Workers used to be able to count on their employers to train them, provide them with substantial medical benefits, and give them a job for life. In exchange, workers were fiercely loyal to their employers and considered their personal contributions in relation to the organization as a whole.
Times have changed, and workers can’t count on having their careers planned out for them by their employers. As a result, one would expect professional environments to hum with the energy of employees taking charge of their careers. However, I have noticed and am concerned about a lack of personal responsibility in today’s workplace. Too frequently, I encounter an attitude of entitlement, an expectation that everything is owed to the individual with little regard of the consequences to the organization, and a lack of dedication to doing the job right.
It seems that many of us still think that somehow, our employers are responsible for guiding us through our careers. Here’s the bottom line: Your employer, family, church or friends can’t solve the complex, protracted career issues we all face, such as how many jobs — or even careers — you have until you retire; if you can retire. You must become the master of your fate.
How can you do that? The biggest changes you need to make are in your attitude towards work. Here is a short list of things within your control that you can act on immediately to start taking charge of your career:
• Develop and maintain an entrepreneurial spirit
• Be a lifelong learner and pursue individual education
• Look for and implement ways to add value to the organization
All too often, workers settle for the status quo and become complacent about their careers and comfortable with the day to day routine – especially when they are getting paid for it. What they fail to realize is that complacency can kill a career.
Whether you have been complacent about your work, or you have been more involved in planning your professional future, there has never been a better or more critical time to fully assume personal responsibility for your own career.
Adapted From the Dallas Business Journal Article by:
James Thompson
President
The InSource Group
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