Making Your Career Your Career

As your career advances, you will play many significant roles.

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Most of us can identify with the universal recipe for success that was preached to us during our formative years. If you study hard, earn good grades, and avoid trouble, you will be accepted into a reputable college. In college, if you study hard, earn good grades, and gain some work experience, you will likely secure a good job. On the job, if you work hard, receive good performance reviews, and take the initiative in your development, you will have a successful career. In each case, whether it’s growing up, going to college, or on the job, it requires you to have some control and understanding of what’s needed during the process to ensure the strongest possible outcome.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my career journey was the importance of being committed to playing a significant role in advancing my career. For you to make your career your career, you should always be focused on the following five questions: Do you, not your manager, have a roadmap for your career? Do you understand your development gaps for the next step on the roadmap? Do you have a network of mentors and sponsors? Are you known for something by somebody? Do you proactively invest in your skills and personal development? In this age of industrial disruption, driven by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), everyone must commit to continuous learning to remain relevant and competitive. Invest time in developing AI skills, because we are seeing a significant boost in productivity and efficiency from its use, and workers are smarter, faster, and can shift their focus to higher-value work. Your management is in place to assist and calibrate you with your planning, but you cannot wait for your management and must take more responsibility in helping your career along.

The typical career cycle lasts approximately 35-40 years, and it is best to consider your career in stages. The early stage is the first 5-10 years, the mid-stage is the next 10-25 years, and the late stage is the final 5-10 years. Your progress, or growth, will be both vertical and horizontal. Vertical growth is driven by new opportunities and promotional advancements, enabling the acquisition of new skills and experiences. Horizontal growth will encompass new opportunities and lateral movements to expand your skills and experiences. During each stage of your career cycle, there are also three distinct and critical phases: “development and growth”, “performance and results”, and “leadership and care”. The development and growth phase is about constantly expanding your foundation beyond your educational background, accumulated skills, and various job experiences. Performance and results are about successful execution against measurable outcomes, leveraging other resources, and building teams that help meet your commitments. The leadership and care phase involves investing time in understanding and developing people, as well as setting the right tone on critical topics, both internally and externally.

You will play many roles during your career cycle, and your success will depend on your situation, driven by the things you can influence and the support system you are exposed to. The various roles I played helped define my career as I gained an understanding of what was essential and fundamental to my progress. During the early stage of your career cycle, the primary focus is on development, which involves acquiring skills and gaining experience through education, training, and on-the-job learning. In the development and growth phase, your role is that of an adapter. You must be able to adjust and change according to the environment, situations, and people you are dealing with, including those you work for and those you lead. In the performance & results phase, your role is that of an inquirer. Seek wisdom by listening and learning as much as possible from knowledgeable people, thereby enhancing your ability to make meaningful contributions. In the leadership and care phase, your role is that of a mentor. This is about establishing the early habit of providing insights, advice, and counsel, regardless of your seniority.

The mid-stage of your career cycle is characterized by vertical and horizontal growth, involving the acquisition of skills and experiences through promotional advancements and lateral expansion opportunities. In the development and growth phase, your role is that of a player. Be confident in your acquired skills and experiences, and earn the chance to take on more significant assignments. In the performance and results phase, your role is that of an achiever. Establish a reputation for driving substantial outcomes. This is also the phase of your career where you experience the most vertical and horizontal growth based on your contributions. In the leadership and care phase, your role is that of a builder. Draw upon the experience you have accumulated to assemble and develop the necessary talent and know-how to use it effectively.

During the late stage of your career cycle, utilize your accumulated skills and experiences as a means of “contributing in place.” There are likely not many opportunities left for advancement, and because of the knowledge you have attained, you become more of a resource for helping others rather than helping yourself. In the development and growth phase, your role is that of an instructor. Use your accumulated knowledge and share your experiences to help develop others in the workplace. In the performance & results phase, your role is that of a trooper. Make selfless contributions where needed and support what is most important for the development of others, the organization, and the company. In the leadership and care phase, your role is that of an advocator. Use your voice and leverage your reputation to leave a legacy and history of contributions that will serve to influence employees, the company, and the industry.

At some point during the late stage of your career cycle, you must start making plans for what I call the post-career stage. Think about how actively involved you want to be in the next chapter of your life. You will be faced with options, and full retirement is only one of the choices. You may remain in your career, either as a full-time worker with another employer or transition to part-time roles that can leverage your skills and knowledge. Alternatively, you can remain active and engaged in some form of work where you can still make significant contributions, such as joining the board of a public or private company, a university, or a non-profit organization. Finally, assuming your finances are in order, you have the option to retire, where you can leave the workplace behind for a life of fun, freedom, and relaxation.

When it comes to your career, your development, growth, and progress will depend on how you effectively navigate the career cycle. There is an advantage that lies with those who can masterfully harness the power of curiosity throughout this cycle. I call it the “curiosity advantage.” By continually exploring new ideas, adapting to unfamiliar situations, and productively challenging the status quo, you can gain a significant advantage if you are unbounded by a desire to learn and understand more deeply. Exploring new ideas can be advantageous for your career, as it often leads to acquiring new skills, making you more competitive and desirable as a contributor. Adapting to unfamiliar situations outside of your comfort zone may lead to new opportunities, including new roles or entirely new career paths. Finally, productively challenging the status quo can enable your career by showing courage and strategic thinking for driving new ways of efficiency, differentiation, and change.