In a perfect world, the firms and managers that we work for would recognize the importance of cultivating talent and they would focus their energies on working with us to develop and advance. In fact, some good leaders and managers do provide this support, but unfortunately, they tend to be in the minority.
A great manager focuses on employee development, is active in coaching and spends his/her time working with team members to define development experiences and opportunities that prepare individuals for next steps. They are also working one-on-one with people to understand career objectives and to define long-range roadmaps and assignments.
If you work with this “great manager,” consider yourself fortunate and leverage the experience for everything that it is worth. If like most of us however, you find yourself working for someone that is well intentioned but otherwise focused on things other than your development, I have a few words of advice:
“Get over it!”
And a few more:
“Get on with it!”
One of the realities of your professional life is that ultimately you are the only one responsible for your own career growth. The sooner that you face up to this responsibility and then do something about it, the better prepared you will be to seize opportunities and to compete in the workplace. If you’ve moved beyond that point in life where competing for the next rung is a priority, then the issue is all about investing your time in work that you find rewarding.
In my work with mid-career professionals, one of the consistent themes that I hear is the “I should have” recognition. It usually goes something like, “I should have taken the time to improve my leadership skills.” Or, “I should have taken the time to become a better communicator.” Or, “I let someone else pick my jobs for me, and I should have been more involved in choosing my own path.”
Regrets are horrible things.
The good news is that we all have it within us to avoid the regrets of omission in our careers. Instead of passing time and then wondering what happened, take the time to establish a long-range destination and then to define the roadmap, experiences and skills that you need to reach that destination. You might change targets over time, but you will never regret investing in your own skills or taking the time to identify your next challenges.
I would love to help you, but regardless of where you turn for help and mentoring, take the time and do it. And remember that the goal is for you to have no regrets!
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