What’s next for you?

I’ve always liked this quote from Eckhart Tolle.

Not because I think leaving is always the answer. It isn’t.

But if you’ve been unhappy in your role for a long time, having the same conversations with yourself and others, and hoping something will somehow change, it may be worth asking yourself a different question - what am I going to do about it?

That might mean changing something about your current situation. It might mean accepting that, for now, this is where you need to be. Or it might mean starting to explore what else is out there.

There’s a lot of career movement at the moment, some chosen and some very much not. Either way, transitions can give us an opportunity to think more deliberately about what we want next.

You don’t necessarily need to have the answer yet - but perhaps it’s time to start asking the question.

Do you trust your gut?

It's a work in progress for me but increasingly I do trust my gut. I check how I physically feel when making an important decision. I consider how much energy a certain course of action generates.

Sometimes my body knows what my conscious mind is still coming to terms with.

I love this quote from Steve Jobs – such a formidable intellect and yet a believer in following your gut.

So often the solution is not in our head but in our heart.

Maybe I'm biased...but I don't think so

We're navigating the most amazing, alarming, extraordinary and overwhelming period of change. We're surrounded by tremendous uncertainty, huge potential and constant disruption.

We need to understand ourselves, support ourselves and support others too. Humans need humans.

That's why coaching - both receiving it and being able to offer it - is more important than ever.

Careers rarely unfold the way we imagine.

When we’re younger, we often picture a fairly tidy path. A plan. A series of steps that lead somewhere clear.

But when I look back at my own career, and at the careers of the people I coach, the reality is much messier. There were unexpected opportunities and sudden changes of direction. Times when I missed out on a promotion I thought I should get and other times I was positively triumphant. There were moments of doubt and moments of courage.

Very few meaningful careers are linear - they evolve.

What matters is not always knowing exactly where you’re going, but staying curious enough to keep moving forward.

And being willing to take opportunities when they appear, even if they weren’t part of the original plan.

Some of the best things in my career were things I never expected.

If you’re interested in coaching or workshops for yourself or your team, feel free to get in touch attess@nextcoaching.com.au

#professionalcoaching #careermanagement #futureofwork #leadershipdevelopment #findingyourwhy#careertransition #facilitation

The power of small steps

This is why coaches encourage small steps.

When something feels too big, we can resist. Not because we don’t care, but because it feels like too much.

“The bigger the fear, the smaller the step” is a common coaching wisdom.

Getting started with a doable action that moves us in the right direction is a great beginning - it builds confidence, momentum and courage.

How real should you be on LinkedIn?

I feel like LinkedIn is changing – I’m getting to know people in a more authentic way. I know some people hate this shift (because they’ve told me). And whilst I'm not a fan of the flood of ai generated content that's everywhere, I am loving the way people are sharing their “why” on LinkedIn.

This is a bit tricky of course if you see your LinkedIn profile as representing the company you work for, rather than you. I’ve had some interesting conversations about this in my coaching.

But to be frank, the chance is high that your current employer is just one of many organisations you will work for. I think you need to play a longer game and use your LinkedIn for your own brand - which should be strong, real, consistent and run through your entire career.

Of course I know that your posts can impact the organisation you work for – perhaps that’s why it is more important than ever to have real values and brand alignment between you and your organisation.

Should you be playing it safe?

Often when I ask a client, "What do you want in your future career?", the answer is some version of, "I want safe."

I get it.

You have commitments and responsibilities that can't be ignored. Maybe you've survived an organisation that felt like a war zone and you're craving some peace. Maybe you just don't like change. Most of us don't.

But here's the thing. If by "safe" you mean a secure role in an organisation where you can be confident you'll keep your job, I'm not sure that kind of safe exists anymore. We live in a world where the rules have changed.

The good news is that you can protect yourself. Just maybe not in the way you think.

Proactively manage your career. Nurture your relationships. Keep building your skills. Stay employable.

To me, that's what career security looks like today. And it's probably the closest thing to "safe" there is.

What do you think?

Confidence is an interesting thing.

Many people assume that confident people don’t have doubts but in my experience, that’s rarely true.

The leaders I work with are often thoughtful, reflective people. They question themselves. They worry about getting things right. They care deeply about the impact they’re having. To be honest, most people I coach have at least the occasional (and unwelcome) visit from 'imposter phenomenon'.

What I’ve noticed is that confidence doesn’t come from having no doubts. It comes from learning that you can still move forward even when you do.

You can still ask the question or have the conversation or take the opportunity. You can make the decision - not because you’re completely certain, but because you trust yourself enough to take the step - and to deal with the consequences (whatever they are).

Ultimately confidence isn’t the absence of doubt - it’s the willingness (and courage) to act anyway.