Ina Teves, Organizational Development Consultant

Ina Teves is an organizational development consultant with a change management firm dedicated to making a difference wherever it goes by journeying with the client through the entire process of organizational transformation. Email your questions to ina.b.teves@gmail.com.

Endings and Beginnings 

Dear Readers, 

Many of you have written about how to shift careers or how to make better career moves or how to get unstuck.  And these are a few of our thoughts as we welcome the new year 2010.

The past year was an interesting year, and we could look at it in two ways.  We could see it as a year buffeted by economic, biological, and political – not to mention personal – storms. Or, we could choose to see it as a year of growth.

In the first quarter, we were greeted by news of the global recession, and we were all worried about whether we would still have work by the end of the year, as once mighty multinational corporations were laid to waste by this economic tsunami.  Yet, we learned many lessons from this experience.  We learned to ask questions about the financial world's intricacies and we sought to find ways to implement better regulation and accountability.  We also learned that, truly, we are not alone in the world.  What one country does affect entire economies across timelines.  It affects us, not in impersonal GDP and GNP terms, but in the most personal way – Will I still have a job? What will I feed my family? How do I let go of my staff? How will I make do with the remaining staff?  We learned the meaning of interconnectedness.

Towards the end of the second quarter, we all panicked about AH1N1. Schools alternately suspended and resumed classes with each reported case of the flu.  Again, we learned many things from this.  We eventually learned not to panic.  We realized we could not suspend school indefinitely. Instead, we learned to be responsible for our health so that others may not get sick.  If we were sick, we voluntarily stayed home. We washed our hands (and caused a momentary shortage of hand sanitizers). We learned the value of being responsible.

In the third quarter, we mourned the passing of a political icon.  We worried about what would become of us, but at the same time, we learned about what was important to us and what we wanted to stand for and what kind of work needed to be done.

Near the end of the third quarter, we were humbled by the one-two punches of Typhoons Ondoy (International code name: Ketsana) and Pepeng (International code name: Parma). Manila and Northern and Central Luzon experienced heavy damage. Despite this, we learned something inspiring from this – that we can help ourselves.  That we could organize ourselves within the first 36 hours of the flood. That private citizens were not indifferent. That we do not forget. Today, as Christmas approaches, many companies and schools have given up the traditional Christmas party in favor of donating to those who are still struggling to rebuild.

It is the same in our personal and professional life. This year might have been the year when you felt there was too much movement at work – too many meetings or too much reorganization.  Or it could be the year where you felt no movement at all – same old routine, day-in, day-out. Same salary.  Same officemates. Same boss. Yet, for all the movement or non-movement, it could be the year where you are being invited to grow – or, perhaps already are growing. 

How do we know how far forward have we moved or how much more work needs to be done?  We conduct our own performance appraisals.  No need to wait for HR to tell you where you are. You could do it yourself:

1. Revisit your 2009 New Years Resolution, if any.

1. What did you set out to do last January?
2. What steps have you taken to move towards the goal? What helped you take those steps? What results did you get?
3. What hindered you from moving towards your goal? What did you do to remove those hindrances?
4. Looking at Numbers 2 and 3, what could you have done better? What could you do TODAY to move forward? 

2. Prepare your 2010 resume. Just because you did not get promoted, does not mean you did not learn any new skill (or perhaps, you did not get promoted because you did not learn new skills?).  What do you need to add to your resume:

1. Continuing education – Write down all seminars and courses that you took this year, even those not connected to your job.
2. Projects handled and joined – List all the projects at work that you lead or participated in. Describe the project, your contribution to the project, and the impact of the project on your department or company.
3. Rewards and recognition – Were you recognized for anything at work?
4. Extra-curricular activities – We all have things that we love to do on the side.  Some of us call it racket. Some of us call it avocation. Write that down too.  What did you do this year that made use of other talents not used at work?
1. Did you join an art competition, edit a book, gave a talk? Organize events like a bazaar or a concert? Did you operate a small business like gift-wrapping, making Christmas baskets, baking cakes?
2. Did you do anything for your school, church, community, or country? In what ways did you contribute?
3. What recognition did you receive from any of these?
4. What new skills did you learn from these?
   
   Does it sound like tooting your own horn? What's wrong with that? You just want to let yourself know that you were more than just a fixture in a cubicle among a hundred office cubicles. Of course, if you served as little more than a doorstop at the office then you will also have realized that after making this list.

3. Create your own career development plan for the year. Your manager probably has one for you, but why not plan out your own life?  Here are sample contents of a career development plan:

1. Career goal. If you had to spend eight hours a day everyday at a particular job, would that be your job?  If not, what would that be? Cut down your career goal into monthly goals for the year.
2. List down the knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) you need this year to achieve your goal. You have already listed the skills that you have. What new skills do you need to learn? What seminars or professional involvements can you join that would add to your knowledge and experience? Visit the websites of job search organizations, universities, professional organizations for the latest course offerings. Set aside a budget for that.
3. Set benchmarks. Beside each knowledge, skills, or attitude, answer the question: how will I know that I have achieved this? What proof do I have or need?
4. Get feedback. Show it to your family, friends, and colleagues then get their feedback.  They might be able to add something useful.
5. Evaluate your own performance.  What helped or hindered your performance? What helped or hindered the success of a project? What could you do to make it better? 

Is it a lot of paper work? Of course it is, but it's your life you’re planning. If you don't take charge of it, somebody else will for you.  Instead of living life by default, live it by choice. Configure your own personal preferences for 2010 and see how much farther that would take you.

May this new year, be truly new!