Information is Power: What Do You Know?

Do you have all the puzzle pieces and know how they fit?

Just for a moment, visualize your career as one huge jigsaw puzzle with many different pieces. One piece can be your department’s goals; a second your company’s challenges; a third your industry and how it’s doing; a fourth the economy in your city or region and so on.

As the pace of change accelerates, careers will be profoundly affected by what’s happening inside and outside your workplace. Do you know what’s going on? What puzzle pieces do you have; which are missing?

Information is power so be on constant alert.

For the company puzzle piece, look for signals everywhere, every day. Read your company’s blog, annual reports and other publications. Talk to people in other departments and business units. In fact, google your company regularly. Yes, this takes time and effort. However, you will come across information that can impact your career trajectory – either up or down.

Here’s an example. As I was getting my visitors badge in the reception area of a company where I was presenting a career management program, I noticed the monthly employee newsletter lying on a table. There on the front page was the president outlining the company’s five strategic initiatives for the coming year.

During the “What’s Happening in Your Company” part of the program, I asked the participants: “What are XYZ’s strategic initiatives for the coming year? How might these priorities affect them?”

In other words, what was the company trying to accomplish and how could their department, team, business unit or division be impacted? No one was able to answer questions even though the information was right under their noses.

Can you answer these questions about your company?

• What are your organization’s top strategic initiatives?
• How might these priorities affect me, my job, my department or my career goals?
• Are there any actions I should take right now to make sure I’m competitive and employable?

Career Success Tip.

If you can stay in tune with the changing workplace, then you will be better able to see both the danger and opportunity signs. Anticipate and prepare for change so that you won’t get sidetracked or derailed in your career.

Readers, what do you think? Is information power? How has information helped you in your career?

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?