The survey asked professionals to identify their top challenges to career growth and success. Respondents cited issues like lack of focus, staying in their comfort zone, navigating office politics, poor organizational culture fit, lack of motivation, weak social skills, difficulty setting and achieving goals, fear of career change, and procrastination. The results were compared to previous years to highlight new and ongoing barriers people face.

1. Survey Results

2. “We want
everyone to
be a huge
Every year we ask professionals success and
to identify their top challenges
to identify their top challenges that all starts
with knowing
in growing their career the landscape.”
‐‐ J. Todd Rhoad
We compare
the results from
previous years
previous years
What are your and let you
biggest barriers
to success? know what’s
NEW!

3. 1 fo∙cus [foh‐kuhs] – verb
f [f h k h ] b
to concentrate: to focus one's thoughts.
Comm_nts
F US
FOCU
Too many distractions
Too many distractions
Not sure about my skills
No clear objectives
No career goals
No time to work on my goals
@r_
@ YOU F
Fo]us_^?
?

4. 2 “In self growth, when we say you’re comfortable, what we really mean is
“ lf h h ’ f bl h ll
that you’re not growing. You’re not stretching yourself. You’re satisfied
NE
where you are, and not making any real effort to move forward out of
CO ORT ZON
that situation. “ ‐‐ David B. Bohl
What people said
Too much fear
Where do I go?
I’m safe where I am
OMFO
What if I can t?
What if I can’t?
Do YOU go outside
your comfort zone?
f t ?

5. 3 Workplace politics (a.k.a. ‘office politics’)
Workplace politics (a k a office politics )
is "the use of one's individual or assigned
power within an employing organization
for the purpose of obtaining advantages
beyond one's legitimate authority.
PO TICS
What people said:
OLIT
The games are too hard to play
Hard work should be the metric
I don’t play politics
Entrepreneurs identified the
following issues:
Legal
Economic
Political

6. 4 Organizational culture is the collective behavior of humans who are part
Organizational culture is the collective behavior of humans who are part
of an organization and the meanings that the people attach to their actions,
GHT CUL RE
which includes beliefs, behaviors, attitudes and norms.
LTUR
Corporate culture = You (right culture)
What people said:
I didn’t fit in
Too much competition
Too much competition
We don’t share the same values
My health was suffering
Stress is my enemy
RIG

7. 5 “High expectations are the key to
everything.” – Sam Walton
EX CTAT NS
XPEC TION
What people said:
• y g
Got my degree...now what?
• Hard work just doesn’t pay off anymore
• It’s all who you know
• My company says I own my own development, really?

8. 6 “Success is not f inal, failure is not fatal: it is
“S f f
the courage to continue that counts.” –
TIVA ON
Winston Churchill
MOT ATIO
Survey respondents said:
• It's not always easy to motivate yourself to keep moving forward
• The challenges are overwhelming at times
• Knowledge is no longer sufficient
• L k of motivation will result in a lot of other things, lik
Lack f i i ill l i l f h hi like
procrastination, poor task/time management and finally,
low productivity.

9. 7
My team
EN RON NT
is the
NVIR NMEN
best!
The right
The right
environment
is surrounding
yourself with
the right people
th i ht l

10. 8 Social skills can also be defined within the context of social and
Social skills can also be defined within the context of social and
emotional learning — recognizing and managing our emotions, developing
S LLS
caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making
responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations constructively
S IAL SKIL
and ethically (Zins, Weissbert, Wang, & Walberg, 2004).
SOCI

11. 9 “The challenge with g
g s s f g mp g m f
goals is defining and completing them before
they change. “ –J. Todd Rhoad
“I have to say the greatest challenge I “My career goals will just
face in achieving my career goals is remain on the gerbil wheel if
remain on the gerbil wheel if
knowing what my goals are. I don't have I don't create a solid plan of
G ALS
any, which is simultaneously scary and action and implement those
liberating.” actions.”
GOA
Some challenges
Some challenges
require a plan

12. 10 y py p
If you don't develop your own personal life
plan, then someone else will.
You have to invest in yourself. It's the only
“My biggest
BRAND G
DING
way to become good at what you do best best.
challenge is
You are unique. There is no one else like you. marketing myself
or basically
Success is about creating value for others.
others convincing people
to read my works.”
Don't be afraid to be different. Marketing
success is about differentiation.

13. 11
CAR R CH GE
REER HAN
FEAR
Comments:
“change is a matter of time”
“change is a matter of opportunity”
“change is a matter of location”

14. 12 pro∙cras∙ti∙na∙tion
/proʊˌkræstə neɪʃən, prə‐/ Show Spelled[proh‐kras‐tuh‐ney‐shuhn, pruh‐]
/proʊ kræstəˈneɪʃən prə / Show Spelled[proh kras tuh ney shuhn pruh ]
OCRA NATION
the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially
something requiring immediate attention
Comm_nts
PRO ASTIN
“I don’t have goals”
“I’m waiting on the right
I m waiting on the right
Opportunity”
“I've got splinters in my as$
from sitting on the fence”

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