The Investments of Career Management

Career Management can be defined as the combination of structured planning and the active management choice of one's own professional career. The outcome of successful career management should include personal fulfillment, work life balance, goal achievement and financial security.  

Career management is a concept of future planning for achieving ones career goals within the acceptable time limit. One needs to invest in their future to ensure a steady harvest of right opportunities professionally. Career Management focuses on our best investments assets namely,  Learning Management and Relationships Management.

Learning Management

Learning never stops, in fact if it does, then so does growth. To ensure that our career aspirations are achieved one must keep increasing their learning index. This can be achieved through advancement in academic knowledge base through Training Programs, Advanced courses, specialization programs and refresher courses. In addition to this one must expand their professional knowledge through literature, books, tutorials, supplements etc.

Relationship Management

As we have moved to an information and service economy, relationships have become an increasingly critical asset. Not only do our relationships help us accomplish our day-to-day tasks with colleagues, vendors, customers and competitors, these relationships will be the source of information about how fields and industries are evolving. We also have relationships outside of our work environments that may be affiliated with our hobbies, children and spiritual or community networks. These personal and professional relationships will transcend specific companies, industries and communities. How we interact, respond and connect in all our relationships will impact our present performance and future opportunities. Very little is accomplished in isolation. Networking uncovers more than 70% of current job openings.

Keeping connected and knowing how to build good relationships are more important than ever before. These skills can be developed in applied communication courses, mastering contact management software, effective listening and genuine desire to get to know people better.

Integrating Learning and Relationship Management

Learning and Relationship Management form the backdrop of successful career management. Creating a vision and plan are also essential to guiding informed investment decisions and establishing annual goals. The career vision we establish  should be broad enough to be flexible, but specific enough to be actionable. This career vision, built on a profile of our unique traits, directs our choices to develop what we need to be satisfied and be able to successfully contribute in different work environments over the years. To maintain our adaptability and employability, habitually establishing annual learning goals and nurturing our relationships are the keys to productive career management.

The key to a successful and fulfilling career is how well we are able to nurture Learning and relationships in our professional lives and how well we are able to integrate them to achieve our career goals.

Good Communication for Happiness

Communication is the process of sharing information and It has been practiced since time immemorial. We communicate our needs, desires, knowledge, perceptions and much more every day, with one another. Human beings are social animals, we live in societies that are formed of relationships which in turn are nurtured by communication. This is the extent to which communication is required by us. Naturally, effective communication makes all the difference.

A Great Escape

You know how it is when a lecture stimulates us and makes us understand the intended concepts and content, whereas another lecture just makes us fall asleep. It is nothing but a great example of a good & bad communication. A lecturer, who understands the finer nuances of communication, makes the lecture interesting enough for all of us to pay attention and maybe even contribute, but a bad lecture would only inspire us to escape to another world even if it means sleeping.

The Gift of Gab

Words That Matter

Communication is effective when it results in desired action. Words are the most powerful tool to accomplish that. It is pertinent to use clear, coherent and relevant words that leave no room for misunderstanding. It is extremely important to choose words wisely, before speaking, as it is impossible to take back the words once said. 

It’s a Gesture That Counts

In addition to the content, the manner in which it is communicated, the gestures, the tone, the expressions and finer visual details leave a lasting impression on the listener. They have the power to completely change the meaning of the spoken words, which makes it immensely important to pay attention to these finer details while speaking.

Feelings & Emotions

However it is not only words that need to be communicated but also emotions and feelings. Many times these are communicated without a spoken word, and this is the power of expressions and gestures. One must pay extreme attention, not only to the content, but also to connect the words with relevant expressions and gestures, while communicating.

A Good Listener

Another important dimension of effective communication is listening. To be a good communicator one also has to be a good listener. It is by listening that we are able to understand the needs, requirements and expectations of others. The most important advantage of listening is that by listening, we are able to get feedback that makes us improve upon our actions. 

The Golden Words

So good communication will not only lead you to success but will also improve your relationships, given a chance of course!

Entertainment for Management

Student life is that time in one's life, when hard work and determination goes a long way. Students have important deadlines to meet as far as academics are concerned. In addition to this, there are various other important aspects of a student's life, that includes  peer pressure, college life, pressure of future aspirations, etc that are forever on a student's mind.

Management students in India are extremely involved in the academic activities and have little time for pursuing hobbies and interests, let alone indulge in entertainment.

However, there are certain Indian movies that are very inspiring and important management lessons, can be learnt through their portrayal of various characters, situations and plots. Here are some movies, that have even been taken, as case studies, to simplify various aspects of Management.

The List

Rocket Singh

A movie about Harpreet Singh, a B.Com graduate setting up his own parallel sales company, while working with another sales company. The story revolves around the challenges he faces starting from setting up his company & then day today functioning. The important Management lessen to be learnt from this movie is the importance of risk taking in making business decisions. The movie also celebrates the competitive spirit of aspiring managers. Harpreet Singh treats his customers as kings and that makes  them, prefer him over other big companies in the same field.

Band Baaja Baraat

This movie has plethora of Management Lessons. The story of a young boy & girl, who are ambitious and extremely passionate in their work. The lessons in this movie are that of team playing, responsibility sharing and passion being a driving force much more than degrees and qualifications.

Lagaan

The Oscar nominated Indian Bollywood film, written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker teaches that one should dream big and the dreams do come true with hard work and determination. A clear vision and teamwork always leads to success. Even when a hand full of villagers decided to stand up against the mighty British, with a clear plan in hand, grit, determination and team work led them to success.

Swades

The beautiful movie celebrated our roots, the cheerful portrayal of characters, breathtaking landscapes  and soul stirring music, make it a very interesting watch. The movie showcases how teamwork and unity can lead us to our goal in spite of various challenges the environment throws at us.   

Entertainment for Growth

Management inferences can be drawn from movies, books, and even day to day life. These are just handful of movies that have been included, but the list goes on. One must take inspiration in entertainment, to make the entertainment worthwhile. Personal growth can be achieved by innumerable activities that include studying, reading, interacting with others and even sports and entertainment.

One must make entertainment their own zone of personal growth, the efforts are minimal and the rewards multiple. Movies are a very good way to start this, as the depiction of reality and that of dreams of human beings cannot be better defined than the silver screen.

5 Career Lies You Should Stop Telling Yourself

Most of us do this every day without even noticing. We can’t help it; it comes so easily we do it without a second thought. We’re not talking about breathing, blinking or even smiling—we’re talking about lying.

From a little white lie about why we were late for work to a story about how our new smartphone was on sale, we all tell lies every day. While some lies aren’t particularly hurtful, there are others we tell ourselves that can be much more damaging: the lies we tell ourselves when it comes to our careers.

Career lies are extremely sneaky and can be pretty hard to spot. In fact, most of the time, they’re not easily identifiable as lies at all. Why? Because when it comes to our careers, we don’t like to admit things aren’t working and we’re possibly making a major mistake, so we unconsciously lie to ourselves that everything’s going according to plan.

But lies can’t last forever, and sooner or later, we’re going to have to be honest with ourselves about how content we actually are with our careers and lives. Here are five of the most common career lies we tell ourselves:

1. “I’m happy where I am”

Are you really happy with your current job and career? It’s okay if the answer is “no.” Despite the endless late nights, impossible deadlines, horrible boss and soulless chores you face every day, it’s easy to tell yourself you’re happy where you are. Why? Because change is scary!

We crave routine and familiarity, so no matter how terrible the job is, we’re inclined to tell ourselves that it could be worse. This might be true, but guess what? It could also be better!

2. “There are no jobs out there”

With headlines trumpeting employment doom and gloom, it’s easy to tell yourself to stay put. After all, you have a job, so you should be thankful, right? In reality, things aren’t as bad as you might think.

Slowly but surely, many industries are recovering, businesses are expanding and more jobs are becoming available—it’s just a case of knowing where to look and taking a leap of faith. It’s also a great time to create your own job to take advantage of new opportunities.

3. “I’m not good enough to get another job”

Feeling a lack of confidence? It’s not easy to tell yourself that you’re great, talented and ambitious, but guess what? You are! That’s why you have a job in the first place!

If you’re talented enough to have a job now, why wouldn’t you be talented enough to get another job? It really is that simple.

4. “I won’t get another job that pays this well”

So you’ve realized that there are jobs out there, but will you be able to get another job that pays as well as your current one? While you might have been at your current organization for a while and worked your way up to a higher pay grade, that doesn’t mean your company is the only one willing to pay you the going rate.

Thanks to your skills and experience, you have a certain value within your industry, and you really do earn your salary. You’re clearly important to your current organization, and your value will translate to another.

5. “I don’t want to progress”

Whether it’s taking on more responsibility, managing more people or moving to a different area of the business, climbing the career ladder can be a terrifying prospect—after all, there’s a chance you could fail.

While failure is a very real prospect, so is succeeding! Millions of people around the world successfully climb the career ladder every year. If they can grow in their roles, so can you.

How to Build Self-Discipline

Discipline is freedom. You may disagree with this statement, and if you do you are certainly not alone. For many people discipline is a dirty word that is equated with the absence of freedom. In fact the opposite is true. As Stephen R. Covey once wrote, “the undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions”. And in the longer term, the undisciplined lack the freedom that comes with possessing particular skills and abilities – e.g. to play a musical instrument or speak a foreign language.

Self-discipline involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. Often it involves sacrificing the pleasure and thrill of the moment for what matters most in life. Therefore it is self-discipline that drives you to:

Work on an idea or project after the initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away

Go to the gym when all you want to do is lie on the couch and watch TV

Wake early to work on yourself

Say “no” when tempted to break your diet

Only check your email a few of times per day at particular times

In the past self-discipline has been a weakness of mine, and as a result today I find myself lacking the ability to do a number of things which I would like – e.g. to play the guitar. But I have improved, and I can say that it is self-discipline that got me out of bed this morning at 5am to run and then write this article. Believe me, I would love to be curled up in bed right now, but this desire is subordinated by my inner sense of purpose.

If you struggle with self-discipline, the good news is that it can be developed. For example, it is only in the past two years that I have trained myself to wake early. The following are what I have found to be the five traits of self-discipline:

1. Self-Knowledge

Discipline means behaving according to what you have decided is best, regardless of how you feel in the moment. Therefore the first trait of discipline is self-knowledge. You need to decide what behavior best reflects your goals and values. This process requires introspection and self-analysis, and is most effective when tied to written expression. I highly recommend taking the time to write out your goals, dreams and ambitions. Even better, write out a personal mission statement. I found that writing such a statement gave me a greater understanding of who I am, what I am about and what I value. Dr. Covey has an excellent Mission Statement Builder on his site.

2. Conscious Awareness

Self-discipline depends upon conscious awareness as to both what you are doing and what you are not doing. Think about it. If you aren’t aware your behavior is undisciplined, how will you know to act otherwise?

As you begin to build self-discipline, you may catch yourself being in the act of being undisciplined – e.g. biting your nails, avoiding the gym, eating a piece of cake or checking your email constantly. Developing self-discipline takes time, and the key here is you are aware of your undisciplined behavior. With time this awareness will come earlier, meaning rather than catching yourself in the act of being undisciplined you will have awareness before you act in this way. This gives you the opportunity to make a decision that is in better alignment with your goals and values.

3. Commitment to Self-Discipline

It is not enough to simply write out your goals and values. You must make an internal commitment to them. Otherwise when your alarm clock goes off at 5am you will see no harm in hitting the snooze button for “just another 5 minutes….” Or, when initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away from a project you will struggle to see it through to completion.

If you struggle with commitment, start by making a conscious decision to follow through on what you say you’re going to do – both when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. Then, I highly recommend putting in place a system to track these commitments. As the saying goes, “What gets measured gets improved”.

4. Courage

Did you notice the sweat dripping from the man in the picture at the start of this article? Make no mistake, self-discipline is often extremely difficult. Moods, appetites and passions can be powerful forces to go against. Therefore self-discipline is highly dependent on courage. Don’t pretend something is easy for you to do when it is in fact very difficult and/ or painful. Instead, find the courage to face this pain and difficulty. As you begin to accumulate small private victories, your self-confidence will grow and the courage that underpins self-discipline will come more naturally.

5. Internal Coaching

Self-talk is often harmful, but it can also be extremely beneficial if you have control of it. When you find yourself being tested, I suggest you talk to yourself, encourage yourself and reassure yourself. After all, it is self-talk that has the ability to remind you of your goals, call up courage, reinforce your commitment and keep you conscious of the task at hand. When I find my discipline being tested, I always recall the following quote: “The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret”. Burn this quote into your memory, and recall in whenever you find yourself being tested. It may change your life.

The Psychology Behind Why Music Helps You Work Out

We know that music helps a lot of us through a workout, but the the psychology behind when music works and when it doesn't is still being investigated. The BBC Future has a few ideas about what's going on in your brain.

In general, music has the greatest effect on self-paced exercise:

In general, music has the greatest effect on self-paced exercise:

The benefits of music are largest for self-paced exercise - in other words, those sports where some of the work involved is in deciding when to act, as well as how to act. This means all paced exercises, like rowing or running, rather than un-paced exercises like judo or football. My speculation is that music helps us perform by taking over a vital piece of the task of moving, the rhythm travels in through our ears and down our auditory pathways to the supplementary motor area. There it joins forces with brain activity that is signalling when to move, helping us to keep pace by providing an external timing signal. Or to use a sporting metaphor, it not only helps us out of the starting blocks but it helps to keep us going until we reach the line.

It makes sense. After all, music distracts us from fatigue, and at the right BPM music can improve a workout. If you need some help picking out the best exercise headphones, we've got you covered as well.

The psychology of workout music | BBC Future

Why You Should Hold a Mock Interview with a Friend for a Job You Want

We've noted in the past that a little role playing can help you out when preparing for an important job interview, but common thought puts you in the place of the interviewee.

Experienced hiring managers who have interviewed many candidates will often say they don't get nervous at their own job interviews anymore, because they've done so many interviews from the other side and understand how an interviewer's mind works. You can get a bit of this benefit by playing the interviewer yourself. If you have a job-searching friend, suggest that you practice together - taking turns playing the part of the interviewer. You might be surprised by how much more comfortable it makes you both feel.

This makes sense. It puts you in a situation to think about the questions you'd want to know if you had to hire someone for the same job, ultimately preparing you for what to expect. You'll also get to hear your friend look for answers you might not have thought of and expand your library of options when responding to the questions for real. Next time you try a mock interview, don't forget to do the interviewing, too.