Stagnant

Recently I got feedback during my workshop called “Advancing Women in Business”.  The biggest fears/challenges were: being stagnant, not moving up, not learning new things, not knowing where I want to go or what I want to do, and not being given the opportunity to advance.

It’s easy to fall into these thoughts, especially when you’ve worked for the same employer for a long time.  Here are some tips that might help if you’re saying any of those phrases.

Tip 1:  Being stagnant – The good news is it is up to you – no one else has control of this.  The bad news is – it takes a lot of work on your part.  Keeping things fresh requires you to stay engaged and interested.  Take a training class, pick up an interesting business book, get involved in an industry group, attend networking events or volunteer for a committee or a project.  You have to stay actively engaged to keep from becoming stagnant.

Tip 2:  Not moving up – talk to your supervisor and work out a plan for your next step in your career.  No one can do this for you.  Showing your interest in developing yourself and your skills makes you a better employee.

Tip 3:  Not learning new things – Not to sound like a broken record, it’s up to you to peak your interest.  Take a night class, volunteer, get involved in your community – any type of learning can bolster your skills in all areas of your life.

Tip 4:  Not knowing what you want – if you don’t know, how can anyone else know.  Talk to others who are in positions you might find interesting.  Interview them, people love to talk about themselves.  Not only will you be building relationships, you will be exposed to paths you might not otherwise know exist.  There is no one “right” path – there are several.

Tip 5:  Not being given the opportunity to advance – no one is “given” anything in their career or work life.  Work is active, so is managing a career.  Look for opportunities within your organization.  Find out what it would take to be ready for your next step.  Make a plan to get the proper training and experience so you’ll be ready.  If you’re “stuck” in your current organization and there is nowhere to go, maybe it’s time to look outside.  I had a client create her dream job with her current employer – she did the leg work, research and cost benefit analysis on how her organization could prosper – she got  the job!

Motivation for your career advancement and next steps has to come from you.  Do what it takes to spark your new interest.  Recreate the feeling you had when you first started out.  It isn’t always easy, it does take a lot of work and I guarantee it will be worth the effort.

What have you done to keep your enthusiasm alive?  What have you done to further your career?  Leave you comments below so we can all be inspired!

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