How can you help executives develop a career plan that is realistic and inspiring?

Taking stock of the client's journey by having a milestone mapping exercise. Explore areas, factors, emotions on what got them to each milestone, what energised them, what didn't, what challenges they excelled at vs what didn't. It is also important to explore the environmental and cultural aspect of each company that the client was in and map that out. This gives and internal and external perspective. Don't underestimate the importance of an environment and the values that the client thrives in. Using tools like CliftonStrengths (Strengths Finder) help create a powerful awareness of how their strengths worked in each situation and help the client discover what drove their actions and behaviours towards where they are today.

Desenvolver um plano de carreira envolvendo avaliação de habilidades, metas claras, mapeamento estratégico, desenvolvimento contínuo e networking para inspirar sucesso executivo.

One great way to develop a career plan is to have a role model. This gives a clear goal. The goal needs to be measured against the existing strengths of the coachee. The next step is to have a mentor. Mentoring can help the executive in various ways: 1. In picking up the skills that are necessary. 2. By having a mentor who is powerful, you are in a nurturing atmosphere. 3. You get opportunities to showcase your abilities 4. You get the opportunities to see things from a broader perspective, a vision making perspective which is necessary for higher strategic roles. Continuous learning is something no executive can ignore today. Learning new skills of the industry, of conceptualization, of people management are all important.

"What is in your control?" This is the single most important question I ask people when they talk about their own careers and opportunities. It can be frustrating to realize that career development is often a result of skill, opportunity, and luck. And because of that, our realistic choice is to focus on what we can do. And the old saying is true that nobody will manage our career as well as us. I find it helpful to think big when it comes to opportunities. Many people think incrementally here and not about the larger picture and what they hope to achieve in the long run. Start with the end in mind a few years in the future and then work backward. I found this a very productive approach.

1. Access their current situation. 2. Explore their options and opportunities. 3. Set theirs goals and action plan. 4. Monitor and review their progress. 5. Seek professional supervision. 6. Reflect on their learning and growth.

Work with experts to get a robust view of the market and using what was done in Step 1, identify and narrow down potential industries, roles and culture fit. The goal is to look at areas of best success, not perfection. Speak with industry experts and mentors on areas that has been identified to go deeper into what it takes to be successful in the industry, what the industry needs, where in the industry cycle is the company at. Discuss what the client feels based on all the conversations, scenarios and map out possible options forward. The goal here is to look at three possible moves for the client. It doesn't have to always be 'upwards'. As long as it moves the client forward in their journey towards their success.

Guiding executives in developing a career plan also involves emphasizing the importance of authentic leadership—aligning their values with their career ambitions. By encouraging them to reflect on what truly matters to them, you help ensure that their career path is not only realistic and attuned to market trends but also deeply inspiring and personally fulfilling. This alignment fosters a sense of purpose and motivation, driving them to pursue opportunities that resonate with their core beliefs and aspirations. For instance, if an executive values innovation and making a positive impact, exploring roles in companies that prioritize sustainability and technological advancement can be particularly rewarding.

Let's create a plan based on SMART or PACT (Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, and Trackable) or V.I.B.E (Velocity, Inspiration, Brand, Energy). Besides be realistic about the action plan, we want the approach to be inspirational and energising. The goal is develop a career plan that is realistic and inspiring. Remember, the plan can go beyond the 'start date' of the role. Work on what to 'start now' and what can be on-going. Using what drives the client through CliftonStrengths (or other tools), we can explore ways on skills development and communication styles to set the client up for their success. Working on hard skills and soft skills, the client will be in a much better place for success. Some skills take longer to develop.

Adjust your check in cadence to how they are developing. Give the client time to reflect, access and breath. The goal here is to ensure the client has a sustainable energy level to make quality progress, and flow along nicely. Work on helping the client to be motivated and resilient. Remind them of the why and ensure they enjoy the process and celebrate small successes along the way. We want to keep the client healthy - physically and mentally. Ensure we are also developing good habits along the way.

Find a champion mentor. This will help the client accelerate the learning process and to have real experts in the field to develop a career plan for the role. I would recommend leveraging the book 'The First 90 Days' as a supplementary framework to leverage as it provides a good holistic approach to setting up the client towards success. From navigating internal processes and relationships, building influence and credibility to identifying quick wins and keeping velocity and momentum towards mid and long term milestones. Having a champion mentor together with a coach is a great combination to help the client discover more about themselves and yet supported with the right mindset and industry knowledge. It's about doing the work!