How do you remain in your career ‘sweet spot’?

How do you remain in your career ‘sweet spot’ as the world of work changes and evolves?

One of the trends we are focusing on this year is coaching in the hybrid workplace.

Recent Gallup research found that hybrid workers in professional services appreciate a number of things about their work situation. These include improved work-life balance. In addition, efficient use of time and more autonomy. At the same time, they note that hybrid work leads to less connection with organisational culture. Furthermore, coordination challenges and disrupted processes.

As the world of work changes and evolves, one of the questions that we can ask is: how do you remain in your career ‘sweet spot’? Or coach the people around you to find that ‘sweet spot’ in their work?

In this Coaching Café we welcome back popular guest presenter Veronica Millen. Veronica is Open Door Alumni and author of the book ‘Career Agility’.

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Veronica explains that career agility is based on the overarching agile management idea of ‘survival through flexibility’. We are sure that given the events of the past three years, that a lot of people would relate to this concept.

Veronica suggests, with the changing nature of the global workplace, it is increasingly important for you to be able to identify the skills you need. In addition, the jobs and career trends that are valued in the market place. Importantly, then to adapt accordingly. Since we spend one third of our life at work, as leaders and as coaches, this is a key area of focus. Furthermore, a key response to the hybrid workplace. In addition, it may be the answer to the ‘great resignation’ as we have discussed in past Coaching Cafes.

What is the career ‘sweet spot’?

The career ‘sweet spot’ is the intersect between skills, needs and interests. We can coach our team members or clients around each of these areas. And this is becoming increasingly important as the world of work changes and evolves. Veronica encourages an audit of skills, needs and interests. Furthermore, conversations about the intersect that include good questions like:

What it might the career sweet spot look like or feel like?
In addition, how to move closer to the intersect?
Furthermore, what would it mean to be working in your sweet spot?

How to balance the needs of the individual and the organisation?

The other idea that we can’t ignore, is aligning the needs of the individual and the organisation. In the hybrid environment we are noticing an imbalance in the needs. For example, the tension between employers wanting their staff on-site and staff preferring to work from home.

Recent research from McKinsey suggests employers want their people back in the office, the opposite is true for employees; employees want to work from home two or three days per week.

The mis-wanting effect

Veronica talks about mis-wanting. A term that means: that people actually think they want something, but they are out of alignment with what’s most important. Or as stated by the American Psychological Association, ‘they make mistakes about how much they will like something in the future’. For example, I want to eat cake, but what is most important is my healthy. Similarly employers want their people on site. However, what is most important is customer satisfaction. You can read the original interesting article here.

Importantly is where coaching conversations feature. In addition, the concepts of experimenting and seeking options so that all needs are met.

Talking about skills is also important. Particularly as the world of work changes, as hybrid becomes more prevalent, what new skills are needed? More specifically, we can ask:

What are the new ways of interacting?
How do we best communicate?
And of course, what does coaching look, sound and feel like?

We look forward to being a part of those coaching conversations.

Join us for the Coaching Café or listen via your favourite streaming service.

One of the best things about our Coaching Café is the ability to learn from each other. We are so privileged to work with the Open Door Alumni (made up of past and present students) and all of you who read this blog. We come together every Friday to explore. Furthermore, to stretch our coaching knowledge and skills. It’s only 30 minutes, but it is a highlight of our week. To discuss key topics with such a talented and insightful bunch of people.

And of course you can listen to the podcast on your favourite streaming service.

This year we are super excited to feature Open Door Alumni, who are both experts and authors. So please contact us if you would like to be featured on the Coaching Café.

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