Managing Your Own Career

Had to share this - it was too big and too good of information not to share with as many people as possible.

Kathy Beechem, currently the Director of Spiritual Growth for Crossroads Church, came to Kroger on 10/18/2012 to speak to the Women's Associate Resource and she was phenomenal. I was thrilled to hear what she had to say and appreciated that she had several good principles to apply to managing your own career. I wanted to share it with as many people as I could because I'm so inspired by it.  Enjoy!


Principle #1: Produce oustanding results no matter what position you are in. This means being the top performer in what you are currently doing and meeting the metrics that that position is measured on. Produce quality and good quantity results to be noticed. To do this, you need to know the ranking system for your role and your area. This is usually boss-defined.  Be involved with being the best at hitting that measure. The top 10-25% range consistently creates value on the team and to produce reliable results gets you noticed.

Principle #2:  Build reulationships while you are producing outstanding restuls. Be genuinely interested in others and do your best to remember names. This is a HUGE one - NAMES.  Also remember that it's the 2nd level up that you has more influence in your career. So make sure you have a relationship with your boss's boss.

Principle #3: Expect Change and look for Change. Have a good attitude towards change, look forward to it. Remember, where there is change, there is opportunity. Learn within your unit, your company, the effect of the economy and world on your industry.

Principle #4: Where two things meet is the Sweet Spot. If you have history in an area and then it meets with one of your passions, don't miss it. This could be a chance for a sweet spot!

Principle #5: When your career hits a point that has more than one option, choose the option that gives you the most options.

Principle #6: Community involvement allows you to develop leadership skills that can propel your career. Here is the key though: do not volunteer unless you have a passion in it. If you don't have a passion for it, you probably won't do your best and you won't be interested in showing up consistently. (See Principle #1). Learn your heart, so you can be ready for involvement in your community. And remember, it is absolutely okay to say no if you don't have the passion for it. Just be honest. There's nothing wrong with not having passion in everything.

Principle #7: A door closes. Another door opens. Expect disappointments along the way. How you respond to those is how it will make a difference.

Principle #8: There isn't a map. It's a journey. YOU make the map! Kathy told us her history and she started her career in a convent trying to become a nun that wanted to change the Catholic Church. After that, she became a teacher for the better part of a decade. Then she entered Human Resources and then into Management in US Bank. In 2010, she was named in the top 25 women in banking by Forbes Magazine. She felt her career took another turn when her husband became ill with a brain tumor that resulted in a book about dealing with a terminally ill loved one. And now she is working at Crossroads. Her point in telling us her history (and my point in sharing it here) is there was absolutely no way you could predict her career path based on how she started. None...

Principle #9: She mentioned Community Involvement again because it can allow you to build relationships that can propel your career. You meet key people that share your passion, and can see the potential you have in a job.

Principle #10 wasn't really a principle, but it was worth mentioning after some Q&A time with the group. Focus on your strengths and know how you're wired. Keep developing what you're good at. Don't discount things that come easy to you - that might be the sign that you are good at it. Weaknesses - don't spend too much time trying to correct all of your weaknesses.

I hope these 10 principles impact you as much as they impacted me.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
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