Clicky

By Joni Lindquist

Often business executives think the grass is greener elsewhere, so we look to leave our current job.  A recent study by the national search firm FPC showed that 80% of people would like to leave their job.  A February 2012 study by Deloitte Consulting indicated that 65% of employees have been or plan to seek new employment.  Given the dearth of job openings, many of us won’t be able to transition to a new job.  So how do we make our current job work?

Kansas City

 

I worked with a client (fictional name Jim) who sought out executive coaching to get “unstuck” in his current job.  He had been in the same or similar jobs for several years and felt stale.  He was considering looking outside his current company, where he had worked for more than 15 years.  Jim identified a piece of his current role that was becoming more important within the industry and for his company and it piqued his interest.  He dug deeper into that area at work and started studying for and then passed a critical industry certification.  He was totally re-energized about this area and created a business case for the firm to name a VP responsible solely for this function.  The company agreed and given Jim’s newest qualifications, named him to this new role.  Jim is fully re-engaged and highly motivated once again and making a significant contribution to his company.

Should Jim choose to leave his company in the future, he has broadened his skill set and experience; thus making him more valuable in the marketplace.  By following his curiosity and knowing industry trends, Jim was able to morph a “stale” role into a new one.

What can you learn from Jim’s situation?  The keys to this successful turn-around include:

1)     Examine your current role – is there more that you could be doing to positively help your company’s success?  What is changing in the world that needs to be done differently in your job?  How can you morph your job to be more valuable to your company and the market?  What are your strengths and how can you apply them more frequently or differently to make a bigger impact?  Play to your strengths.

2)     Professional development – examine your human capital – do you need additional training? Learn about emerging areas and trends that impact what you do and how you need to do it.  Keep building your skills in areas that matter to your firm and industry.  In this economy, you simply cannot afford to become obsolete.

3)     Work with an outside coach/adviser – they can help you see what might be possible and bring a different perspective to your situation.   Sometimes we get too close and can’t see the forest through the trees, particularly when we are under stress.  An outside financial planner can help you sort through your malaise and determine if there are ways to re-energize your job and career.

For ideas on how to make your current position better, schedule a meeting by clicking below, contact Joni Lindquist –jlindquist@makinglifecount.com, or call (913) 345-1881.