Not 'Ambitious'? Don't Worry; The Only Way Ain't 'Up'

"So, how ambitious are you?"

"Yikes!" you think. "I'm not ambitious at all... I was dreading him asking me that."


Interviews. Performance reviews. Chats with your boss. All of these situations could result in your degree of ambitiousness being called into question.


There appears to be a widespread perception in the corporate world that to be any good, or to be regarded as an asset to your company, you must also be 'ambitious' (which, in most corporate cultures, means 'wanting to work your way up the ladder').


In my mind, that definition is limited and is actually held by only a small percentage of the working population and yet, their definition has become the standard to which everyone else thinks they must adhere.

A Client Said...

I had a client recently who was talking about his performance review and how he should handle 'that' question about ambitiousness. "If I was talking to friends," he said, "I'd say the truth: I don't want ever to be a senior manager leading a massive team."


"And how would you reply if your boss asked the same question?" I asked. "Well, I would have to tell him what he expects to hear: that I'm ambitious and want a top job in the long term."


Surely the problem with this is that this client could well end up with exactly what he doesn't want: a job that doesn't inspire, engage or motivate him.


I often like to challenge the 'rules' that are created by perception; it is just in my nature.


So What Does 'Ambitious' Mean?


I believe that being 'ambitious' simply means 'to have ambitions - goals, needs, a mission - that you yearn to fulfil'.


Yes, a small percentage of people do have ambitions to be the next CEO/COO/CFO.


A larger group have ambitions to reach a certain level of seniority, or to manage a certain number of people, and then want to stay put.


And then there are some people who have ambitions to compete in a triathlon every month and so fit their training around their working week.


Some people have ambitions to spend as much time as possible with their families.


Some people have ambitions to seize every learning opportunity they can.


'Ambitiousness', by my definition, is about having a mission (or goals, or ambitions) that you believe deeply in and that you pursue with as much energy and passion that you can muster.


So, To Your Next Meeting...
So should you be cautious when discussing your ambitions with your manager?


Well, that's up to you.


But all I suggest is you get very clear about what your deepest ambitions really are across life and work, for an engaged, happy and enthusiastic employee will always be more likely to deliver, both for themselves and for their organisations.


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.

My Top 5 Ideas to Help You Get Ahead, Even If Promotions Are Currently Scarce

Flatter structures these days, combined with the fact that many companies are tightening their purse strings can sometimes lead to a reduced number of 'vertical promotions' being available.

But know this: if you're currently working for a company that's put a hold on promotions, it won't last forever.

It can certainly be frustrating, even demoralising, if new job titles or promotions are scarce. But remember, if they're scarce for you they're also scarce for your peers (who also happen to be your competition).

And when faced with this kind of stalemate, you've got to use the time wisely so that when those promotions are back on the table, you're ready to come in hard with plenty of evidence to support your negotiations.

So what can you do if you aren't getting the promotional opportunities you want at the moment?

Simple: you look for other opportunities.

And there are plenty of ways in which you can get that step ahead of your competition without actually being promoted.

Here are my top five ideas to get you cookin':

1. Lateral up skill
If you can't go up the ladder just yet, think about how you could 'go across'.

By putting yourself forwards for a move into another area within the business, you will not only expand your current skill set, but you will also extend your network; build credibility with other decision makers; add value to your CV; extend your knowledge; and gain new experience. What's to lose?

2. Innovate
If you're feeling stuck and a little bored even, look for creative ways you could innovate. For example, either examine how current processes are delivered and improve them or develop entirely new processes.

Think about where you can add value. Look for bottlenecks, or problems, and solve them. And remember to keep a note of your wins - they will become excellent bargaining tools when promotions are available again.

3. Project work
Look for, or create, short term projects to keep you motivated and interested in your work. Think about ways to add value or solve problems. And look for proactive ways in which you could add value to the business.

4. Train others
Add value to those around you - and therefore to your organisation - by offering to train or coach other people.

This sort of initiative will be welcomed as it keeps training costs low. Training other people and seeing them grow will be a hugely gratifying experience for you and will also build your skill set.

Think too about how such an initiative would be perceived by key decision makers. What leverage might it give you in your next performance review?

5. Train yourself
Whilst you're waiting for promotions to come back on the table, use this time wisely: upskill and develop yourself wherever possible.

Find out what training budget has been allocated to you - you might be surprised to find it is a nice juicy sum! If there isn't a big budget, consider what you might be prepared to invest yourself in your own professional development.

Your greatest asset is what's between your ears after all. And knowledge is forever.

What are your top tips?
How do you add value to yourself and to your company during tough times?

I'd love to hear from you!
Rebecca

* To learn other tips, strategies and ideas like these, to help you build a powerful Personal Brand and advance your career, you'll love to receive 'PRESENCE', my fortnightly ezine. You'll also receive a copy of my special report, 'The Top 5 Mistakes Women Make On Their CVs'. YES! Subscribe me now! 

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. 

VIDEO: Feeling Stuck? A Big Picture Goal Is What You Need!

All too often we get too focused on our immediate goals, forgetting the bigger picture... or even if our immediate goals fit into that bigger picture. The result? Going round in circles and never really seeming to get anywhere. Watch my 1 minute video to help you get unstuck! - Rebecca

Why Your Current Career Plan is Failing You

Watch this tip on video!

If you want to get ahead in your career in 2012 it's vital that you have a plan. It shouldn't be complicated - this is actually why most plans fail.

In fact it's far better if it's not. Here's a 4 Step process sure to take you to the top!

STEP 1
First up, think about your BHAG for the year. What's a BHAG? A Big Hairy Audacious Goal.

Your BHAG might have nothing to do with work. Perhaps your BHAG, like my friend Lisa, is to run a marathon in 2012.

Maybe you want to be promoted at work.

Whatever your BHAG, think BIG and think AUDACIOUS!

STEP 2

Next, ask yourself what 3 outcomes you absolutely need to ensure to see your BHAG is met. Say your goal, as it is for many of our clients, is to get promoted this year. Your three outcomes might be to:

1. Ensure I am known to key senior decision makers

2. Have an opinion and make sure it is heard in meetings

3. Find out what POs (performance outcomes) I need to meet to enable me to argue my case for a promotion

STEP 3

Create a table with your three outcomes in the left column. Then divide your table into 4 columns with each one representing a quarter (January-March for example).

STEP 4

Lastly, decide on what actions you need to take each quarter to ensure each of your outcomes is met... and stick your plan somewhere obvious, where you'll see it every day.

And then TAKE ACTION! Without that, you have nothing!

3 Gems Towards Taking Action

Spending much of my time coaching all of my fabulous clients - you know who you are! - it's been an eye-opening 5 days, being on the receiving end of a training myself (by the awesome Ben Harvey, of Authentic Education... that's his picture above!).

With only 11 days to go until my baby's due date, I was thrilled not to have gone into labour early whilst on the course - phew! - could do without my waters breaking anywhere other than in the comfort of my own home!

I've learnt a pile of stuff though, which no doubt I'll be sharing with you all over time. But being on the receiving end of coaching/training always reminds me of how my own clients must feel working with me. Always valuable! :)

Here are some of my own learnings that I'd love to share:

1. When setting actions for yourself stay focused. Set 1 action if possible. If you absolutely must take on more, 3 actions at any one time should be your absolute limit. Any more and you'll overwhelm yourself resulting in inertia ... and no results.

2. Take action now, however small. You may want to have 'everything right' before you'll venture out and take action. This used to be my absolute achilles heel! However, taking immediate action is the way to go if you want to maintain focus, build confidence that you can achieve your result and start building momentum.

3. You do nothing without making a decision first. So if you're stalling to take action on a particular goal, ask yourself what decision you have yet to make.

There you go - three nuggets! And more to come!

- Rebecca

What's Your Big Picture Vision?

I realised today that life satisfaction is actually pretty simple. To be happy and to feel fulfilled all you need is to know what will make you happy and fulfilled... and then take every action under the sun to see those things happen.

To know what you want, you just need a vision. A big picture.

So consider what your life will look like in 12 months time...

- What's different about that picture versus today?
- What outcomes have you achieved?
- What is new or different about you?

With that clarity of your vision and what you want then you can decide on monthly (or more regular) actions to make that vision a reality.

But you do need action too - remember that!

We all know how quickly time flies - before you know it, it WILL be November 2012... and you don't want to be in the same position then as you are now, do you?

What will your life look like in 12 months time?

-RW

Persistence is Success

Being eight and a half months pregnant it's probably not advisable to be doing much more than putting your feet up and enjoying a tall glass of iced tea. As it is, I signed up to do a 5 day training a couple of months ago instead. Well I figured it would be easier than doing the course in 2012 whilst breastfeeding! :)

So here I am and already absolutely loving it.

There are so many nuggets I am learning and would love to share some with you. The training has more of a business building focus but much of the approach applies to us all.

My first nugget is this: approach everything you do with an UNTIL mentality.

Most tasks we approach are tackled with 'when...' or 'if...' mindsets which quite frankly, will never do.

When you decide you'll take action UNTIL you get the outcome you're after, you're always destined to be successful.

Apply persistence to all that you do and see how much more you can achieve!

Where and when have you acted UNTIL? I'd love to hear about your successes!

-RW

Are You Repeating The Same Year or Enjoying New Experiences?

Have you been repeating the same year at work over the last 2-3 years or has every year during that period brought you new opportunities, learnings and growth?

Too many people get stuck in a rut professionally, doing jobs or tasks they could perform in their sleep. Where's the fun in that?

In my view, a much better use of your time is to use every month and every year as opportunities to grow; to challenge yourself; to seek new experiences; build new networks; and take on different responsibilities.

With every new opportunity, your self-esteem and confidence both enjoy a huge boost and you enhance your employability ten fold.

- RW

3 Tips to Build a Simple Career Plan

Do any of the comments below resonate with your current way of thinking?
 "I don't enjoy my career."

 "I don't know what I want from my career; but I do know it's not this."

 "I am due a promotion; it's sure to be offered to me this year."

 "No-one seems to know I exist at work."


One thing in life is certain. Time passes by every, well... minute.

Are you spending your minutes as you wish to? Are you enjoying a fulfilling career that meets both your short and long term objectives?

If not, then it's time to get serious about how you want your career to be. Waiting around for someone else to take charge (or for divine intervention) won't get you any closer to leading a career that fulfills you.

So here are some quick tips to get the ball rolling:

1. A Career Plan can be as simple as a list of goals that you wish to attain in the next 6-12 months (or further if you are able to plan further ahead).


2. It should include all that you want to achieve during that time such as: projects you want to work on; skills you want to learn or refresh; training you want to undertake; people you want to build relationships with; financial or status goals you want to attain.


3. For each item you list, write a series of objectives to give some detail as to what each goal requires and establish some key dates whereby these objectives must be met.

Why Pride is Vital to Success

What does 'pride' mean to you? For me, 'pride' can be summed up by the All Blacks rugby team performing The Haka at the start of a match. It always sends chills down my spine.

There is a yearning. A mad passion. A fever that runs through their veins.

The eyes of every single player in that line up burns with a pride for their sport, their country and themselves as individuals. It's not every day that you are able to represent your nation, after all.

In my view, there isn't enough pride in the world. Outwardly at least.

What is it about human beings that makes us so quick to deride our talents, contribution and value?

If you'd like a surge of pride ripping through your veins here are a couple of tips:

1. Write down every instance that you can remember when someone important to you (friend, family, manager, colleague) complimented you or your work.

2. Think about instances when you were really proud of yourself and write them down. Perhaps...

- You over-delivered on a project at work.
- It was the day your child was born.
- You got a promotion.
- You showed tremendous courage.
- Perhaps you made a difference to someone else's life.
- Maybe you tried something new....

Pride is a phenomenally powerful feeling. And powerful positive feelings help us behave at our most resourceful and achieve our best outcomes.

And the key to pride is to have goals to aim for so that when you achieve them you have something to be proud about.

Take action today, in the next 24 hours, and think about the two tasks above. You'll be amazed at what you come up with!

- RW

Be Careful Who You Share Your Dreams With

How often have you set out to try something new, or do something you believe will bring greater happiness and fulfilment to your life, only for someone else to try and knock you back? The conversation might have gone something like this:

YOU: "I am so excited! I'm going to quit my job and pursue my dream career."

DREAM SNATCHER: "Oh really? Why would you want to do that?"

YOU: "Well I hate my job and I've always dreamt of being a chef."

DREAM SNATCHER: "Oh really? What about your mortgage - how will you
pay that?"

YOU: "Well..."

DREAM SNATCHER: "And what if it doesn't work -you've no guarantees. It's a huge risk, you must see that."

YOU: "Well actually I was thinking more about the benefits but... now you say that...."

STOP!

Before this conversation happened, you were coming from a place of abundance and opportunity. You were looking for ways to make your life as you wished it to be. You love food, creativity and get high every time someone simpers over the food you have cooked.

The Dream Snatcher is always going to come from a place of scarcity and fear: What if this goes wrong? How will you cope? What if you fail? What if you run put of money?

Be careful who you share your dreams with.

When you're pursuing a change in your life, however big or small, surround yourself with people and environments that support you. Seek out people who have done what you are looking to achieve already, listen to what they have learnt, learn from their experiences and successes. Dream Snatchers have never dipped their toe into the sea of opportunity before... why on earth would they have useful opinions to offer you?

THink of it this way: If you wanted to buy an investment property would you ask your dad for advice if he had never bought one before... or someone with a portfolio of property worth over $10m?

When embarking on a new path, whatever it may be, there is no room for doubt or for doubters. -RW

Is This YOUR Life's Purpose?

One of the greatest barriers to you leading a more fulfilling life is your own lack of awareness how it could be better.

Let's face it: life is busy. Hectic even. You've hundreds of thoughts, roles and activities to juggle daily. Maybe you're a mum, a taxi service, a lawyer, a laundry magician, a counsellor, an entertainer, a comedienne, Head of Logistics, a wife, a lover, a mathematician, Master Grocery Shopper and when you can fit it in, a Yogi.

That's a lot to take on!

The question is.. does all of it... or at least most of it bring you happiness and fulfilment?

If not, take a step back. Make some time for yourself. Go to the beach. Relax with a coffee. Put yourself, your dreams and your aspirations first. Suck your head out of the sand and ask yourself,

"Is this it? Am I leading my life's purpose?"

- Is this the life that I want above all else?
- Is this what gives me purpose?
- Is this what deeply fulfils me?
- Can I put my head on the pillow at night and feel satisfied in the knowledge that I've led the richest of rich days?

Now I'm not saying that every day can be wholly enriching. And I'm not suggesting we don't all have bad, or off, days. Because of course we all do.

But what I am saying, is that it is up to each of us to decide how we wish to lead our own lives. And to take daily steps, however small, towards living that life. However grand. However ideal. However wonderful. - RW

Join us to 'Sculpt Your Life', our Longer Term goal planning program, if you want to start getting clarity on your longer term plans (and purpose)! Visit www.askrebeccahow.com

A Fulfilled Life: Does Luck Enter Into It?

In my career coaching practice, one of the things I hear fairly commonly is this:

"The ideal career doesn't exist. I mean, people who enjoy what they do for a living just got lucky."

Possibly. Possibly not.

One of the most sensible things someone very close to me once said was, "You create your own luck". The more I think about this mantra, and apply it to my own life, the more it makes sense to me.

To lead a life that gives you purpose requires for you to live it purposefully. That means 'with intention, with direction, with gusto'!

Ask yourself:

"What sort of people do I want around me in my life?"
"What sort of career would best fulfill me?"
"What am I truly here to do?"
"If I could wave a wand, how would I make my life different?"
"If I were to look back on my life at age 85, what did it have to include for me to rest happy?"

Why not seek out your 'ideals'. They are, after all, what will bring you the deepest satisfaction, happiness and success in your life.

- RW
'You only live once. Decide what you're here to do.TM'