Connecting the Dots
Remember the ‘connect the dots’ books you may have received as a child? You would follow the dots numbered from one to whatever drawing a line from each one to the next. Once you connected all the dots the picture you were drawing was revealed. Growing up we learn that life doesn’t follow a nice and sequential pattern: it unfolds and reveals itself gradually and sometimes seemingly randomly and unpredictably. It is made up of different experiences and events and it is often hard to see any pattern or connection between them. Steve Jobs in his 2005 Stanford University Commencement...
read moreThe Seven Benefits of Improvising Effectively
Today’s world of constant change and transition requires different skills of us. Gone are the days of the big thick policy document that prescribed the desired procedure and behaviour for all expected situations at work. Life is also equally unpredictable. We are playing catch-up half of the time; trying to figure out what just happened and how to respond. What skills can help you in these kinds of times? The principles of improvisational theatre and the skills needed to keep the action going on the stage will also help you to keep the action going in your life. Improvisational theatre is a...
read moreWho Has More Stress: Working Expats or Accompanying Spouses?
This blog was inspired by the Expat Web LinkedIn Group question posted by Anne Egros, Global Executive Coach (June 2012), and responses posted by group members. The Brookfield Relocation Trends Survey 2012 clearly identifies that failure of the spouse (and family) to adapt well is the top reason identified by respondents for failure of an international assignment. So the survey would say the answer to this question is the spouse. The Brookfield 2012 survey also points out that most spouses who were employed prior to the posting still want to work while on assignment. There is a major identity...
read moreRenewal
The cycle of life and career is something that fascinates me. I love hearing people’s stories and seeing how careers weave themselves together from threads that seem sometimes too diverse at first glance. But later, looking back it is possible to see how it all wove itself together into the tapestry that is now your life. I can see that reflected in the tapestry of my own career and life. Moving to the Netherlands a few years ago it seemed like I was cutting off my tapestry and starting over again. However, that is not the case at all. By asking the question “how can I remain authentic to...
read moreI Believe!
I just recently finished reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I really enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth Gilbert through this book. Her writing style is very personal and yet self deprecating; witty and wise with some powerful metaphors. I believe that while she does exaggerate to emphasize a point it is true that she decided to go on this adventure for herself before she knew that she would be funded by her publisher to go as well as produce a book out of the experience. This is exactly the kind of attitude or gumption that I believe creates powerful possibilities in life. I was...
read moreCareer Traveller or Tourist?
When you think about your career it can be useful to use a metaphor to see how you are approaching your life’s work. I really love the traveller and tourist metaphor. In this metaphor, a tourist uses a plan, schedules everything and knows exactly what will happen and where they will be at what time. In contrast, a traveller is there to experience and connect with their journey. Not so much is preplanned and scheduled, leaving room for serendipity and adventures. Travellers are the ones sitting in the marketplace having conversations with the locals and learning about the place...
read moreGetting ‘Un-stuck’
Sometimes you can feel ‘stuck’ in your life and career. It could seem like you’re just going through the daily routine without an idea of what for. You ask yourself why you are doing this and when will it end? Sometimes you need to know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when you can’t see it yourself. What is good to know is that you can create that light yourself! A ‘career crisis’, as this could be termed, is often a lack of imagination or the ability to see a different future than the one currently in front of you. It could also be the inability to connect current...
read moreCareer Gaps and LinkedIn
Do I say that I took a break to raise my kids? There is no clear answer to the question, although if you look at it from the big picture of what a career is, there are insights to be gained. There are a number of perspectives from which to view your life-work (career) and that impacts how you communicate it to others. If you are a trailing spouse, you have found yourself in a unique situation which will impact your sense of self and identity. I look at career from a holistic perspective that includes all elements of your life (work, learning, leisure, life roles). This allows you the freedom...
read moreYour Own Why
Knowing your own why can make all the difference in your career and life. I came across this film clip today and wanted to share it with you. It is a 17 minute talk by Simon Sinek called ‘start with why’. His ‘golden circle’ elegantly explains this concept. He also explains how this circle expresses the brain’s natural functioning and gives insight into your own decision making. Knowing your own ‘why’ is a critical piece for doing what you do meaningfully and authentically. Being able to communicate your why is also something that convinces hiring managers that you are the...
read moreCreate a career you can take with you wherever you are in the world!
I believe that you are able to create the career you want, to craft it into the shape and form that brings you the most joy, wherever you happen to be in the world. My definition of the word career includes all aspects of your life – work, home, leisure, and learning – and not just what you do for a paycheck. I first heard the term ‘career crafting’ used by Grey Poehnell around 2001. He described his hobby of weaving and choosing different colours and textures to create his own fabric. The metaphor of crafting emphasizes the idea of actively giving shape and form to your career...
read moreCareer in your suitcase
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