Connecting to Your Future

As we see in our most recent installment of Dogged Decisions, Tim, with a little quantum physics time travel from Ryan, is about to embark on a journey that will forever change his life. Though we may wish we had a supernatural guide like Ryan to help us move in such ways, that’s not how it happens in the real world. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The path you walk will take unexpected turns. Continually performing in the upper ranges of your personal ability, motivation, drive, and perseverance will provide the tools needed to seize new career opportunities, however surprising they may be. Realizing your goals comes from building relationships and networks over time, adapting to changes, and being open to new directions.

I’d like to share a success story about a candidate who eventually became a client.  I had been hired to find a Director of Training & Development by a large, publicly traded utility company.  It was a big job, and it included overhauling and transforming training for thousands of the company’s employees at multiple levels. The position required a strong leader to bring discipline and structure to the company and its training processes. I had a contact in my network, an HR person involved in training but at a significantly lower level than my client was seeking for this position.

Here’s the twist to the story – this person I knew was a retired U.S. Marine officer who had transitioned into the corporate world but had to start at a level far below his military leadership position. Though he didn’t have the required corporate experience (“on paper”), he was an amazing leader and highly skilled at training large groups in a variety of disciplines. I interviewed him for the position and immediately knew I had to connect him with my client – the Chief Human Resources Officer. Long story short – he was hired and had a long and successful career at the company, eventually taking over as Chief Human Resources & Administration Officer of the entire company!

Did this former Marine officer envision his future as a corporate executive during his service? I don’t think so. Did his military experience prepare him to thrive when an unexpected fork in the road presented itself? Absolutely.

The path we travel to achieve our goals may not take the turns we expect. And where we start out may not predict where we’ll end up. What are your goals? How can you be open to new connections and opportunities? Who can help recognize and make these unrealized connections to others? If these are questions you are willing to ask yourself, I’d love to be part of the conversation.