ARE YOU A DRIVER IN THE FERRARI?

Are you a driver in the Ferrari or a passenger in a Toyota?

There is nothing wrong with either. Only if you know the role you are playing right now and aligns with what you want. Do you see yourself as the driver in a Ferrari? Great! But in reality, are you a passenger in a Toyota going along for the ride, hoping one day you will become the driver?

How you aspire to see yourself and how things are, can only be aligned when you take control. Conscious control. Every organisation I have been part of encourages people to own their growth. To drive their career forward, even to craft a role for themselves. It can be exhilarating or frightening. How you view this will determine whether you can and will take control of your career growth trajectory.

Now, these things are easier said than done. But they are doable. Realistically, practically, possible. Too often, people wait to clock in numbers of years, gain enough experience, sort things out in personal life, let imposter syndrome drive their decisions, to go after what they really want. But, if you don't drive your growth, no one else will.

So, how do you get in the front seat of the Ferrari?

1. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR GROWTH

Think about the people in your team, your peers and others around you. Who is getting promoted and why? What distinguishes them from others such that their career has an upwards trajectory?

The answer is they are driving their growth. They are actively thinking about what is next for them, how will they get it, when will they get it, who will support them in getting there, and how will they know they have achieved it. This requires thought, planning, action. And lots and lots of strategic thinking and effort to craft your career in a way that pleases you rather than let it happen to you.

This level of thinking for your career will translate into everything you will do in your day to day. It will show up in your work, how you choose what is important vs urgent, what is a priority and what you decide to put effort against. Instead of doing things that fall on your plate, you are making a conscious choice to create space for things that will propel you forward.

But, all this will only happen when you see yourself as the driver in the Ferrari, owning the responsibility for your growth, and letting it be known what that growth looks like to people who will play a role in growing you in your career.

2. ASK FOR OPPORTUNITIES

Have you had someone in your team raise their hand and say I would like to work on this or ask to get involved in something more than they are already doing? What did they communicate to you by doing this?

If someone comes to me and asks me for opportunities, to get involved in things, and to ask for more, it shows me they are willing, hungry, and invested. Because I know they are looking for opportunities and are unafraid to go that extra mile, I will keep them in mind when something comes up. However, if someone doesn't raise their hand, don't show they are interested in becoming more visible or growing their career, chances of them coming to mind even if they are best qualified to do so are less.

Hence, don't be shy to let people know you want more. Let them know what you would like to get involved in. Share your thoughts and, even better, come up with opportunities and present them to your manager that will take the team forward.

This kind of proactive thinking which helps you, the team and the company forward, will take you one step ahead in getting the right visibility, with the proper support, which will eventually lead to growth.

3. TAKE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN OFFERED

There will be times when your manager is looking for someone to own things. To drive them forward. Will you be that person who says yes? Whether it is leading a task or owning an area of execution, the right opportunities don't come along too often. But when they do, the person who takes those opportunities will become visible, even indispensable.

Many a time, people think, ah, I'm not doing that as it will add more to my plate. Or someone else can take that on, not me. If you are thinking this, I want you to ask yourself these questions before deciding not to raise your hand:

1. Will this opportunity give me the right visibility needed for growth?

2. Is this aligned with how I want to grow my career?

3. Although not important to me, is it important to someone who will help me move forward?

4. Will this benefit the manager/team/company, and I can offer support to be a team player?

I'm sure the word team player and collaboration are well overused in your workplace. But I can also tell you that they are extremely important, and that's why they are overused. An environment where people collaborate and trust each other and can depend on each other is an environment in which people want to belong, contribute, and grow their careers.

If your aim is to grow in the organisation you are currently working in, then as you get in the driving seat of your career, think about how you can take the team and the company forward and, in that process, be the leader in driving growth for yourself as well as everyone around you.

Do you have any challenges in implementing any of these strategies? Does anything come to mind which you would love to discuss more? Send a quick email, and let's have a chat!

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Categories: Growth, Leadership, Purpose