Archive of past issues

Are You a Good CEO of Your Career?

Do you consider yourself a CEO? I'd like to suggest that when it comes to your career, you can gain a lot of benefit by acting like a CEO -- a Career Executive Officer! Based on conversations I've had with people who have enjoyed their career journey, I've compiled some suggestions for effectively managing your own personal development.

CEOs know what's important. And, in the era for corporate social responsibility, money is no longer the sole metric of success. What about for you? Are you tied to a job just because of the money? If you are unhappy at your job, is it really worth the sacrifice? Sometimes, we make short-term tradeoffs for long-term gains, like earning a big salary for a few years so we can buy a home. But have you trapped yourself into six-figure suffering? Gradually make shifts that reflect what really matters in your life.

Career Executive Officers know that there's no single linear path to career and life satisfaction. So they follow their energy and interest. One of the key ways they gauge if they are on or off track is by noticing whether their work energizes or drains them. CEOs cultivate self-awareness so they know how work is impacting them -- they are self-leaders who are swayed by a combination of gut feelings, emotions, and logic -- not just the advice and guidance of society and others.

CEOs conduct lots of experiments. They network to meet new & interesting people. They keep their resume circulating. They attend conferences and join professional organizations. They recognize that some experiments will have dazzling results and some will go nowhere. No problem. CEOs learn from success and failure.