Developing YOU in Summary
A fellow guest at a hotel and I introduced ourselves to one another and exchanged information on our backgrounds as we waited to check out. He informed me that his company is going through yet another of several cost reductions it had executed in recent years. The current goal is to reduce annual cost by $1 billion. The reduction will include a significant reduction in the company’s global workforce.
He told me that he had been with the company for 37 years. He smiled as I congratulated him on being a 37-year survivor. We agreed that he was fortunate. Many people do not survive workforce reductions.
Managing a career (landing a position consistent with our qualifications, advancing, and staying employed with an organization) has become quite a challenge in today’s constantly changing business environment. Company downsizings and reorganizations have become a fact of life. In many companies the question is not if. It is when.
We have 2 options. We can keep our heads down, work as hard as we can, and hope that we survive. Or, we can move from being managed by circumstances and events to proactively managing our careers.
Just like companies, we are in business to create value. For companies, profits, EVA, and the growth in stock value measure value creation for its stakeholders. For us, personal value is the growth in our compensation. That growth provides the path for fulfilling our personal economic hopes and dreams: the homes we will own, the cars we will drive, the education we will fund for our children, and the financial security we will experience during our working and retirement years.
Just like companies, we must ensure that we keep our personal product (strengths, skills, and capabilities) in tune with the needs of our customers. For us, our customers are our current and potential employers.
The Business Product Development Process provides a model for developing your personal product to ensure that it remains competitive (stay in tune with the needs of your employer and other potential employers).
The Business of Me Personal Product Development Process applies the business process.
During the past 7 weeks, I have posted articles explaining how you can apply the Personal Product Development Process to address your personal development needs and challenges.
Developing a Product Called YOU introduced the Personal Product Development Process. The article positioned your personal product as the foundation for creating personal value from your career.
Getting into the Business of You explained Assess, Step 1 of the Personal Product Development Process. The article provided references and ideas to help you determine your personal strengths, skills, and capabilities.
That Could Have Been Me provided an example of how to perform research to identify career opportunities and possibilities based on your assessment of your strengths, skills, and capabilities.
Swimming in the Talent Pool explained how developing a Target Position Description can strengthen your position in your organization’s talent pool. Keep in mind that many companies use talent pool evaluations to determine who leaves or stays during a downsizing.
Be All That You Want to Be provided an example of how developing a pro forma resume, can help you focus your personal development efforts.
Beyond Cake and Coffee … Transforming Your Career explained how you can use the organizational transformation process to position yourself to achieve your career goals.
Making Mentoring Work for You provided an example of how to select a mentor and manage the mentor relationship to get support for achieving your career goals.
The articles communicated the following themes.
- Today’s employment environment dictates the need to take control of our careers.
- Develop a pro forma resume to focus your personal development.
- Develop and keep your personal development plan up to date.
- Plan your tomorrows to avoid “I should have” moments in your future.
- Take advantage of company-sponsored personal development resources.
We will live according to a plan … Our plan or someone else’s.
Share your comments, experiences, and suggestions. This helps me provide information that may help you address your career opportunities and challenges.
Fields of Success offers complimentary coaching sessions to help professionals convert their career needs, challenges, and opportunities into personal success stories. Visit the Contact page on the Fields of Success website to schedule a session.
Your career is your most important economic asset.