Play to Your Strengths

To get promoted in the past, all you had to do was show up, be loyaland perform your job well. But today this isn't so. We're in the middle of anenormous cultural shift. And it behooves you to understand this shift becauseit impacts your career. The type of change we're experiencing has occurred onlyfive times in the history of civilization. The rules have change. Everyone muststep up and bring a whole new set of attitudes and behaviors to work.

Evolving Success Formula

Let's take a brief tour through history and see how the formula forsuccess has changed from one era to another.

1. In the hunter-gathers era the members of a tribe had to move aroundand find food. Successfully hunter gathers were mobile and strong - otherwisethey'd starve. Anyone who couldn't walk was left behind. The keys to survivalwere strength and mobility.

2. In the agriculture era, the farmer's success depended on stayingput and growing food. Successful farmersfound a good plot of land, patiently planted seeds and harvested them. In the agricultural age, the formula forsuccess changed from ‘strength and mobility' to ‘reliable and stability.'

3. Then we discovered village life. It was easier to buy and sellproducts to each other than do everything our selves. One person made candles,another made shoes. The key to success was your reputation in the community forhigh quality good and services. Thus the formula for success changed from‘reliable and stable' to ‘quality and reputation.'

4. Then the industrial revolution hit and workers moved into factoriesand started working on the assembly line. The success of the assembly line wasdependent on obedient workers who did what they were told. So again there's a transition. Individualswho formerly prided themselves on quality not had to conform to other'sstandards. The formula for success transitioned from ‘quality and reputation'to "Be loyal and do what you're told."

5. Now we've entered the information/technology age. White-collaremployees have replaced factory workers. Organizations now want creative,self-starters rather than obedient paper pushers. To get things done we musttake initiative, work collaboratively and contribute value. Loyalty and complianceare no longer the ticket to your next job.

Yet not everyone is on board with these changes. There are stillmanager and employees who are operating under the old roles. Any one whothinks, "I've been loyal the corporation.Why aren't I being promoted?" hasn't recognized the changes underway. Fartoo many employees are still waiting for some one else to take charge.

In his writings, leadership guru Peter Drucker predicted, "Wewill become a nation of experts, consultants, and entrepreneurs working on ajob by job basis according to our special talents." In his book on talents, Tom Peters tells us,"The businesses of the future will become connoisseurs of talent. Tosucceed, you must be Distinct - or you will become Extinct!"

The new formula for success is talent based. To succeed we must knowour talents and find ways to contribute them. And there are huge benefits fordoing so.

Remnants of the past are still around. But the old system isn't arewarding way to work. According to a survey conducted by the Center forTechnical Assessment in Washington,DC, a whopping 80% of employeessay their jobs are meaningless. Andincidentally, did you know that the greatest number of heart attacks occuron Monday morning - just about the time we're heading off to work.

Leading-edge companies are spending lots of time recruiting talentedemployees and working hard to keep them. These companies recognize that thebest retention policy is meaningful work and the opportunity to grow.

Are you equipped to step into the future? How well do you know yourtalents? Are you confident of your viability into today's marketplace?

Discover Your Talents

Your talents are what you alreadydo well. They are the skills you use everyday - at home and at work. Yourtalents are easy and effortless. They are your innate abilities. They have beenwith you since you were born. Take a minute and think of something you love todo. When you use your talents, this is the kind of energy you bring to work.

The key to success is discovering your talents and building a careeraround them. When you do so, work is more rewarding. Others recognize yourabilities and appreciate the value you bring. Here are five questions to helpyou discover your talents:

1. When you have free time, what doyou choose to do? Think about what you enjoy doing at home and at work. What doyou volunteer to do even when no one asks you? These are your talents.

2. What do others tell you that you do well? Do they say you are veryencouraging, organized, persuasive, or creative? When you work on a team, do others make comments like, "That isso easy for you. I wish I had your skill." Notice these compliments. Theyare pointing directly to your talents.

3. When do others become frustrated with you? If you are a great planner -- is it hard for you to be spontaneous?If you're analytical -- do others sometimes tell you're rigid? If you'recreative, do you start new projects before cleaning up loose ends? Your best talent is also the one youuse to a fault. Listen to those complaints, then flip them upside down anddiscover your talents.

For those of you are unsure of your talents, I encourage you toexplore the questions above. And for those of you who already know your talents- start sharing the value you can bring. Knowing your talents and contributingthem are the keys to success. Like a badge of honor, you must wear your talentson your sleeve and let others know what you bring to the party.

Topics

• Managing Talents and Career