Much of my time in executive coaching is helping people with their career development plans. They might look around and say, “I don’t see a job here that fits me at all.” “I don’t see a job that stirs any interest in me.”

I reply, “Then, why don’t you make one up? You know it’s all made up anyway, don’t you?” This question causes quite a look on their face, and they begin to think about the fact that it is all made up. Someone made up the jobs. Someone made up the titles. Someone made up the organizational plan. And when you begin to think about your own career, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that it has to fit into one of the boxes (i.e. one of the pre-determined places).

When you begin to understand it’s all made up, you might be able to bring more value to your company by creating a position just for you and bringing the potential of that position to the attention of those who make the decisions.

Believing this phrase to be true can set a leader free mentally to think about new options, not yet on the horizon of his or her own company.

HERE is a young Steve Jobs stating it most eloquently.

Categories: Creativeness, Initiative

Tags: creativeness