Career Coaching: "A Player"--Are You Wasting Your "Talent"?

By Ron McNutt | Career Coaching, Brian Tracy, Executive Coaching

Wasting Your Talent on Someday Isle?--RMi Executive Search

Today, let's talk about the other side of the coin with regards to last week's post for CEOs and companies.

"A Players"--Are you wasting your "talent"?

It shouldn't be hard to gather, after reading a few of my posts, that I am a proponent of personal responsibility and pay for performance. I do not believe that just because you maintained employment at your current company for another year you deserve a raise. You deserve a raise if you increased your value to your present employer (i.e. you cut costs, increased revenues, became more efficient, learned a new skill, took on a new role, etc.).

Many years ago I read a saying that went something like this: As a person of integrity, when disappointed by the treatment of your present employer, you have but two choices...either you continue to give 100% or you go find another job. I'll admit, that in my former life as an employee, there were times when I did not give 100% to an employer, but ultimately, either I did my job as expected or I found another opportunity. It saddens and disappoints me when I hear people complain about their job and yet do nothing about it out of fear. Yes, I realize that you have responsibilities, but you also have a responsibility to yourself to "be all that you can be!"

So, what do you do if you find yourself "wasting your talent"? Here are 3 steps we often suggest in career coaching:

First, decide exactly what you want to be, do and have. I once read an interesting article that pointed out the difference in childhood questions and adult ones. It related that as children, we were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up and as adults we are asked what we do. Go back to your childhood (metaphorically speaking that is) and decide what you want to be when you grow up.
Then, decide what you will have to do to get there. (e.g. Work overtime, ask to lead a new project, take a course, finish your degree, update your resume, talk to an expert, begin aggressively pursuing a new job, etc.)
And finally, motivate yourself by what you will gain as a result of being and doing...more time with family and friends, health, happiness, wealth, etc.

Time is passing! You can either choose to make a better future for yourself or turn around 5 years from now and still be at the same dead-end job (or position) complaining about your lack of respect and pay. Brian Tracy sums it up in his 2011 book, No Excuses:

Brian Tracy "No Excuses" Excerpt 2011