At A Career Crossroads? Use Your Values To Guide Your Decision.

Andrew Penn, CFO Telstra

Last week I attended a networking function, co- hosted by The Financial Review and The University of Sydney's Business School.


The CFO of Telstra, Andrew Penn, was the keynote speaker who offered a series of very honest thoughts about a range of topics, most notably for me: his views on effective career management.

Being an individual and coach who believes deeply in the power of values - and the importance of seeking outcomes that support those values - I was thrilled to hear what Andrew had to say about his own career choices.

He told us that he realised early on how important both 'challenge' (a value) and 'opportunity' (a value) were to him: any role he has taken, since starting out as a clerk in a shipping business, had to meet these criteria.


What a simple strategy: to ensure your values are met.


Consider your career today and where you want to go. What do you really want to get out of it?


Might it also be 'challenge' or 'opportunity'?


Or perhaps to broaden your 'knowledge' or deepen some specialist 'expertise'?

(These are all values: they are factors that are important to you).


Perhaps you need your work to bear 'immediate results' or maybe you enjoy seeing 'results over a longer time frame'?


Whatever your values, be mindful of them. Basing your career choices on them will bring you untold fulfilment and success.


Rebecca


Rebecca Wells is a Career and Executive Coach with a specialism in Personal Branding for Corporate Women. She believes that women are phenomenal and add long lasting commercial value to business and yet often struggle to understand their value or believe deeply in their abilities to succeed. Her coaching programs are designed for talented and savvy professional women who simply need that extra push to achieve their greatest fulfillment and success.