Everyone experiences it. Career ups and downs, one day everything is going to plan the next oh, my god what just happened then. Rhythm is not something you need to be born with, just like my two left feet you can gain rhythm over time.
Welcome to our career blog today, I hope it inspires you to put rhythm into your everyday life and you start to see yourself more as a conductor of your choices rather than the person sitting in the crowd listening to the music.
The greatest
Arturo Toscanini
As a coach working with successful leaders and professionals there are many things I observe from the side lines, from individuals brimming with confidence, self belief, hunger and drive to those who doubt themselves, question every turn and fell they are not able to make a formed decision.
There has never been and I hope never will be a ‘one-size’ fits all approach to our careers but I sincerely hope we can all be our own ‘conductors’.
Over the last few years I continue to see wonderful aspects from leaders and professionals who hire me to be their coach. An area that is showing up more and more from these leaders and professionals is the desire to add better facets to their tool belt. I would love to be able to summarise this but I am finding it hard to do so……….’one-size’ does not fit all.
Some recently examples of the specific focus my clients have wanted to work on include;
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developing confidence as a leader
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articulating clearer
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delegating smarter
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listening more
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controlling what you can control and not just saying ‘yes’ too everything
These are all areas that each of us face in our everyday lives and by getting to grips with what and how these can work for you the ‘Rhythm’ continues to flow for you.
Successful talented people that I have observed and worked with do not settle on the skills that have got them to where they are today. Each day they are constantly looking at ways to improve. Our career ‘life’ evolves doesn’t it. If you looked back to your early years would you have ever imagined for one second that you would be doing what you Are doing today?
Some individuals may well be absolutely 100% focused on their career path for a very young age and that is absolutely brilliant. Others may not be so clear, but they have the determination to constantly evolve, grow and move with the times.
They say people mature with age, sure I bye that, knowing full well that it takes hours and hours and hours of effort to progress your career. Some call it luck and again I agree but please don’t underestimate good old ‘fashion hard work’. So as my title of todays blog says, what do we mean when we talk about Rhythm and why do I encourage each and everyone of us to be our own conductor?
With some of my clients we put in place a ‘board of directors’ trusted individuals that have your best interests at heart. Those who may be able to share a thought, an idea to a question you have. Your ‘board of directors’ that you find and put in place are also individuals that will not just agree with you, they will look to respectfully challenge you at the right time. It is such an important part of our modern day world that we continue to involve others no matter your level. I wrote a blog recently on finding mentors and it was not only interesting to hear from people on this topic but also how many people hadn’t actually considered finding a mentor. Don’t waste any more time – if you don’t have a small ‘board of directors’ around you than how might this help you (and them)?
A thought if I may,
Have you ever witness first hand an orchestra playing? If you have, What do you notice, what do you hear, what do you see. What are some of the actions at play? Who of you have ever noticed that man/women swaying in time with the music, nodding profusely, encouraging the brass to blast their notes from the roof tops or to bring in the strings with a smile a nod, just a subtle movement and the whole orchestra comes together to produce a musical extravaganza.
That my friend is you, you are the ‘conductor’, you are conducting your career. You may well chose to pull in one direction or push in another but ultimately you hold the ‘baton’ and I urge you to bring not only Rhythm to your career but, passion, commitment and enjoyment.
Who of us feels that we are not actually the ‘conductor’ but rather being told what and when to do things? Who of us feels that life is just getting ahead and one day rolls into the next into the next and before we know it we have ended another year, similar to the last.
Well, it doesn’t need to be that way, as I mentioned earlier it takes time to mature, to improve and to progress. It also takes a great deal of patience and in this modern world of fast – fast – fastest, the successful individuals of the future may well be fast but they will regularly stop, pause and check that they are heading in the right direction and have all the instruments around them finely tuned!
Just like arguably the greatest conductor Arturo Toscanini who can sense when the orchestra has gone a little flat, he brings encouragement to the wider group that brings everything back in focus. You to can conduct your career!
I deeply believe that each and every one of us have Rhythm all though not all of us demonstrate that on the dance floor!! Each and every one of us can be the conductor of our careers. Sure sometimes you may miss a beat or make the wrong call but that is absolute fine, as long as we can look in the mirror and be appreciative of all we do then this to me is truly the very essence of Rhythm.
If you are looking to build ‘Rhythm’ into your career and would like to discuss more about your leadership or professional career then get in touch.
Look after yourself and each other,
Nick MCEC | MBTI Certified
Master Certified Executive Coach
Roud Career Coaching