The document presents Rob Straby's "High 5" principles of strategic career management: (1) Change is constant, (2) Encourage the heart by clarifying what excites you, (3) Focus on the journey by setting goals and taking action, (4) Learning is ongoing through developing skills and tracking progress, (5) Build relationships by networking and getting support. The presentation provides career assessment tools and discusses how applying these principles can help individuals achieve career success on their own terms through active career management.

1. Discover the ‘High 5’
of Strategic of Career
Management Today!
Presented by Rob Straby, M.A.
www.straby.com
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

2. About Rob’s Background

3. Presentation Overview
• Key Career Question
• 5 Principles
– Change is Constant
– Encourage the Heart
– Focus on the Journey
– Learning is Ongoing
– Build Relationships
• Questions & Summary

4. Learning Goals
1. To clarify what career success means
to you
2. To identify the benefits of career
management for you
3. To determine what steps you can take
to increase your own career
management
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

5. A Key Question
• What does “career
success” mean to
you?
• Write your answer
• Discuss your answer
with a learning
partner

6. Introducing the “High 5”
1. Change is Constant
2. Encourage the Heart
3. Focus on the Journey
4. Learning is Ongoing
5. Build Relationships

7. #1 Change is Constant
Critical changes that affect you:
2. Increasing pace of technological change
3. Integration of the global economy
4. Organizational flattening / downsizing
5. Demographic changes – impact of
Boomers
6. Changes in organizational roles:
increase use of contract / flex work force
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

8. Tom Peters Says “Re-Imagine!”
Yesterday Today
• Job for life • Gig for now
• Competence • Mastery
• Reference group: • Reference group:
The corporation Peers in my craft
• Work with the same • Work with a shifting
old folks network of partners
• Career strategy = • Career Strategy =
Do what you’re told Do what you excel at
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

9. Change Impacts Career Paths

10. Traditional Career Path #1
• Leadership
• “Up the ladder”
• Success based on
upward progress,
position in the hierarchy
• Organizational definition
of career success

11. Traditional Career Path #2
• Expert
• Focus on being highly
competent in a specific
type of work, e.g.
doctor, lawyer,
engineer
• Many people consider
this to be the only
definition of success

12. Emergent Career Path #1
• Spiral
• Success means a
progressive
broadening of one’s
knowledge and skill
over time
• A pattern of movement
that uses old skills and
learns new ones

13. Emergent Career Path #2
• Transitory
• Focus on movement
• Diversity of experience
• May or may not
transfer skills
• Mistakenly thought of
as not having a career

14. Career Management Assessment
• What have you done so
far to prepare yourself
and your career to take
you into the future?
• To find out, consider the
following questions

15. Career Management Assessment
1. Have you assessed your skills, values and
goals in the past 12 months?
2. Have you acquired new skills in the past 12
months?
3. Do you have an up-to-date resume that clearly
demonstrates your achievements?
4. During an interview, I could describe at least
ten skills that I possess.
5. Do you clearly understand the needs of your
customers?

16. Career Management Assessment
1. In the past year, have you identified and filled any client
needs that were not being met?
2. Are you currently aware of two or more potential
assignments and are you taking steps to become
involved in them?
3. Can you cite at least two projects that you worked on in
the last 12 months where you can demonstrate
significant impact?
4. Do you regularly read professional or industry based
material?
5. Have you gathered specific feedback about your
performance from peers, clients and/or supervisors in
the past year?
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

17. Career Management Assessment
1. Are you an active member of a professional group or
organization?
2. Have you presented a seminar or participated on a
committee in the past year?
3. Do you regularly update yourself on trends and changes
that will affect society in general and your organization
in particular?
4. Can you list at least three things – activities, places,
relationships, etc. that provide a sense of continuity and
stability in your life?
5. Do you honestly believe in yourself, and in your ability to
survive whatever changes may come your way?
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

18. Increase Your Career Adaptability
• The more “yes”
responses, the
greater your
adaptability and
flexibility
• You can develop
both by making a
personal
commitment to
active career
management!

19. Become the CEO of Your Career!
• "Today's worker will
contribute more to the
employer and
probably do better if
he or she thinks of
themselves as a one-
person company."
• William Bridges,
Author, JobShift

20. #2 Encourage The Heart
• Career success can be
attained by being clear
about what excites you!
• What do you really want?
• Clarifying what you want
can include a review of
your:
– Vision
– Mission
– Values
– Beliefs
– Interests

21. #3 Learning Is Ongoing
• Identify your natural
skills and talents
• Be clear as to what
talents you can use
• Continuously develop
these abilities through
ongoing learning and
development activities
• Market them as your
unique niche
• Track them with a
personal portfolio

22. Key Skills to Continuously Learning
• Flexibility &
adaptability
• Continuous learning
• Stress management
• Communication!
(that’s right, the soft
skills a.k.a people
skills)

23. #4 Focus On The Journey
• Understand your
current position
relative to your vision
• Set long-term & short-
term goals
• Identify steps you can
take this week to
move forward
• ACT!

24. #5 Build Relationships
• Exchange information
• Get advice
• Solicit support
• Get a mentor
• Make connections
• Celebrate success!

25. Reviewing the “High 5”
1. Change is Constant
2. Encourage the Heart
3. Focus on the Journey
4. Learning is Ongoing
5. Build Relationships
• By applying these 5 principles you can
achieve effective career management
and be successful on your own terms!
Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.