Stock-take your dreams

Taking stock of your career to see if it's on track is a bit like sitting down and working out how much money you might have to retire on in 30 years. Everyone knows they should do it but most don't. While many people simply don't know how to perform this exercise, others simply choose not to in fear of what they might discover.

From her experience as a career coach Leah Fisher says it often takes a redundancy or personal tragedy for people to take stock of their lot at work. But she says it shouldn't have to take a life-altering event for people to question where their careers are going.

She suspects most people would benefit from conducting a "mini-audit" of their work/life situation annually.

"Instead of just enduring things, make sufficient time to evaluate what you've achieved on a professional and personal level," recommends Fisher, director with TMI NZ.

So are you are brave enough to take a peek at where your career is really heading? Here are 10 tips to honestly assess if you're still moving in the right direction.

* Get specific: Unless you know where your career is heading it's hard to gauge if it's on track. Start by evaluating what your work is all about, why you chose it and whether it has sufficient meaning to be fulfilling?

Outline how you'd like to spend those 9-10 hours a day at work this year and how many of those things you're doing now. By identifying the gap between the career anchors you'd like - creativity, autonomy, rewards, expertise and security and those you've currently got - you'll see how much work you've got to do.

* Identify the non-negotiables: Identify those factors within your work and personal life that you'd never contemplate compromising. This could include the type of work you'd consider doing and within what industries.

It's also important to identify how tolerable your job would be if certain aspects of it were suddenly removed or added. Performing this exercise should indicate whether your unwillingness to move from an existing comfort zone is holding you back.

On a personal note, the "non-negotiable" factors could include things like the relationship with your partner, where you live, the house you live in, the schools your kids attend, willingness to travel, and the quality of life you enjoy.

* Understand your fears: Be brutally honest about any business-related shortcomings or personal flaws holding you back socially or professionally.

Bring this into sharper focus by evaluating the jobs or promotions you've unsuccessfully applied for. Similarly, when the boss has handed out projects have you repeatedly been the last person on the list?

If you've been trying to cover up for work-related deficiencies - such as limited IT skills, poor financial or literary skills or insufficient grasp of key business processes - it's time to come clean.

Put your hand up and ask for help, chances are everyone can see right through vain attempts to hide your weaknesses.

If social skills, shyness or a fear of talking in public are holding you back then seek some guidance.

* Time-frame: Develop an action plan for your work/career stock-take. For example, by the end of the month you might aim to have a clearer view of how you'd like to see the future unfold.

By the end of March you might aim to clarify what steps are involved in embarking on that journey. But remember to schedule this self-evaluation so that it won't add to the work pressures you already have.

* Emotional well-being: Honestly identify what aspects of your work and personal situation are really working for you right now and which ones aren't.

Within this process try to assess the things you have the ability to change and those which you have no control over. Take into consideration external factors adversely effecting your overall work satisfaction level.

For example, you might love your job but absolutely hate that two hours commuting every day or the people you work with. Identify ways - such as new projects - to supplement waning work satisfaction.

* Talk to the boss: Ask your boss to make time for a frank and honest review of how you're "really" progressing within the company. Get the boss to review the options you've got for advancement and how they see your career unfolding from here.

Remember, it's your career they're talking about so ask them to be as specific as possible. Find out where you stand in the grand scope of the company's succession planning.

Does the boss have some philosophical problems with promoting you? If so identify what they are and whether they can be resolved. If further study is the answer ask the boss if the company will support your request to go on that seminar you've been eyeballing or more formal "applied learning".

* Assess your attitude: Honestly assess how prepared you are to be stretched beyond your existing comfort zones at work. It's important to remember that career promotions are usually awarded to those who go beyond company expectations.

So if you're slow to volunteer for new or tough projects - or aren't harnessing the opportunities available internally for self-improvement - you could be sending the boss the wrong signals. It could be time to improve your attitude and reacquaint yourself with opportunities right under your nose.

It's equally important not to dismiss options for improvement because of preconceived ideas about what you believe you can and can't do.

* List your achievements: Make a list of your key milestones - professionally, and personally in 2004 and compare them with achievements of former years. Ascertain if the boss holds those achievements in the same regard.

The boss might identify more qualitative improvements that haven't even registered on your radar. For example, in addition to landing that new big client you might have demonstrated a more mature approach to resolving disputes between staff or brought greater clarity to other negotiations.

* Third party feedback? There's no better window into your strengths and weaknesses than comments from the people you work alongside. The trouble is co-workers, suppliers and clients are unlikely to rate your performance unless it's exceptionally good or bad.

You should be able measure the mood of customers and co-workers through satisfaction or 360 degree surveys. But if they're too broad to glean anything meaningful ask a cross-section of people to robustly critique your performance.

To ensure their appraisal is meaningful get them to look beyond the functional stuff and focus on more qualitative measures including: Does my behaviour show that I enjoy what I'm doing, do I appear to be committed to this industry, and is poor industry knowledge limiting my effectiveness?

* Make an appreciative enquiry: Write down the dreams you'd like to see come true many years from now and be as specific as possible. For example, if you were to read an article in the paper about yourself in five or even 10 years' time what would you want it to say?

Your work doesn't exist in a vacuum so include the sort of work/life environment within which these achievements have been made. Then ask yourself whether the work you're doing is directly or indirectly contributing to making these dreams come true. If not, then you need to start asking yourself why?

For example, is this a career you really want or have you simply built a certain lifestyle around your existing job and it's too much effort to change?

* Mark Story spoke to Leah Fisher, director TMI NZ; Iain McCormick, managing director Executive Coaching Centre and Stewart Forsyth of FX Consultants.