career zingers

Career Zingers #32: Whim

September 20, 2018 by David Zinger Leave a Comment

I was listening to an interview of Jack Docherty with Stuart Goldsmith on The Comedian’s Comedian podcast. Near the end of the podcast Stuart asked Jack what his career plans were for the next 5 to 10 years. Jack responded, “I have no plan.” He said he operates more on a whim and was somewhat apologetic for this and openly wondered if this was the right way to go.

Whim can be defined as a sudden wish or idea, often one that cannot be easily explained. This seems to go against the grain of life and career planning — knowing your short and long term goals.

There are many paths to career development. I am not opposed to meticulous career planning with long term goals but I am opposed to people who tell you that there is the only one true path.

Jack, myself, and countless others navigate our careers on whims. We may improvise a life and possibly take the proverbial road less travelled but as Robert Frost so eloquently stated at the end of his poem The Road not Taken, “that has made all the difference.”

Career Zingers #30: Your Career is Never a Solo Endeavour

July 9, 2018 by David Zinger Leave a Comment

Picturing Your Career – The Double Ensō and The Venn Diagram

I don’t believe that life is linear. I think of it as circles – concentric circles that connect. ~ Michelle Williams

While working at my desk today my ice water glass created a double ensō as it rested upon a piece of paper beside my computer. Ensō means circular form and may symbolize elegance and strength as well as the void. Rather than career as a linear progression or feeling we are “going around in hopeless circles at work” we can embrace the circular nature of our career.

If you have a mathematical mind you might see the same image as a Venn diagram, named after John Venn, with two overlapping circles indicating where items share something in common.

To be successful, view your career as circles of relationship. How well do you overlap what you love to do with what you need to do? How successful are you in joining your work contribution with what your organization or client needs? How united are you with others at work? And what other circles do you need to join to be successful at work?

When two circles merge into one we experience perfect engagement. This may be a fleeting career ideal but it can draw us forward to a greater feeling of belonging at work.

Career Zingers #29: Are You Washed Up?

July 3, 2018 by David Zinger Leave a Comment

We often upgrade equipment and tools quicker than we “update” ourselves.

When is the last time you changed your mind?

How long since you established a new meaningful relationship?

What’s the last non fiction book you read?

Make today a day for a clean start because it is no fun being wrung out in a wringer washer or a dead end career.

Career Zingers 28: Don’t Lose Your Head

May 10, 2018 by David Zinger Leave a Comment

Engage with Equanimity

Equanimity is mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. Alexander Zverev, a powerful young German tennis player, uses a Head racket and lost his “head” on the court with a smash in tennis that was not pretty, especially for his head and his Head racket. On your career path you will encounter many setbacks. Expect them. Learn from them. Move on from them. Just be careful that you don’t let one setback make you lose your head and compound one setback into multiple setbacks and a major career loss.

Career Zingers #26: What’s Your Currency?

April 25, 2018 by David Zinger Leave a Comment

Money often costs too much. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

What’s your currency at work? Currency is a medium of exchange. We narrowly think of currency as being money. I am not saying money is unimportant, just that it is not as important as we think. Countless studies have demonstrated that on the list of important motivators and contributors to employee engagement money is lower on the list.

Pause right now, consider what do you truly exchange your time, effort, and self for at work?

Over the years, I have learned my personal currencies for work are:

curiosity,
connection,
creativity,
playfulness,
stories,
learning,
expression, and
contribution.

When work offers me these currencies I am engaged and motivated. I have said numerous times, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this work.” I forget I am getting paid in the currencies listed above. When you exchange your work for the right currencies, work will make you well.