By Larina Kase, PsyD, MBA
Do you want to earn more, work less, and
find greater enjoyment in your job or
business?
Are you stressed out or burned out and
ready to get into the driver’s seat of your
career
If so, I’d love to help you. Here is a
five-step program to help you take your
career where you want it to go. aAs the CEO,
you’ll be in charge, and you’ll create the
profitable career you really want. Before we
get started on the journey, answer this
question:
What are some important characteristics
or qualities of effective CEOs?
Here are some of my answers to this
question:
- They have a solid vision and plan
for their company
- The have specific short-term goals
to attain long-term objectives
- They understand the strategic
positioning of their company in the
marketplace
- They are inspirational, proactive,
action-oriented leaders
Here’s how you can create these qualities
of effective CEOs.
Step 1: Create a Solid Vision
As a CEO has a strong vision for where
the company is headed, you need to have a
vision for your career. This vision will
guide decision making, inspire and motivate
you, and keep you going in the right
direction.
The most powerful vision will be
motivated by what’s important to you. When
your vision is built upon your values, it’s
more likely to be achieved. You’ll feel like
you’re on a mission
Exercise: Brainstorm your core
career values. These are things like,
“Achieve balance to have time for family,
“Earn a lucrative income,” and “Have room
for continuous learning and growth.” Come up
with values and rank-order them. Then use
them to create a vision for yourself.
Step 2: Have a Solid Plan: Short Term
and Long Term Goals
Goals are great if you make the right
ones. Make all your goals SMART: Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,
and Timed.
Create your shorter-term goals for 1 year
and 2-5 years. Then create your longer-term
goals for 5-10, 10-20, 20+ years.
Make sure that your goals are driven by
your vision and career values. Once you have
your goals, it’s time to brainstorm creative
ways to make them happen.
Exercise: Write down all your
career goals- don’t forget to put them in
the SMART format. Then divide them into
categories: Short-term (1-5 years), medium
term (5-7 years) and long-term (7+ years)
Step 3: Strategic Positioning
For a company to be successful, the CEO
must have a clear understanding of where the
company’s market values lies in comparison
to competitors. What’s your market value? Do
you know? If not, ask people, “How do you
think I contribute to this company?” Look at
your performance evaluations and find your
key strengths.
As CEO of your career, do a SWOT analysis
on your own competitive position in the
marketplace. Analyze your Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
Exercise: List your Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats in
comparison to your peers, colleagues, and
coworkers. Once you know your strengths and
opportunities, start promoting and marketing
yourself and achieve the goals you described
in step 2.
Step 4: Bottom Line Profits and
Success
Carefully review whether your career is
currently in a deficit or creating profit
for you. Use your vision and values to make
this determination. Remember that profit
includes money but also things like time,
happiness, and significance.
What you are getting out of your career
and what you are putting into it?
Do the liabilities and losses outweigh
the assets and profits? If so, you’ll need
to take action (see step #5).
Exercise: Create a P & L (profit
and loss) statement. Determine exactly where
you’re benefiting (profits) and where you
aren’t achieving what you want (losses).
Step 5: Be Daring and Take Action
Now that you know your strengths and
weaknesses, you can take positive action!
Address your weaknesses by requesting
additional trainings, partnering with a
colleague, speaking with more people who you
can learn from, hiring a consultant or
coach, and gaining confidence by pushing
yourself beyond your comfort zone.
Address your strengths by celebrating
your successes, recognizing opportunities
for advancement, requesting a promotion or
salary raise, mentoring others, or starting
your own company.
And don’t forget about the P & L
statement. Be proactive and turn your losses
into profits. For example, if your “loss” is
that you work too much and aren’t earning
enough, look for ways to delegate, become
more focused and less distracted, and get
organized so you get your work done more
quickly.
Exercise: Create one action step
for your strengths and opportunities, one
for your weaknesses and threats, one for
your profits (to build on what you’re doing
right), and one to turn losses into profits.
Make sure that all action steps are in line
with your values, vision, strategy and
goals.
Follow these five steps and you’re sure
to have the mindset, confidence, strategy,
and action to be the CEO of your career.
Enjoy the profits and rewards you create for
yourself and others!
Larina Kase, PsyD, MBA is a
business psychologist and the author of
Anxious 9 to 5. Her work on building
rewarding careers and businesses has been
featured in media such as The New York Times
and Entrepreneur Magazine. Get a gift:
the e-course 7 Steps to Career Success
($79- value) at
www.pascoaching.com
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