Does having a vision for your career help your employer, too?
Yes, it does.
Did you know that it is not self-indulgent to allow yourself to be visionary for your life? Quite the contrary! When you feel empowered to lead your career, it helps your company and benefits the people around you who want you to be happy and motivated. One of the biggest concerns that we hear from senior leaders working in corporate environments is that “my staff doesn’t seem to realize that they have to be in charge of their own careers.” For this reason, Nebo is sometimes hired to bring programs that teach people how to shift from passive to purposeful in making their careers happen.
In fact, when “high potential” employees demonstrate a sense of purpose and vision for their careers, they radiate confidence and attract new opportunities.
It might be helpful to think of your career the way that you approach dining out! Do you want to select from a buffet of pre-made and pre-selected options (i.e. the existing and conventional career path in your field) or would you like to order “off the menu” working directly with the chef? If you choose from the buffet again and again, you may find yourself feeling limited and constrained when the options on the table don’t suit you. Learning to drive your own career is like learning how to order off the menu and have it your way.
Your personal career vision helps you to understand how your current job fits in with a bigger plan for your life and career. This alone can enable greater focus, a better attitude, a strong supply of self-motivation and a willingness to step up to more responsibility as you focus on contributing your best work in preparation for your next career step.
