Blast From the Past | How Do We Know If We Don't Even Try?

(BFTP) How Do We Know If We Don’t Even Try? FutureLab Career Transition Forum

Craig J Selby

I’m more used to talking about Crisis Communications or Change Management, but I was recently thrown a really interesting curveball invite by Ellen at FutureLab – to be part of a panel on Career Transition.

Interesting.

I’m by no means an HR person (those who know me well will know my feelings on this area).

But ….

I have had career transitions (note: transitions, not mid-life crises) as I have journeyed through the workforce and entrepreneurial path.

And I have learnt a lot from this journey.

I was a University student. No idea what I wanted to do. Then along came Barbara. A tutor. She had the idea job for me. To tutor on a special programme for international students. Barbara (now a Professor of Education) thought it would be a good way for me to get better involved in University, and to develop skills I had shown an interest in.

Seven years later, two degrees and a diploma, I finally left the University. For another one. And another. I loved the education sector. Still do!

My academic career started to blossom, and soon I was reaching for the stars faster than I ever had expected. From Tutor to Lecturer, Head of Department, Principal; I kept climbing that ladder.

But that too changed; as I reached higher and higher I got distracted by other issues. No longer teaching Economics and Management, I developed an interest in Marketing, Teacher Training, and Change Management. The seeds were sewn for what I do every day today at Orchan.

It wasn’t an easy journey. I started my career young. I had to prove myself. I changed tack. I had to prove myself. I relocated to new countries and cultures where I was clearly the outsider. I had to prove myself. I did, and I continue to do so.

So this is the story I told.

About being willing to embrace challenges.

About “faking it until you make it” – because frankly, everyone else is too. And about living your life for yourself, not your family, your friends, or your community in which you were born.

“If you don’t give it a go, how do you know you can’t do it”!

Many of us fail on multiple levels to give ourselves permission to try new things. Family, fear, others failures pre-condition us to reject certain attempts. But this is them, not us. We have to do life for ourselves. I guess this was a key message that I tried to get across to the participants, and to debate with my fellow panelists.

It was a great discussion.

As the only ‘gweilo’ on the panel, my interpretation of the role of family was manifestly different from the mainstream. My fellow panelists talked about the influence their parents (in particular) had on career choice and direction. I didn’t have such an influence. I recanted a story about the time my Mum said to me “don’t become a teacher”. So, I became her boss. It was a great professional relationship during that time.

I hope that my thoughts on this issue give rise to thoughts in others, as at some stage you’ve got to accept that you must make yourself happy before others. And that you can’t let others live their lives through you. Being a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer is only one path – but you must enjoy your path. And if you stop enjoying that path, walk in a different direction to find your achievements.

On the transition from careers, we had some very interesting crowd perspectives. From promotion to grandfathering to total directional change.

How do we ride through career change?

Personally, I read; A LOT.

Social media dissemination of knowledge means we can get targeted chunks, case studies, perspectives at our fingertips. I hate reading books (despite the shelves full of them at home and at the office). I read online. I read short bursts to give me knowledge, ideas, and to challenge my thinking. I talk with people. I have mentors (yes, plural). People who throughout my career have guided me, played devil’s advocate, and simply been there to help me pick up the pieces when I made mistakes (all part of the learning curve). I faked it until I made it.

Change is not easy, but we all have it within us to try.

We won’t always succeed.

But how do we know if we don’t even try?