More than ninety percent of people indicate a lack of control over their careers, yet only five percent feel able to do something about it. How to Get Ahead Without Murdering Your Boss shows you how to take responsibility for your career, whether that means keeping the job that you love, making a career change or simply learning new skills to increase your employability. This book will help you gain clarity on the best career options for you and show you how to actively manage your career. The SEEFAR career management model, explained through a fictional murder mystery, is a practical and results-driven methodology that merges the best features of traditional career development theories with a new focus on action learning.
Alison Lees is the author of a number of published short stories and the self-help book The Accidental Entrepreneur for practitioners in private practice.
Non Fiction/Business/Careers
978-0-9807399-0-9
A&A Book Publishing www.aampersanda.com
9 780980 739909
Burton, Webster & Lees
Helen Burton and Vicki Webster have coached over 3000 individuals through career transitions. They have over 25 years of combined experience leading career coaching teams and delivering career and organizational development programs.
How to Get Ahead Without Murdering Your Boss
Chosen the wrong career path? Feel like you have more to offer? Resent how your work controls your life? Hate your boss?
How to Get
Ahead Without
Murder ng Your
Boss
Six simple steps to actively manage your career
Helen Burton, Vicki Webster & Alison Lees
Six simple steps to actively manage your career
Helen Burton, Vicki Webster and Alison Lees
A&A Book Publishing admin@aampersanda.com www.aampersanda.com First published 2010 Text Š 2010 Helen Burton, Vicki Webster and Alison Lees This book is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or process whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publishers. Cover design, text design, illustrations and typesetting by David Andor / Wave Source Design www.wavesource.com.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Author: Burton, Helen. Title: How to get ahead without murdering your boss: six simple steps to actively manage your career / Helen Burton, Vicki Webster, Alison Lees. ISBN: 9780980739909 (pbk.) Notes: Includes index. Subjects: Career development. Success. Self-actualization (Psychology). Other Authors/Contributors: Webster, Vicki. Lees, Alison. Dewey Number: 650.14
This book is dedicated to our patient families, who supported us over the long, long life of this project, and to all the individuals we have career coached who got us started by asking for a career book that was contemporary, user friendly, practical and fun.
Table of Contents Introduction
1
Part One Walking Close to the Edge A Corporate Murder Mystery
7
Meet the characters and their career issues. Five work colleagues are stuck at a corporate retreat in a cyclone. The CEO disappears — he’s had influence on each employee’s career. Is he dead, and if so, who killed him?
Part Two SEEFAR Career Management Workbook
129
Use this section to apply the SEEFAR career management methodology to your personal situation. Complete all or some of the exercises that form part of the SEEFAR career management methodology. Learn how to review and develop your career to maintain or improve job satisfaction and employability.
Part Three SEEFAR in Action
171
The SEEFAR career management methodology in action. The characters in Walking Close to the Edge use the SEEFAR career management methodology to make decisions about their own careers. Read all or some of the stories.
Appendix Theory and Practice for Career Coaches
211
Introduction
Most of us can think of a time when we experienced strong feelings of dissatisfaction with our role or work environment, resenting work’s influence over our life. Fortunately, we don’t need to resort to murder to attempt to solve the problem! On the other hand, many people can feel powerless or unmotivated to manage their career and life. It’s our experience that up to ninety percent of people indicate feeling a lack of control over their careers, yet only five percent feel able or motivated to do something about it. This begs the question: why? It could be that it’s a lot easier to stay in our comfort zone and not think about it too much. Maybe we’re scared that if we do something, we might fail, or we’re not even sure what the first step is. After all, it’s a lot more fun, and a whole lot less confronting, to watch the latest reality or crime show on TV, enjoy sport, surf the net or even clean out the kitchen cupboards, rather than explore other work options. Like anything in life, effectively managing our own career takes some time — but not as much as you might think — effort and continuous learning to explore options, identify 1
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opportunities, make decisions and ultimately achieve our desired outcomes. Personally, we believe in the power of taking responsibility for our own careers, whether that means keeping a job that we love, making a career change or simply learning new skills to increase our employability. This is equally important in buoyant markets or in harsh economic times with large scale job losses. We also believe that career management can be fun! With this philosophy in mind, read on to learn how easy it is to develop and implement your own actionable career strategy.
SEEFAR: A quick overview of best practice career management SEEFAR is a practical and results-driven process that merges the best features of the traditional plan-and-implement approach to career development with a new focus on having our own narrative and using action learning to gain clarity on what the best career opportunities are for us in order to feel successful and fulfilled.
S = Self-understanding and identity The first step in an effective career management process is to ensure you have a clear understanding of yourself and the things that make you who you are — the things that drive you and your motivations and values. Once you understand what makes you happy and satisfied at work — the things that come naturally to you — you can build these factors into your career decision making. For this part of the process, we will ask you to assess your skills, major competencies, interests, values, personality traits, style and family career history through assessment instruments and exercises. The assessment activities are amalgamated to develop a ‘self-portrait’, or identity, that links to possible career options. 2
INTRODUCTION
E = External image Once you have a clear understanding of yourself, the next step is to understand how others perceive you. This is important to ensure the career options you consider are realistic and inline with your reputation. By examining your external image, you recognise that others often determine your access to opportunities and your selection for new positions or projects, so it is essential that you understand what impression you make on other people as this is how you create your reputation.
E = Environment Career management needs to be practical to provide meaningful outcomes. Understanding the marketplace is a vital part of career decision making. Activities in this part of the process assist you to explore opportunities and build business relationships to access them.
F = Financial objectives The best career plans can fall apart if they are not aligned to your financial goals. For example, taking time off work to complete full-time study or taking a reduction in salary to move to a new department/unit will not be sustainable if it doesn’t meet your financial needs. This part of the process focuses on identifying your financial goals and ensuring compatibility with your career goals.
A = Action and reflection The chaotic nature of careers means that opportunities can arise unexpectedly. Without a robust career management process to assess the viability of each option, you run the risk of choosing a direction that you may regret. Additionally, the best way to determine whether something is right of you is to try it out first, 3
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especially where you are considering a significant career transition. This phase facilitates a detailed exploration of options through crafted experiments, for example secondments and special projects. This action-and-reflection model is linked to the need to take responsibility for your career direction.
R = Results “It is a new day.” The rules of work have changed, and you are more accountable for your own career management. All the analysis, reflection and planning will amount to nothing if you don’t take action. A well developed, specific action plan with measurable short-term goals, mid-term direction and long-term aspirations will enable you to take control of your career, without having to murder your boss!
How to apply the SEEFAR model in your career is explained in Parts 2 and 3 of this book. Now sit back, relax and take some time to enjoy seeing the model in action in the story in Part 1.
4
The SEEFAR Model
Part One Walking Close to the Edge A Corporate Murder Mystery
1
The cushions in the lounge shifted slightly and Paul opened one eye. He glanced at the person creating the disturbance and grunted. “Sorry about that,” said the young man who was even now pushing his back into the well-padded lounge and joylessly rearranging a briefcase and papers around him. Paul nodded and pretended to resume his nap but kept one eye open, watching the performance unfolding in front of them. His neighbour was a magician the way a series of briefcases and folders just seemed to multiply and empty into each other until the lounge, footstool and coffee table in front of them were layered in sheets of impressive looking documents. Some of them even had flowcharts and graphs. Unable to contain his fascination any longer Paul sat up slowly, uncrossing his arms and stretching his legs out so that the tops of his boots could barely be seen under the hem of his heavily worn jeans. He ran his hands through his curls, shook his head and glanced up at the arrivals and departures information. “Bugger.” 9
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His new companion glanced at him, took one look at the leather bomber jacket and rucksack and deliberately turned away. Paul ignored this slight. “My flight’s another couple of hours away. How about you mate? Where you off to?” “Sydney.” The reply was crisp and polite and had “do not disturb” written all over it, but Paul wasn’t so easily put off. “You coming from New York?” “Yes.” The head was permitted a bob and there was a slight, superficial smile, but the young man’s focus was quickly back to the pages in front of him. Paul leaned back and put his hands behind his head, staring up at the fluoro lights that were unrelenting in their starkness. “Yeah, the wife and I are just coming back from the States too. Interesting place to visit. Wouldn’t want to live there. Too many weirdos running around. And some yanks don’t seem to have much of a sense of humour.” “Hmmmmm.” Paul looked around the transit lounge at the other stranded passengers, contorted into various reclining positions on their seats, struggling to try and get comfortable, like some purgatorial karma sutra. He bent forward and took a moment or two to make sure he caught the eye of his neighbour, who was rapidly regretting his choice of seat. “I thought you business guys did everything on a computer the size of a matchbox. You know, paperless world and all that.” Leaning even further forward, Paul was making himself impossible to ignore. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know much about business — that’s the missus’ department. I’m a sparky myself. She’s the one who’s written the business book and been on Oprah.” Finally a spark of interest. The well-gelled hair turned towards 10
PART ONE — WALKING CLOSE
TO THE
EDGE
him. “Your wife has written a business book?” Paul nodded. “Yep, that’s why we were in the States. A few of those big publishers were fighting over it — and the sequel. Like a pack of buzzards on a carcass they were. Crazy what money you can get.” Paul had his neighbour’s full attention now. “So it’s been published in the U.S?” “Yeah, and first run has already nearly sold out.” Paul sat back, confident he now had someone to chat to. “Fancy a beer?” “What?” The young man fumbled. “No… Well yes, maybe a soft drink.” “Not if I’m buying mate.” Paul signaled to the attendant hovering nearby. “We should get something for our business lounge membership, shouldn’t we?” The young man nodded assent, looked down at his paperwork, weighed up the next couple of hours, and shut the lid of his laptop. Paul noticed. “Good man. Now, what’ll you have?”
By the time they were on their second round, Paul had discovered that the young man, David Young, was a sales executive for a telecommunications company that covered the globe and that he last had a holiday five years ago. David had finally loosened his tie a little and was leaning back into the leather cushions like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Paul guessed he was only in his early thirties, but he looked closer to forty. He waited until David had sipped his way down the third bottle before piecing the facts together. “So you’re a very little fish in a very big pond?” David opened his mouth to protest and then decided he 11
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didn’t have the energy to deny the truth. He stared down the mouth of his bottle. “A very big pond. A global pond. And in New York they make polite noises about taking Sydney into consideration when they make their decisions, but it’s all…, ” He took another gulp. “So the reality is if I want to get ahead I’m going to have to either move to the US or one of the other overseas offices, or work even more hours in Sydney to get noticed and, well” he glanced at Paul, “I’m already on tablets for stress and not sleeping and my girlfriend is complaining that she never sees me. Well, did complain. I think she dumped me last night.” He took another gulp. “By text.” Paul let out a low whistle. “Christ mate you are in a bad way. Sounds like you’re better off without her anyway. Text, eh?” Paul smiled and shook his head. “Hazards of working in telecommunications.”
David started to laugh a bit too loudly. Paul threw him a cautious look. Having a drink was one thing but he hadn’t meant to open a can of worms. He looked around and checked that no one was staring. “Hey mate, listen. I have a story to tell you that might make you feel better.” David didn’t respond. “No, really mate, it’s what my wife’s book is about.” Paul kept talking. “She’s written this self-help book for people just like you.” “What? People who don’t have any say in their career decisions and don’t have the guts to do anything about it?” His voice was full of bitterness. Paul paused and was on the cusp of agreeing and then reconsidered. “No, mate. Just people who need a push in the right direction, to show them how to take control back.” 12
PART ONE — WALKING CLOSE
TO THE
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“What’s it called?” “How to Get Ahead Without Murdering Your Boss.” Paul deadpanned. David rubbed his face before sitting back and taking a long gulp of his beer. He stared at Paul for a moment. “I think we need another round then.” He signaled to the waiter. “With a whiskey chaser.” Paul thought for a fraction of an instant how much trouble he was already likely to be in, calculated the risks, and was just about to say no to a drink for the first time in his life when he glanced up at the departures screen. He nodded to David. “Right then. You’re on.”
13
Helen Burton leads the Queensland division of a global career management practice. She has a Bachelor of Commerce and commenced her career as an accountant before completing an MBA and transitioning to her “dream job� in management consulting, working on large scale organisational and leadership development projects and travelling extensively. An interest in career decision making driven by her need to combine work and family life ultimately lead to a specialisation in career consulting. She has developed and successfully used the SEEFAR model to assist individuals from all walks of life take control of their careers and achieve job satisfaction. She regularly presents on a variety of career and development related topics for professional groups and conferences and led a career segment on ABC radio. Helen lives in Brisbane Australia with her Engineer husband and two children.
Vicki Webster is an organisational psychologist with over 10 years experience in managing consulting teams. Having experienced three career transitions herself to date, she knows the value of taking responsibility for maintaining her own job satisfaction and employability. After her role as a Court Reporter with the state government was made redundant she took on a HR and training role, while studying psychology part time as a mature age student. Since becoming a registered psychologist she has been consulting in career management, leadership development and executive and transition coaching. She is currently completing a part-time research PhD on leadership. She lives in Brisbane with her partner, John, who runs his own building business. They maintain work life balance by escaping to the coast on the weekend. Helen and Vicki co-authored the chapter “Creating the Right Impression� for Practicing Excellence in Australian Career Practice edited by Mary McMahon and Wendy Patton.
Alison Lees has had enough careers for ten people, having started as a secondary school Teacher and subsequently worked as a Counsellor, a tertiary ESL Teacher, a business adviser and trainer with the Queensland government, run her own business, lectured in communication and small business management, and worked as a Development Manager in the Arts industry. Alison has also recently qualified as a marriage celebrant. All the while she has been happily scribbling in the background writing short stories and working on a novel manuscript. She has self-published The Accidental Entrepreneur, a self-help book for counsellors and natural therapists running their own private practice. Alison currently works from home which allows her the flexibility to enjoy her expanding young family. Her husband Paul is an Engineer with Queensland Health — and was the inspiration for Paul Handy!
More than ninety percent of people indicate a lack of control over their careers, yet only five percent feel able to do something about it. How to Get Ahead Without Murdering Your Boss shows you how to take responsibility for your career, whether that means keeping the job that you love, making a career change or simply learning new skills to increase your employability. This book will help you gain clarity on the best career options for you and show you how to actively manage your career. The SEEFAR career management model, explained through a fictional murder mystery, is a practical and results-driven methodology that merges the best features of traditional career development theories with a new focus on action learning.
Alison Lees is the author of a number of published short stories and the self-help book The Accidental Entrepreneur for practitioners in private practice.
Non Fiction/Business/Careers
978-0-9807399-0-9
A&A Book Publishing www.aampersanda.com
9 780980 739909
Burton, Webster & Lees
Helen Burton and Vicki Webster have coached over 3000 individuals through career transitions. They have over 25 years of combined experience leading career coaching teams and delivering career and organizational development programs.
How to Get Ahead Without Murdering Your Boss
Chosen the wrong career path? Feel like you have more to offer? Resent how your work controls your life? Hate your boss?
How to Get
Ahead Without
Murder ng Your
Boss
Six simple steps to actively manage your career
Helen Burton, Vicki Webster & Alison Lees