What Are You Waiting For?
At some point in their careers, many talented professionals start wondering if they are making the right decision to stay where they are based on the hope of things getting better for them at work. One client, feeling frustrated with where they were on their company’s track for promotion, said to me: “I keep doing all the right things but I guess I just need to be patient.” Or as another client put it more grimly: “Good things come to those who wait. So, I just keep waiting.” Of course, waiting isn’t always a bad move but, in some cases, it can harm your professional progress. Here are a few instances in which you may want to reconsider whether the best decision is waiting for things to change without taking any action.
You have no timeline
Maybe the promise of a promotion has gone unfulfilled or you’ve been told only that you will be considered “soon” for leading a bigger division at your company. The lack of clarity around the wait to get a raise, a new assignment or the resources you need can be maddening. This is particularly true if you’ve been told repeatedly that “you’re on track to get there,” that you’ve done everything you can and should be doing to reach that goal, and that you just need to bide your time.
If you’re experiencing this, consider how you can press the question in a professional way. If you haven’t asked not just if but when you’ll get to that goal, think about whether you need to do that. Consider then how to find the right opportunity and have a good basis to ask for specifics about timing, e.g., “When will a decision be made about whether I’ll lead the team in London? I want to make sure I’ll have enough time to help ensure my existing projects are transitioned smoothly.” Follow up in a few weeks if you are told the action will be taken then so that you can assess what your next steps may be.
Other people are making choices for you
Our work lives are full of choices – for example, what kind of work we choose to do, how we grow our expertise in that area, and what opportunities we seek out. But if you don’t actively focus on what you want to do professionally, someone else may decide that for you. For example, a mid-level associate at a large law firm could take whatever assignments come their way rather than reaching out to seek different work and gain experience in the areas that really interest them. Or a junior analyst at a technology company might consistently accept being tasked on projects where the team lead decides who handles which work streams, and always delegates the more high-level work to other people.
Both of these professionals may be unconsciously passive in their approach to their work, letting others shape the nature and growth potential of their professional lives. They may assume that by working and completing the projects that they are assigned that they are doing a good job and are team players. But over time they may be seen as lacking in comprehensive work experience, being less strategic, and having fewer options in their organizations. And if looking outside that organization for another job, they may be seen as candidates with more limited and narrower sets of skills. By waiting and letting someone else determine what their professional path is, they may have lost the ability to define it themselves
You’re treading water
The nature of the work you are doing hasn’t changed, and you don’t feel like you are being challenged professionally. You’re doing good work, but you’re not getting any new opportunities. You’re bored and you aren’t growing in your role. And most of all, you feel like you’re standing still, watching those around you doing the work that you want to do or getting the promotion that you would like to have. Like when you stop swimming and tread water, you’re keeping afloat but you aren’t moving in any direction.
If you find yourself doing this, ask what you might do differently to start moving again. Do you seek to develop additional skills and market those skills as evidence that you can handle and should be given new responsibilities? Are there other ways to engage differently in your current role and add more value and interest to the work you’re doing? Or would it be helpful to explore other jobs or positions that could be a better fit for you and your goals? Asking yourself questions like this can assist in evaluating what changes you would like to make to your professional life, and developing a strategy for how to get there.
If you are interested in making a change in your professional life, coaching can help facilitate that work. Please reach out to me if you would like more information about how might I support you in where you want to do and in addressing any hurdles or challenges.