I have a theory. Well, I have many, but this one is called Puzzle Theory. It is the concept of your professional life being one large puzzle. If the pieces don’t all fit, they are facing the wrong direction, or you are missing some, you get nothing. There is no big picture; there is no complete story. So, if you are wondering why you aren’t advancing in your career or leaving work unhappy daily, is your professional puzzle complete and correct? Probably not. So, how do we solve a very complex and non-tangible puzzle?
This Puzzle Theory isn’t to say that if one small piece isn’t perfect, your career isn’t right, or that it is not valuable. Of course not! But does it mean it could be better, or you could change something (look on the floor, under the couch cushion if you are determined enough) to have something best suited for you (aka a complete puzzle)? Yes!
Let’s start out by knowing if your puzzle is complete. Ask yourself a few questions:
- Are you mostly satisfied with what you do?
- Does your job provide more good days than bad?
- Do the positive parts of your work outweigh the frustrations? This one includes personal benefits that might come from the negatives of work… this job allows you to work fewer hours. Still, it also comes with a difficult colleague.
If your answer to at least 2 of those was ‘no,’ then let’s work on your puzzle and work towards career advancement. How do we achieve this in a competitive landscape without knowing where to begin?
As an executive coach who naturally connects the dots to create meaningful solutions, I offer five actionable strategies to elevate your career in ways you may not have considered.
- Take Action and Ownership of Your Career
You are in control of your career. You are the only person who can change the trajectory of your career. While many people claim to understand that they are in control of their career, in my experience, behaviors and commentary about career advancement (or stagnation) often suggest that someone else is driving their career. News flash: There is someone: YOU. - Rewire Your Thinking for Growth
In previous articles, I have discussed rewiring your thinking or changing your mindset, even if it has always worked for you. If your career puzzle pieces aren’t fitting, it might be time to rewire. To do this, I encourage you to embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Instead of fearing a new career path, use it as a stepping stone. Write down all the hard and soft skills you acquired from your current and previous careers and harness them as you move forward. Even if it is a different industry, you are considering a completely different job; I bet there are some transferable skills. So, draw inspiration from your career to make the rewiring and changes less scary. - Leverage Your Network
This is important in many ways. First, your personal network. Your family, friends, and the people you trust the most will be crucial in making a significant change. Ask your friends for their support and feedback. Then, turn to your professional network. As you work to advance yourself professionally, think hard about who is in that career, has been in the past, or might have contacts. Offer to take them out to lunch or join them for a coffee break to see if they can help get your foot in the door. Whatever it may be, utilizing your network is very important. Don’t forget to be a giver to your network, not just a taker. Listen to their advice, be gracious, and consider the reviews and thoughts of those around you to understand what you are getting yourself into.Another key aspect of this equation is diversifying your network. Attend conferences, join professional organizations, and broaden your horizons. Seek mentors and sponsors. Significant changes can take time.
- Pay it Forward
Once you feel like you have made a change and your puzzle is done (or at least much closer to completion), good job! Pat yourself on the back, and be sure to pay it forward. Take the meeting with a long-lost friend’s cousin’s roommate or give the intern a chance to learn and grow. Whatever it is, know that we were all there. We tried something new for the first time, and it was scary. But learning and growing is scary, and we did it anyway. - Understand That Careers are Iterative
This may be the most challenging thing for some people to accept. But the fact is, if you have a career and you want it to be fulfilling, you will have to do periodic assessments, alignments, and adjustments if you’re going to advance. You will have to test and see if the puzzle pieces still fit in the right place. They might not, and that’s okay. Sometimes, the fact that something no longer fits is simply a signal to point to an exciting new career adventure. Perhaps you can reframe career puzzle pieces as temporary in the best way – we can try things and have the flexibility to swap those out for new puzzle pieces if and when needed.Career advancement does require work, but it isn’t out of reach. Don’t allow fear to keep you stuck. And know your puzzle can be complete, even if you don’t see that missing piece! And trying new things can be scary, but perhaps you are excited vs. scared? I am giving you permission to move forward and see.
