Blame it on systems theory.
Organizations and careers come to be thought of as living, breathing entities. When they stop functioning well, they are said to be "stuck." Consultants parachute in to get them unstuck.
Most applied systems theory.
Not enough told those paying the consulting bill that is the human beings who operate those organizations or put together careers who are the sources of the stuckness.
Sure there are external factors. The economy. New technologies making what-is obsolete. Shifting consumer tastes. Age bias. Personal problems.
But why some organizations and careers derail and some don't amid those conditions is usually because of this: One or more human beings got stuck. The most brilliant marketing communications won't cut it, not for long. Stuck has a way to keep stuck. What's needed is to get unstuck.
When that is impossible, then an unstuck pro has to come in.
That's why, in the early 1990s, IBM has to cut loose chief executive officer John Akers. A first that conservative corporation. It brought in the outsider with no preconceptions. That was Lou Gerstner Jr.
Before that, nearly bankrupt Chrysler brought in Lee Iacocca. He had nothing to lose after being fired from Ford. So, he wasn't dragging in "oughts" like dog turds on his shoe.
And, I have a hunch after he also got the boot from Apple Steve Jobs got himself untangled from what was holding him back.
If your organization is sputtering or your career is stalled, including in joblessness, that's about you.
The good news is that, since all the answers are inside you, you can get yourself unstuck.
That is, if you can embrace that you are off the game.
How can you assess that?
Ask yourself 4 questions?
- Are the stories you're telling yourself about your professional performance full of blame or praise? Both are red flags. You shouldn't be engrossed in so much self-talk.
- Are the stories you're telling others falling short of any authentic connecting? That means you're not exchanging the information and insights you need for your organization and career. There's a reason for that.
- Do you regret your setbacks? Shame on you. They are your teachers.
- Are you asking others for "permission" to do this or that? Obviously, you've lost your confidence.
Unfortunately, most of those for whom I've done communications assignments couldn't manage to unglue themselves from hardened mindsets and behavior patterns.
However, what they noticed was that the intuitive observations I made about them, not the organization or careers, was what got things moving again. That's because they got moving again.
They requested more intuitive career readings and less communications strategy.
That's how IntuitiveCareerReadings had been born during The Great Recession. The New York State Bar Association invited me to lecture displaced lawyers. Odwyerpr.com published my articles. My target market back then was the over-50.
Then there was a recovery. And more of a margin for error.
IntuitiveCareerReadings became a side dish on the menu of services.
Now, it's the main dish. And it seems like the only dish. Demand has surged with the wildness of 2020. All generations are asking for me to take a peek to check out if they are stuck. However, the over-50 are experiencing more of a challenge landing, holding, and moving on to better work than in The Great Recession.
For a complimentary 3-minutes, please make an appointment at intuitivereadings123@gmail.com. You might not need any more than those 3 minutes to start the unstuck.
All the answers are within you.
From now on, this blog is getting unstuck from its traditional content. I am transforming it into a platform for helping professionals help themselves in their jobs, entrepreneurship and career paths.
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