Have you ever thought about launching your own business or pictured yourself as your own boss? Well, if you think about it, you already are in charge of your own business - it's called your career.
It may seem like a bit of a stretch to think of your career as a business, but when it comes to career development, adopting an owner's mindset is really important. I remember a time as a young professional when I was weighing an important career decision and asked my father for advice. "You are Alison Quirk, Incorporated," he told me. "Make the decision that is best for your business, the business that is your career."
That advice resonates with me to this day. Just as business owners make decisions to propel company growth, you too should make choices that promote the growth of your personal business, the business that is your career. At the end of the day, how we think about our career shapes how we perform. So it's important to act like an owner.
With this as a foundation, here's some advice I've acquired along the journey of building the business that is my career:
1.Recognize and leverage your innate talents. Whether it's a career change, going deeper in your current position or taking on a new role at your company, a keen sense of your strengths and the ability to communicate them effectively will serve you well. Keep in mind that clearly articulating your unique skills requires more than reciting your resume. What matters most is conveying the value you bring to the table.
2.Acknowledge your shortcomings. Actively work on improving areas of weakness, and learn how you can best compensate for them. Recognizing that we all have room for development is a good step toward understanding how to align your skills with the requirements of your career ambitions.
3.Demonstrate that you deserve challenging opportunities by volunteering for new assignments. Asking to take on additional projects will show that you are interested and motivated to succeed. Do not, however, confuse ambition with entitlement. It's all about demonstrating accomplishments that prove you deserve fulfilling opportunities. Chances are they won't be handed to you on a silver platter.
4.Learn from successful business owners and entrepreneurs. Make it a point to understand how and why they succeeded. Savvy business owners invest in fully understanding and proactively addressing their customers' challenges. You can do the same by recognizing obstacles to your success and devising strategies to overcome them. When you adopt an owner's mindset, you foster an entrepreneurial work ethic and drive in your own pursuits.
5.Understand what you want to achieve in your next role. Start by evaluating your current position. What do you like and dislike? Why? We just talked about strengths and weaknesses, so what responsibilities that are potentially part of your next role have you already mastered, and which ones can you develop?
6.Master the art of networking. The ability to cultivate collaborative relationships is a key component of demonstrating your professional worth, so get to know people in other roles - both within and beyond your organization. You might find that the connections you make will prove valuable months or even years later, and in ways you can't imagine. If networking forces you out of your comfort zone, don't let intimidation get the best of you. Instead, think of it as asking intelligent questions and listening intently.
As entrepreneurs know, it's important to be an advocate for your business's success and growth. So start by developing an owner's mindset and see just how far you can take your career. After all, if you don't own your career, who will?