“When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment, or the moment defines you.” -
Kevin Costner
A step in the door at work…just another typical day ahead you think. . . then everything changes…
You have been summoned. So, there you are…sitting in your boss’ office (the president of the firm), waiting for him to call you into his office. He has sent someone to get you. Although you know you did “nothing wrong,” it still feels like you are being called to the principal’s office.
You have been working hard for the company for a few years; learning new skills and creating a new role from when you were first hired. It is a small firm and feels like a family. Naturally, there are some ups, some downs that come with the territory. But you enjoy your work and are respected by your colleagues for what you contribute…
So why do you feel uneasy?
Then, he calls you inside and says,
“Well, … it has been quite a journey the past few months in this economy, but we are finding new resources, new clients and making headway despite it all.”
(You breathe a sigh of relief.)
“Still, there is something I would like to share with you about the road ahead.”
(Your eyes widen and you are listening so intently that you can feel the words as they are spoken.)
“I have been offered an opportunity I cannot refuse. It will greatly improve my work-life balance and give me more freedoms than I have now as a business owner…the position is at another firm.”
(He takes a breath and you realize you are holding yours until he speaks again.)
“I have decided to close down my firm for a while so I can pursue this new venture and fully engage into this new role. Officially, the business will close on June 1.”
(In your mind, you quickly do the math – 3 months.)
(Whoa!!! You breathe.)
So there you have it. Three months and you will be out of a job…
This is a Life-Quake.
A “lifequake” has just shook you to your core. What do you do now?
Well, you have a time limit and a choice. Focus on what you need. Feel free to take a moment to grieve this loss.
Then, choose. Will you wait and hope for a miracle or show your leadership?
If you plan to lead, get geared up to move like a river around a rock and take actions to ensure your future success. AWESOME opportunities await!
Time for real strategic planning.
You do not have to only develop your expertise while at a company. You have heard of Strategic Planning for business purposes. So now it’s time to create a strategic plan of your own.
How to make a strategic plan:
Do you have a plan in mind?
Do your own SWOT analysis: Review your political, social, economic and technical skills. – What needs do you have? – Does anything need revamping or further development? – Do you need more education or training to attain a job you would like to have in the future?
Work smarter, not harder
Get a piece of paper and write this down as a header: “My Strategic Direction” and make a list or a chart.
Determine what goals you should achieve, and the strategies you must employ to achieve the accomplishments.
Then, Network, Network, Network!
Learn to ask for help if you haven’t done it before. You might be surprised at who assists you in your search!
Use online social media to help you attain mentor, knowledge of free/low cost resources in your area/field of interest and build community knowledge strength.
Action Planning – Specify your objectives with each strategic goal. – Give examples of the tactics you may use to reach each objective – Specify your responsibilities and timelines with each objective and monitor your progress so as not to fall too far behind – remember you have a deadline.
Remember to account for your budget and specify the money needed for the resources that are necessary to implement your plan.
Lay your plan out on a week-to-week basis if needed.
Time to Begin Moving Forward!
"You have to come to your closed doors before you get to your open doors… What if you knew you had to go through 32 closed doors before you got to your open door? Well, then you’d come to closed door number eight and you’d think, ‘Great, I got another one out of the way’… Keep moving forward.” ~ Joel Osteen
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