3 Warning signs that your career is about to derail
Are you a Leader aspiring to be a CXO? then this article is for you. Congratulations on reaching where you are in your journey. You are now poised to take that leap into senior management but as you may know, a corporate career is like a pyramid and it keeps getting narrower as you move up. Everyone at your level has an education, works hard and is aspiring to get to the next level. So what is going to separate you from the rest?
You need a “Sherpa” to guide you in your ascent to reach the pinnacle of your career. Someone who has climbed the corporate ladder himself and been a CXO himself. Someone who can help you with your blind spots and get you there quicker, so you avoid making mistakes. As a former CXO, a professionally certified (ICF-PCC) and John Mattone (coach to Steve jobs) certified executive coach I have helped thousands across the world and can help you too.
If you are a leader who is interested in becoming a CXO, then click here know about my CXO 90 day challenge. www.cxohive.com/midcareer
Are you amongst the 50% of executives who feel your career has hit a rough patch? Don’t panic. The trick is to spot the warning signs in time, and to know what to do.
Getting stuck in your career doesn’t happen overnight. That’s the good news. So, if you’re looking closely enough, there are warning signs.
Three Warning Signs
1. ITS QUIET :
You are getting less feedback than you used to from people above and below you. Nobody seems to be engaging with you any more, professionally. You are not being asked or told much. Forget praise, even criticism doesn’t seem to come your way.
2. NOT INCLUDED IN “PRE MEETINGS” :
You are not part of the “PRE MEETING”(A meeting before the actual meeting). The discussion on most major decisions are taken before the actual meeting.
Whilst committees take the final decisions, most discussions and clarifications take place earlier. If you are not part of pre-meetings that impact your work areas, it’s a clear sign that you are getting irrelevant.
3. UNAWARE OF CHANGE :
You are unaware and not part of major changes in your organisation. New hires, new initiatives, or new strategies are decided on and come as a surprise to you. You are wondering why these changes are happening and why you have not been consulted.
If this is happening to you, it’s easy to become closed and defensive. But this doesn’t help and could possibly derail your career.
Can you bounce back? Yes! Once you’re over the shock of the missed promotion or failed bid, you’ll need to reflect and take a really close look at what went wrong and why.
Some of the biggest career derailers are
- A lack of self-awareness.
- An inability to deal with change.
- Lack of influence – you struggle to influence your boss or major stake holders.
- Poor communication – you often think people understand you when they don’t.
- Insufficient social capital – you have little ability to get things done through other people and fail to influence major stake holders.
Don’t waste time working on your worst weaknesses though – you’re better off avoiding situations where you’re not at your best, and building a team around you that love the things you hate. Work on one or two development needs to begin with. Focusing only at what you’re good at will give you joy, but there’s little growth in that.
Build on your existing skill set. Try something that’s new and different. Too many of us focus on what we are good at and forget to grow or expand our skill sets. And that’s a big error.
Ask yourself whether you are in the right job? A sizeable number of us aren’t, but typically lack the self-awareness and courage to do something about it. Ask yourself fundamental questions about what success means for you in your career – don’t set yourself up for failure.
Stop wondering whether you have it or you don’t. Failure is an opportunity to learn. Today, careers are no longer ladders that only head upward. Look for opportunities sideways to grow your experience and treat your career like a maze to be navigated. That takes persistence, but it also pays off.
Need help? reach out. If you are a leader who is interested in becoming a CXO, then click here to know about my CXO 90 day challenge. www.cxohive.com/midcareer
Date
February, 12 2021
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