Professional Life - Cycle: Different Phases of Your Professional Life...

Introduction

Broadly speaking, our life can be divided into two parts:

1) Personal, Private or Family Life and
2) Career or Professional Life

Each of the above two can be further divided into different stages. The various stages of Private Life are: Infant, Child, Adolescent, and Adult (Husband / Wife), Parents, Feeder / Earner / Developer and Counselor / Guide / Mentor. Similarly, in a professional life, the different stages that we can have are: Trainee (Learner); 1st Level Executer; 1st Level Administrator / Organizer (Team Leader); Manager; Strategist; Chief Executor (CEO); Chief Administrator (CAO or COO); Corporate / Industry/ Business Leader; Coach; Mentor. In both the situations, it is very difficult to move from one stage (or role) to another; one needs to be mentally, emotionally and psychologically prepared for it. It is only due to the insecurity of an individual, his or her inefficiency to move to another role that we usually see people in the role of Patriarch and BOSS.
For the purpose of this article, we will be concentrating only on the different stages of Professional Life.

Different Stages of Your Professional Life

1) Trainee (Learner): This is the beginning of your career. Usually it comprises 2-3 years. During this phase, the individual learns about the expectations of his profession and expected corporate behavior. You learn about the practical aspects and implementation processes of the theory that you have learned in your graduation, post-graduations and during your management studies. This phase also gives you an opportunity to select the “Domain” within your profession that you want to “specialize in”/ Grow/ and become expert in.

2) 1st Level Executer: To some extant this phase might overlap with your previous phase. In this phase, you get inputs from different sections and you are asked to implement that process and then follow-up. It is like this, your reporting manager or your department head has initiated some policy or process and it is your responsibility to make sure that the policy and process is followed by everyone. You need to follow-up with the people on the floor or at the bottom end. You are also expected to “teach the employees” and make them aware about the processes and procedures, its purpose, impact, regards and punishment. During this phase you need to work very closely with your Reporting Manager and take his inputs and at the same time need to make your own identity. You need to take your decisions through your Reporting Manager. Here, you are process owner. Based on your efficiency, willingness to learn and grow, this phase might last for 2-3 years.

3) 1st Level Administrator / Organizer (Team Leader): Now, that you know the practical aspects of your profession, you have selected a domain with in your selected profession that you like to master and specialize in; you know the nitty-gritty of your domain…now its time to take bigger responsibilities and accountabilities; now, its time to take responsibility of a small team, small but solo and independent assignments and projects. In this phase you get accustomed to resource management. You get to know as how to run the show on your own.

4) Manager: In this phase, the area and scope of your work increases. You become accountable of 2-3 different but bigger projects / assignments. You are expected to manage following things: People Management (and Development); Infrastructure / Resource Management; Cash Management; Revenue and Profitability Management; and Statutory Compliance. Usually, a person stays in this role for 7-10 years.

5) Strategist: Now, you have lots of experience, knowledge and expertise. At this stage, you need to be a great planner, goal setter, creative, developer and innovative. Its time for you to align your domain with the core business. You need to smoothen the functioning of your domain. In this role, you work as a catalyst and as a facilitator. This is not a field job. Most of the time, people around you might not be able to understand, as what you are doing. This role expects a lot of mental strength, expertise of domain and understanding of the functioning of different industries.

6) Chief Executor (CEO): Just like the way we discussed the role of 1st Level Executor (who is a process owner); the role of Chief Executor is to execute the policies, process, strategies formulated and approved by the “Board of Directors”. He is the person who makes the “Corporate Culture” and “Workplace Ethics” for the organization. He is accountable for “workplace practices” that are practiced in the organization.

7) Chief Administrator (CAO or COO): You understand the basics of business; nitty-gritty of the business; people management; Cash, Revenue and profitability management, now its time to handle that at corporate level. As a chief administrator, you are accountable for one particular SBU or vertical or nation (if your company is very huge with millions of people, spread over N number of nations. It is your responsibility to generate revenues and profits. It is for you to plan Business Model for your Business and break-through for the success of your business.

8) Corporate / Industry/ Business/ Domain Leader: Now, its time to take a bigger leap. You have done enough for your team, your department, your domain, your company and your vertical / strategic unit. From now onwards whatever you do, will affect the Industry as a whole. You will be a trend setter in your profession / domain. You will be a LEADER.

9) Coach: Now, that you have gained lots of experience and knowledge and you are at that stage of your life, where you need to create many more people like you. Its time to pass your knowledge and experience to youngsters and create more people, Managers and leaders like you. Here, your role is to develop and groom young talent. You are a catalyst.

10) Mentor: Last, but not the least, after spending 40-45 years in an active “professional Life” now, its time to take a back seat and let the youngsters grow. Now, your role is that of a torch-bearer; guide; light-house; and pole-star. You are in a position where you can develop life of youngsters.

So, that’s in short is the professional life-span of any individual, irrespective to selected profession and domain. It spans from a trainee to mentor.

Author: Sanjeev Himachali, HR Professional

Source: (BLOG: http://sanjeevhimachali.multiply.com/ or http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com/ )

Achieving goals in 5 disciplined steps

“You must take action now that will move you towards your goals. Develop a sense of urgency in your life” - Les Brown

Do you believe in destiny?
Do you believe that you were born to either fail or succeed?
Do you always blame your fate for failures?
Do you pray for success more than actually working on it?
Do you put your 100% in achieving your goals?

Too many questions! Don’t worry; this article will help you with steps on how to achieve the goals.

For many years people have been blaming their fate or destiny for their failures. Many people believe that success is derived out of your past life karma. I honestly don't know much about karma and being born with a fate but I surely do know and believe that we humans have the power to change our fate and destiny. For those, who still disagree with me will soon change their thinking.

Many of use see an aero plane flying in the sky each day and we all know the science behind the plane flying and we still feel amazed to imagine a heavy piece of equipment flying. Well, this invention just did not happen. We all know that the Wright Brothers had to go through numerous failures and embarrassment before they could create a plane that could fly. Were they destined to create a plane? Was it their fate that got them to create a plane? I doubt. Read on...

It was their observation of the birds and the desire to fly which made them create the machine which we today call Plane. It was their burning desire which was so strong that made them work for years and hours each day before they met with success. All the failures, taunts, embarrassment and frustration were small compared to their burning desire to fly. It is only through a Burning Desire can a man achieve the impossible.

Look at all the scientific advancements. The very advancement of a computer in front of you on which you read this article and the Internet on which you downloaded this article are all proofs of Burning Desire of man to create something.

Obstacles come and it is up to us how we deal with them. Failures will come for a long time, before we can achieve something. It is the manner in which the Universe functions. To reap fruits from a tree, you must first plant the seeds and nurture the tree well.

Achieving anything is possible as long as you have the Burning Desire to achieve it, i.e. creating the next scientific experiment, topping your exams, receiving the next promotion, losing your weight, learning a new art… Anything is possible. The recent slogan of Nike Shoes says it all "Impossible is nothing".

If you have a Burning Desire and sow the seeds of intention, the universe conspires to help you. This happens only if your intentions are true and pure.

If you dream of achieving something then sow the seeds of intention in the universe by always being positive about that dream and always thinking of that dream, the universe will conspire to help you. You might dream to work at Microsoft and if you sow your intentions right, somewhere some how you might just bump into a person who could help you.

Therefore, keep dreaming, always have the burning desire to succeed and read the following steps to achieve your goals. But remember, it requires a disciplined approach while following it.

5 Disciplined steps to achieve your goals
Please note that the steps mentioned below require a disciplined approach. By discipline I mean that no matter what difficulty you face in achieving your goals, you must stick to your desire to achieving your goals.

1. Define a goal for yourself
The first step towards achieving your goal is to be able to define it. While defining your goal you should keep in mind the SMART principle i.e.

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Specific
Be very specific of what you want. If you want to buy a car, just don't say my goal is to buy a car. You should rather say, I want to buy a Mercedes and the model number.

Measurable
You should be in a position to measure your success towards the goal only then will you be in a position to alter plans or make new ones if you are not heading anywhere.

Attainable
The goals that you make for yourself should be attainable as per your skills, attitudes, abilities, etc. Making an unrealistic goal will not only make you frustrated, but will also play on your mind and make you lose your self-esteem.

Realistic
Like I mentioned earlier, your goals should be realistic. Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.

It is only if a man believes in something does he accumulate the will to give all that he has towards his goal. Always remember, where there is a will there is a way.

Timely
While defining your goal you should always attach a time frame to achieve it. If you decide to lose weight, you should have a goal with a time frame in mind. E.g.: "I wish to lose 10 KGs by the end of 2008".

Once you have created a SMART goal, the next step is to write it down in big bold letters and stick it at a place where you won't miss reading it every day. Read your goal statement each day and night and work towards it..

2. Work towards it
Now that you have created a goal for yourself, the next step is to initiate action and work towards it by giving all efforts possible. This is the most difficult part in achieving a goal. Many of my friends have taken this advice by defining their goals and writing it down, but they fail at the most critical step i.e. to initiate action.

After your goals are clear, the time to take action is NOW. Just start working towards it. Ask yourself if you'd be happy to achieve your goals? If yes, then why not start working towards it once you has a clear vision of your goal. If your goal is to lose weight, then the next logical step is to find out how you could achieve it. Join a gym, consult a doctor, etc. Just do everything possible towards achieving your goal.