can be a time of great opportunity to gain new and higher-level responsibilities.  This can put you on a faster path to the next level.

If you missed any of this information or just need a refresher, the links to each episode are in the show notes as well as on the website at https://ManagingACareer.com.  Click back through and listen to them again.  The episodes are short, but are dense with information.

Are you looking for a career coach? If you reach out to me via the contact form, I will arrange an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and how I can help. If we're a good fit, we can schedule regular coaching sessions.