I’m still puttering around with the changes to my Geek 5 model and approach. Until I finalize that, here is a good read from BNET’s The Corner Office.
I’ve written about running into active and passive career crises and how to bounce back from them. Steve Tobak wrote an entertaining piece called “10 Classic Career Disasters and Lessons Learned” on some of the career challenges that he has faced and the lessons he learned from them.
If you are working hard and always looking to do things better, you will inevitably run in to some friction and trouble along the way. Consider it a testament to the fact that you are proposing positive change. The reaction is not always pleasant, but you can still make progress and learn something.
The comments section offers some other incidents from readers. I could add some career mis-steps such as challenging the wrong sacred cow and violating some unwritten rules.
One of the commentors talks about how you should never stay with one company for more than 5 years. If you do, it starts to feel like a partnership. However, the company will dump you in a second if they need to, so don’t get too attached. That view is a bit too extreme for me, because some long-term careers at one company can be very rewarding.
I would agree that you should not let the company or your job define you. You need to have a life and an identity and a sense of self-worth outside of your job. Many people find that through friends and family and hobbies and church and volunteering, etc. If you are defined by your job and you lose that job, it does a major whammy to your self-esteem.
Protect yourself from job crises - sometimes sh*t happens.
