Be The Driver

My family and I enjoy taking vacations. One of our most memorable vacations for me took place in 2013 where we took a road trip from our home in Illinois out to the east coast of America. We spent over 10 days driving over 26 hours visiting three states. Some of our best memories come from these escapades. I was a solo driver for this trip as my wife while she can drive, she enjoys the role of the front seat passenger. Well in your career it's important that you be the driver for your career and in that role as driver I want to share with you these three important tips to help you achieve the best success:

1. Remember your purpose/Stay Alert
2. Understand the environment
3. Your passengers matter

Remember your purpose/Stay Alert

While we enjoyed our 26-hour driving experience as a family our purpose was to help inform the best college decision for our eldest son. This purpose outlined which school we would visit first, how long we would stay there, and then what school we would visit last before returning home.

The average length of a professional work career in Corporate America is at least 35 years assuming you started working at age 21. Given that length of time it's easy to allow years to just fly by without even recognizing what has occurred. It's like that commute home where you take the same route and sometimes you may not even recall a portion of your trip as you pull up to your home. They call that autopilot and if not careful your career can enter autopilot.

Now autopilot is not a bad thing if that is a choice you have made, but what I would tell you it's most likely the number one reason why people never achieve their dreams or goals. The easiest way to stay alert in your career is simply to set goals at least every year. Zig Ziglar once said "If you set your aim for nothing you will hit it every time." Driving without a desired destination is costly and has zero fun to me. Do not go through your career aimless but take steps to set goals for what you hope and desire to achieve as the years goal by. This simple practice makes being a driver that much more enjoyable.

Understand the Environment

As the driver it's super important to know the environment your trip will take place in. I live in Atlanta and if there is anything we are known for its TRAFFIC. It's very different driving here compared to other places in large part due to the manner in which we are terrible at designing highways (Personal Opinion), but more important is the way people drive here in Atlanta.

Your career is not different in that you must understand the environment in which you are driving your career in. In Corporate America the environment for any organization is set at the top by the CEO and expressed further thru the senior leadership team. Depending on where you are in your career the environment you will most experience is set by your immediate supervisor and your teammates. Understanding your environment means knowing what it takes to be a top performer and achieve whatever those career goals may entail. Important to know that environments can change as the factors that create them change. Moving to a new team may seem like a different company. Your supervisor changes and the dynamics of your work arrangements shifts. The tip as a driver for your career is not about controlling it but performing in it to the benefit of the company and your career goals. Usually, the highest performers on the team impact the environment.

Your Passengers Matter

A road trip alone is boring, but what makes my family trips great is my wife in the front seat and kids in the back. They help me stay alert and create a positive environment. Your career as a driver needs passengers. Your immediate supervisor is your front seat passenger. They are there to help be the navigator for the goals and objectives of your team to support the company and to guide your career. You cannot change the reality of the role your immediate supervisor has for your career. You can change how you allow them to impact your career just like you can in your car. For example, on these long road trips I set the rules for which cup holder I will use, and all radio stations are decided or vetted through me as the driver. The back seat passengers for your career are super important for they are the people you add into your car for the drive that can offer different viewpoints from gained experiences and or skills. As you look across all of your passengers in your car you want diversity as best you can to help you see danger ahead or provide guidance on the best route to take. In summary, your passengers help pull everything together for the ins and outs of your career as you gain new experiences and take different routes to your desired destination. 

Be the driver for your career and take it where you desire for it to go. May these three tips help you as you stay alert, understand your environment, and invite passengers to join you as you navigate the longevity of a successful career.