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How to Move Onward and Upward in Your Career
As professionals, we are all interested – for various reasons – in improving our work situation. These improvements can take a variety of forms: more responsibility, more money, an office with a door, an office with a window, flexibility to work from home, etc. I have some ideas on what you can do to improve your chances at achieving some or all of these changes. Be kind and respectful to EVERYONE. Most, maybe all, work cultures have a hierarchy. Sometimes it’s really clear who has power and who does not. Other times it may be more “flat” but power differentials are always there. However,...
read moreUnderstanding Organizational Culture & (Maybe) Changing It
Organizational Culture: “The values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization.” – Businessdictionary.com Anthropology being my primary background, I was trained to see culture and equipped with tools that help me understand what I see. Sometimes it works, but much of the time I feel as baffled, misled, and confused about the world as anyone else. We all encounter “organizational culture” in our professional lives. There are outstanding popular culture sources where we can see organizational culture in action: “The Office” TV series is...
read moreFinding Your Focus
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It is a simple question we ask of our children from the time they can talk and know what an astronaut is. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” We outline the possibility that they can be anything: a doctor, a space explorer, a dancer, a writer, a scientist, an artist. The possibilities seem absolutely boundless. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Do you want to pursue a passion for discovery, charting unknown territories of the deep sea, the human body, outer space? Do you want to create art, visual, auditory, or otherwise, that...
read moreLife-Long Learning and Career Advancement
You may not believe it, but it wasn’t until high school that I heard the term “lifelong learner,” and not until college that I understood what was meant by it. I always knew you received some professional training upon starting a new career, but it hadn’t crossed my mind that you could independently go out and find new opportunities for education and growth. However, contrary to the belief of 16-year-old me, professional development and the practice of being a life-long learner go hand in hand. What do I mean by “life-long learner,” you may ask. It’s a valid question. The impression it gives...
read moreGetting Ahead – Phases and Changes
“Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble An’ if I stay it will be double So come on and let me know…” – The Clash When thinking about career advancement, you must be aware of the things that you can control and the things that you can’t. You can control your performance on the job – carrying out tasks well, being consistent, meeting and exceeding expectations – unless your boss refuses to see your performance as outstanding. If you try and try again, yet your boss still doesn’t understand your value, it’s important...
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