CARE Is a Crucial Tool
I like models, the kind that are simple, easily understandable, and make total sense. We talk about SMART goals. In clarifying roles, I advocate for RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). A guest speaker at the Carolinas AGC Construction Business Academy laid one out in such beauty, simplicity, and eloquence that I must share it. In construction, we talk about tools. The physical tools we need to complete projects. We have Toolbox Talks. In a professional development perspective, we talk about adding to our personal toolbelts. The speaker advocated the addition of CARE to our toolbox. Here is a way to consider how CARE can be a valuable career-building tool.
C-Continue. What do you want to continue doing because you have found success? What are those activities, traits, or attitudes that move you closer toward your goals and that have an objectively positive impact through data and analysis. My work as a coach often centers on helping clients identify those goals AND the objective measures to track progress. I am a proponent of the 80/20 approach. Find the activities that disproportionately drive you to success and ensure you keep doing them consistently and efficiently.
A-Add. What's missing? For some clients this is about job satisfaction. It can focus on career progression or opportunities for advancement. For others it can be about the team or responsibilities. Identifying what you need to add to the mix builds on the foundation of setting goals, understanding your current situation, and developing the various approaches to bridge the gap. The approaches to get you to the goal (at least the selected approach) are letting you know what is going to be added. Take a bigger picture assessment of your career and life to truly understand what engages you.
R-Reposition. Taking the same approach to similar challenges does not mean we will find additional success. Our industry and personal circumstances are constantly changing. Who we were and what we wanted and needed when we began our careers may be radically different than at present. Repositioning for career growth is often about mindset. Accepting that your wants and needs are valid and that you can, should, and need to self-advocate. Sometimes, a lateral move can reposition you for accelerated growth. Think career web vs. a career ladder.
E-Eliminate. This might just be the most difficult. This can be about delegation. It is often needed because we take on tasks that are not our responsibility. Dedicated professionals frequently jump in to help others to their own detriment. It can require some tricky conversations with a supervisor, colleague, or team member. Remember, if you don’t manage your career and workload nobody else will. Exhausted and overwhelmed are not conducive to satisfaction.
If this tool is one that you feel can be beneficial to you or those you work with, I’d love to hear how I can help you through the process. See you all in Houston!
Michael Riegel
MRiegel@AECBusinessStrategies.com https://michaelriegel.substack.com/
516-238-0859