Career Moves: How to Plan for Success, Create Value for Your Organization, and Make Yourself Indispensable No Matter Where You Work

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MOVING SIGNS

Get Ready to Make Your Move!

From her office on the seventh floor, Alena watched Zoe go.

Once the young woman nearly slipped on the ice, and Alena held her breath just a bit. She thought about the days leading up to this moment and sighed as she thought about those virtual slips and slides. It had been very hard to watch Zoe fall.

More than once Alena had reached out, trying to help Zoe find her balance at work. If Zoe noticed the attempts, she had given no indication. She actually seemed oblivious to her peril. At least she sees the ice underfoot now, Alena mused. She’s choosing her steps more carefully now.

Zoe was very bright; there was no argument there. She had great energy and potential. Alena was honestly sorry to see her go. Still, it was the right decision; she was certain of that. Zoe had not taken hold of the opportunity presented to her, and now it had literally slipped away. While she had not managed Zoe directly, she had seen her work and often hoped to see more effort and ownership.

This organization placed high premiums on innovation, resourcefulness, personal leadership, and initiative. Employees were expected to connect with the strategies and find ways to plug themselves in at every level. Zoe had not demonstrated these attributes.

She had approached her job from a just-tell-me-what-you-want-me-to-do-and-I-will-do-it perspective.

Because she had not looked for ways to engage, Zoe’s role was reduced to the most routine tasks. She seemed satisfied to set up the conference room and prepare handouts for staff and client meetings. I wish you had shown an interest in the purpose of those meetings, thought Alena. You seemed to know what to do, but you missed the ‘why’ entirely.

Zoe finally reached her car and was letting the engine warm.

We are not looking for order takers here, Zoe. We are looking for leaders—at every level, Alena said aloud as Zoe’s car finally pulled away.

Worse than losing Zoe was Alena’s suspicion that the lessons had not been learned. If that were true, they would be repeated again and again.

Perhaps not, she said to herself. Maybe we can still alter the course. She returned to her desk and wrote a brief note before gathering her things and calling it a day.

DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE MOVING SIGNS?

Moving signs signal change. Typically, a moving sign in your life means it’s time to pack your boxes, sell your junk, and say your good-byes. As they relate to your career, moving signs might work a bit differently. They do signal change—but they don’t always require boxes, sales, and farewells.

It’s quite possible to move inside the job you have, because the move may not require a change in company or position. It might require a change in mind-set, approach, skill sets, attitude, or perceptions. You may even find it necessary to reinvent the job you have in order to get the job you want! (Even as I write this book I am personally responding to my own moving signs! My title won’t be changing, and I will still be working from the same locations, but what I do and how I do it must change. That’s uncomfortable and humbling and … so worth it!)

In my book Designed for Success, I introduced the Ten Commandments for Women in the Workplace using an analogy: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our careers came with a personal navigation system? I love the idea of a friendly voice saying, ‘Prepare to turn ahead.’ If I missed an opportunity or made a ‘career-limiting’ move, the still friendly voice would say, ‘Recalculating route.’ Imagine hearing the words, ‘You have arrived!’¹ Unfortunately, our careers don’t have navigation systems on board. If we are paying attention, we may notice the signs, but it’s quite possible to miss them entirely or simply ignore them. I think that’s tragic! If you miss the sign, you’ll miss the turn and the opportunity!

In the spirit of paying attention, I’ve been collecting moving signs. In conferences around the world and in private consultations, I’ve asked thousands of people, What are the signals that tell you it’s time to make a career move?

The answers I hear are as unique as the people who share them. Signs are personal things. They come in all shapes and sizes, but I’ve found nine common themes. Do any of these resonate with you?

1. You feel a generalized discontent.

What begins on the edge of awareness slowly slides to front and center. This reminds me of a child tugging on your shirttail, quietly (at first) vying for your attention. If you don’t listen, Discontent will raise her voice until you do.

At first, this sign is easy to ignore, because you may be in a very comfortable place. Things are generally OK—except for that bothersome little voice telling you something needs to change; there’s more for you to do. Tasks may be getting done, but the work isn’t rewarding. It doesn’t bring a sense of achievement or accomplishment. It doesn’t bring you joy. The work has become an obligation rather than a passion. Instead of energizing you, it exhausts you!

2. You can’t get there from here.

This one is easy to spot. If you have a clear plan for your career, and your work isn’t building a bridge to that future place, it’s time to reevaluate. Can’t-get-there-from-here problems are frustrating because they may require a dramatic shift to correct the course. You may have to move over, down, or out to get yourself back on track.

We find ourselves in bridgeless situations when we accept jobs out of our context. That means we jump to accept a position without considering how it relates to our path over the long term. We may make that leap out of pure necessity or end up here because we didn’t have a plan or a vision to begin with. When organizations downsize, merge, or reorganize, employees may be pushed off their career path to accommodate the change. And sometimes jobs just don’t turn into what we thought they would become. (What looked like a bridge from a distance turned out to be a wall.)

People sometimes ignore this sign because it’s discouraging to think about starting over or moving backward. Proceed with caution! Ignoring this signal will lead to some of the signs to follow.

3. You’ve quit on the job.

Many people quit their jobs without tendering a resignation. I’m not talking about leaving without giving proper notice; I’m talking about disengagement. This is when you keep showing up, but you don’t bring yourself to the work. (This sign has integrity and credibility notices attached to it, because you are still collecting a paycheck and your employer isn’t aware you’ve vacated your position.)

If you’ve quit on the job, it’s possible you passed another of the signs sometime back without making a course correction. Down the road, many of the signs look a lot like giving up, giving in, and selling out.

4. There’s too much pressure or not enough pressure.

Jobs have seasons. In our work lives, we go through periods of stretching, balancing, and maintaining. After a time of extreme growth and challenge, we need relief from the pressure. This allows us to stabilize and refresh.

This reminds me of flying a kite. Tension on the line allows the kite to fly. If the tension is too great, the string will snap. If there is no tension on the line, the kite can’t take off. Too much or not enough tension will have the same result—a grounded kite. The same is true with our jobs. If the pressure is constant with no opportunity to rest, or if there is no pressure to reach, we cannot take off.

Pressure is the gauge. You may need to dial it up or dial it down. Dialing it up may mean seeking challenge; dialing it down may require negotiating some things off your plate, asking for help, or establishing more realistic boundaries.

5. You are off the radar.

This sign may be difficult to find because you are doing just fine. The problem isn’t your work; it’s what you are working on. Your projects and assignments run off the radar, and that can make you feel invisible. If you recognize this sign, it may be time to raise your hand and ask for a new challenge, get involved in a critical project, or find new ways to bring greater value to your business partners.

If you are in a support position, for example, providing the information for people on the front line, you might look for ways to make the information more user-friendly and valuable. If you are serving others behind the scenes, find a way to serve them better. Become a partner in success. I often hear this, "I support the team, but I don’t feel like I am on the team." Put yourself on the radar by getting on the team.

6. Your job doesn’t fit your life.

I am inspired by stories of people who looked this sign squarely in the eye and made (sometimes dramatic) changes by tailoring their work to fit their lives. This is a values-based sign. Some make this move to find a better balance between home and work. Others are motivated by their passions.

A dynamic life coach puts it this way: My career move happened because of my appetite for challenge and innovation. It wasn’t reasonable for me to expect the organization I worked for to feed that hunger. The change was up to me.

7. Your job doesn’t fit you.

This one hurts because it means your skills aren’t suited for the position you’re in. What you can do well isn’t in your job description. Like a fish out of water struggling to breathe, you are banked.

The most devastating thing about this sign is what happens to your confidence in the process. The longer you stay in a bad fit, the more inadequate you feel. Your confidence takes a real beating. Repeat after me, A bad job fit does not make me inadequate or less valuable! This sign should really say, Get back in the water. You know how to swim.

8. You’re settling.

This sign resembles some of the others, but it is different all the same. You have settled when your strengths and gifts are not being used on the job but your comfort zone holds you there. A Gallop Poll found that 87 percent of people employed by corporations believe they are not getting to use their number one talent in their jobs!²

Hey, we all like to be comfortable—present company included. I’m not even suggesting that you leave your zone of comfort entirely; I do encourage you to expand it! Push the edges out and make room for more!

9. Your motives have malice.

Only grown-ups can face this sign. It is not for those who are weak in the knees, happily playing the victim role, or engaged in a game of blame. This one requires confronting yourself at the core of your intentions.

When relationships or situations have become adversarial and you no longer want the people around you to win—when you need others to be wrong so you can be right—it really is time to bust a move.

This is not an all-inclusive list—perhaps you have a sign of your own to add. That’s one of the ways to make this book a personal journey. Use what is here to discover your own signals and solutions.

Ultimately, Career Moves is about recognizing and responding to your signs! These are the tools that will allow you to get in the driver’s seat, take charge of your career, and achieve your goals. As Zoe’s story unfolds, so shall yours. Your story will be uniquely your own. Here you are an author, an editor, and a publisher. You will tell your story through the discoveries you make, the actions you take, the decisions you own, and the impact you have.

In Designed for Success and Ready, Set … Grow! I emphasized the personal process through journaling and self-discovery. You will find those elements in Career Moves as well. Each chapter includes a Get Your Move On! feature. This is designed to assist you in personal application, and I hope you will accept the assignments!

You’ll also notice a new layer of exploration—community.

As you read, I encourage you to think about how you can connect with and contribute to the community of women who are searching for and experiencing breakthrough. You have something to offer this growing community, and it has something to offer in return.

Somewhere down the road, I hope you will look back and see how far you’ve come and the difference you’ve made. Chances are you will see something else too—the path you’ve created for yourself has given others the inspiration to set out on journeys of their own.

Let’s pick up the journey with a look at how the workforce is changing, what employers are looking for, and what that means to you and, most importantly, for you.

RESPOND TO THE SIGNALS OF CHANGE TO MAKE YOURSELF MORE EMPLOYABLE (AND VALUABLE) IN THE LONG TERM

Think about the job you have for a moment. How has it changed?

Perhaps you are being asked to do more, better and faster, at less cost? (I hear those answers a lot.) It’s safe to say the workplace has changed and will continue on that path. The needs and expectations of your customers will change. Your products and services will change. Your competitors will change. You will change too.

What you are able to do will change. Your circumstances will change. Perhaps more important than all of that is this realization: what you want and need from your work is certainly subject to change!

The rules for employees to be successful, secure, and satisfied are shifting at mind-blowing speeds. Sadly, many employees don’t know they are playing on a new field, in a new game, with new guidelines:

Job security is long gone. A new mind-set for success is required. You are more like an independent agent, marketing your capabilities, experiences, and results.

You simply cannot wait for opportunity to present itself. The new workplace will ask you to create opportunity by increasing your contribution—by becoming more valuable.

Technology has created an always on call mentality. It will be more important than ever to manage the boundaries between life and work.

The skills needed for success will continue to evolve. There really is a stale date on your skill set, and it is quickly approaching. (Whoops, one of your skills just expired.)

The workforce is mobile and virtual. (You may be surprised by who is competing with you for the job you have or the one you want.)

Workplaces will continue to move at hyper speed. That means you will have to be crystal clear about your purpose, your passion, and your path.

The resources you need to be successful may come from outside the walls of your organization in the form of mentors and thought leaders.

Your peers and colleagues aren’t limited to the people who work for the same organization you do; your personal and professional network will be more important than ever before.

That’s a whole lot of moving parts! As I look at that list, I am energized! This is an amazing time to be in the workforce.

If you are waking up to the realization that you want more from your job than just a paycheck, welcome! This is a marvelous journey, brimming with potential, and you can make yourself indispensable and more employable right now.

GOOD NEWS! THE WORKFORCE IS DISENGAGED

I have good news for you. It’s not as hard as you might imagine to stand out in the sea of people we call the workforce.

Even more good news: As you stand out, you will deliver real value and create even more opportunity for yourself. As you add value and create opportunity, you will be energized, engaged, and fulfilled. (That’s a whole lot of good news!)

To some degree the workforce is disengaged. In fact, a recent Gallup Poll survey measuring employee engagement revealed that 17 percent of employees are disengaged, 54 percent are not engaged, and only 29 percent are truly engaged. The workforce is filled with people who are not seeing or responding to the signs.³

Every day they bring heads and hands to work but leave hearts and souls at the door. For any number of reasons they choose not to fully engage. For many of these people the job is more like jail, and they are doing really hard time. For them life begins when the whistle blows.

I call these people the just mets, because they do just enough to meet the requirements—nothing more and nothing less. They are wheelbarrow people, a manager answered recently in a leadership workshop. Think about it! You can load them up; they have great utility, but if you don’t push them, they are relatively useless. How’s that for an analogy?

The secret is in how you apply your discretionary performance. Think for a moment about your discretionary income, what is left after the bills are paid. This is money you make choices with. You decide whether to spend it, save it, or invest it. As with our discretionary income, the decisions we make with discretionary performance shape our future!

The discretionary part of performance is what we do after job requirements have been met. It’s the choice we make to add value, press through obstacles, and produce solutions. Leaders long for the key that will unlock that kind of commitment from employees, and that is the key to becoming indispensable!

Discretionary performance isn’t