By Debbie Depp
Many of us Baby Boomers are entering a new passage
of life marked by grand transformation. For those of
us transitioning from work as work, we have the potential
to reshape what the passage of retirement is - embrace
personal growth, give back, do something meaningful,
leap outside of our industry, or continue to be employed.
The challenge before us is how can we now harness our
skills and energy and find our life's true purpose and
passion?
Over a decade ago I transitioned from corporate executive
to single entrepreneur. Meetings validated my existence,
while my business card certified my identity. During
months of personal tension and emotional deliberations,
I maintained an upbeat air, while agonizing privately
over whether this was the right direction to pursue.
Grace under pressure was the facade I believed I had
to maintain. But doubt persisted nonetheless.
As Aristotle said, "An unexamined life is not
worth living." My experience might have been different
had I worked with an objective coach to help me examine
my life, bring new perspectives, challenge assumptions,
stimulate my thinking and synthesize issues for prioritized
action. Ten years later I see the executives I coach
in the same situation. They're brilliant and successful.
They've read the information on what to do. The big
disconnect is on how to do it. Here's where your personal
coach can make all the difference.
Many executives report that coaching helps renew their
energy, enthusiasm and determination. It also helps
them review their options for handling difficult issues.
One F500 executive admitted that he was limited by his
belief that he had to think through every problem himself
and have all the answers. In another case a CEO in transition
worked with a coach to help him gain fresh insights
and points of view. "I was attracted to someone
who'd been through this before," he says. "Because
of my coach's previous top management experience, I
felt secure that he could effectively help me take a
whole new look at things."
Sometimes the demands of transitioning are overwhelming.
As one high tech executive said about her coach, "The
advice my coach gave me changed my life. During a period
in my life when my career was in transition and I was
losing hope - it was the worst phase of my life. Coaching
gave me the focus, confidence and direction that I needed
to get what I wanted. Among our discussions there were
three guidelines, which showed me the path to success:
- Believe in yourself and show confidence. Your confidence
is key both to your own efforts and to selling yourself
to other people.
- Be prepared. Practice your answers to anticipated
interview questions in a mirror, so you get your story
straight. The first "sale" is always to
yourself!
- Relentlessly refine your resume. Visualize the job
you want and structure your resume and answers toward
the desired result. Continually look for opportunities
to demonstrate skills that are required for your desired
goal.
The way to true happiness in life is to love what you're
doing, not how well other people say you're doing it.
It's an important distinction. Your transition is an
opportunity to find out who you are and make your work
more than just a paycheck. As that old Three Dog Night
song so aptly noted…"One is the loneliest number…" But
it really doesn't have to be.
|
