The airline industry is excited about recent tech developments made in weather forecasting which will save them millions of dollars a year. It was recently reported by the NY Times that Honeywell is rapidly selling their new IntuVue 3D radar system into many airlines hoping the captains can see dangerous weather ahead and make adjustments en route to their destination. This, of course, means a smoother ride for us and perhaps, less delays.
Reading about this in the NY Times, I got to thinking about how we manage our careers for turbulence. Best I know, there is no such thing as an IntuVue 3d system that will spot trouble ahead for each of us. And, nobody is immune to what comes down the road. After all, a certain percentage of you will... (fill in the blank: get downsized, get fired, work for a jerk, lose your edge due to health issues, be forced to move to another town due to personal issues, etc, etc). A career is long in many ways, but it has to be managed strategically or it won't be as long as you want it to be. The best time to start asking these questions is when you're hitting your stride...which for most of us is in our early 30s. Challenge yourself when you're doing well and getting traction, and you might have the fortitude and vision to make it through another 3 decades of growth and prosperity with only a few minor cuts and scratches. In honor of you being the Pilot of your career flight, I came up with a few items which I'll share to add insight on how to look for turbulence. 1. Do not think you're immune to curve balls. You're going to make a bad decision on joining a company. You're going to work for someone who starts out nice but turns out to be unsupportive. You're going to work for a company that hits some bad times. You're probably going to get fired once or twice...it happens. It's called reality. Be prepared mentally. 2. Plan for bad weather. Cliche, yes. But oh so true. Of course you want the new BMW 4-series. Yes, you love those shoes that you saw in the window. Yes, going to Turkey in the spring with your bestie sounds great. And you should have all those things. But it should not be at the expense of stocking away some cash. Some financial experts say you should tithe 10% of your earnings to a "can not touch account"...some say you should have 3 months salary in the bank. I say all of that is way too conservative. Put as much away as you can above 10%. Money equals freedom and independence and you'll want to have time down the road to make some important decisions about who to work for at any given time. Money in the bank will buy you that time. 3. Talk to others about their career path. Learning about what a career path looks like in your line of work is really important. Talk to folks about how they got to where they are, but more importantly, where are they going. Listen. Consider. And then, you can make plans regarding job pivots that need to happen to keep you going forward. 4. Be open to honest assessments about your skill set. Look yourself in the mirror and admit what you're good and not good at. Also, survey your co-workers. Not just one or two, and not folks who will tell you what you want to hear, but those who watch and see with wisdom and experience. Take it to heart and do something about it. 5. Consider a professional to help you navigate the decisions and skill development issues you need to address. The more you are in control of your plan means the better your reality will be over the long haul. Numbers 1 to 4 you can do on your own, when you're ready for #5, call me. I've developed a lot of talent and know how to make you feel good about it along the way. Cheers! (If you want to learn more about the Honeywell technology, click here - but be warned it's slightly strong on the 'promotion' aspect).
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MichaelIt's my job to make you feel good....about yourself, about your selling career and about your life! Read on and add when the impulse hits! Categories
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