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Creating Your Next Opportunity

Article # 28, Synchronistically Speaking series, September 2010

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable."

~Helen Keller

It seems that stories of people who have lost their jobs or experienced some kind of massive change in their personal and professional lives are becoming more and more common. Most of us know at least one person that has been affected by these kinds of turbulences. These are tough experiences that require people to summon up every ounce of courage, resilience and faith they have. When we relate to others who are in the thick of it, it is easy to respond with sympathy at the things they have lost - the certainty, the stability, the income - whatever it might be. Yet these very challenges bring with them magnificent gifts that people cannot recognize when they are focused entirely on the difficulties they present.

In many cases, people who are experiencing dramatic changes will be the first to tell you that they were not entirely happy with the way things were before - comfortable maybe, but not totally satisfied. I have had a number of clients who were realizing that their jobs were no longer aligned with their greater goals and visions long before those jobs went away. Some of them will go so far to admit that even though they knew it was time for a change, chances that they would have taken such a leap on their own were slim. One client refused to even consider other options out of loyalty for the very organization that ended up eliminating his job.

Once a dramatic change has been imposed, we find ourselves in limbo land - that unfamiliar place between what once was and what has yet to be. It is quite unsettling, and it drives us to bridge the gap with something - anything - even remotely comforting. This inclination often seeks people to find situations that are similar to those they left - even if they are less than optimal. Out of fear, panic and a need to pay their bills and feed their families, they experience enormous pressure to take whatever opportunity comes along.

But when you realize that the change you find yourself experiencing may be the very thing that would allow you to transition from something that wasn't serving you into a new scene that holds new promise and possibility, you can navigate through limbo land a little more deliberately - with intention, patience and faith.

Most of us are inclined to look for opportunities that are pre-packaged. We might start with the want ads, search the internet, or utilize a professional search firm to identify organizations seeking to hire someone for a specific job. Those interested in staying with their current organization are likely to look to job boards for jobs that have been posted or keep their ear to the ground for opportunities that will soon be bid out. This is what we have been conditioned to do. And in many cases, it works beautifully. But sometimes it will lead us to accept a position that isn't quite right. It may have elements of our ideal work, but not be a complete fit.

In addition to the job openings that are advertised and already in place are a myriad of possibilities that have not yet taken form. The gift that comes with chaos of change is that when nothing is certain, anything is possible. Many organizations are in the midst of widespread restructuring. To adjust to changing markets, economic conditions and emerging challenges and opportunities, they are shifting the way they do business. If you can learn enough about an organization to determine how someone with your unique talent and blend of experience and attributes can come in and help an organization rise up to the challenges facing them, you may be able to propose creative ways to move the organization forward that are a perfect fit for yourself and the company.

At the intersection of your talent, passion and energy and an organization's unmet needs is your opportunity for excellence and contribution - and the potential is limitless.

I'm not saying this is easy. It does require a bit of ground work and research. However, taking those vital steps will expand the opportunities available to you and increase the chances that the next job you land is aligned not only with your need to generate income, but also with your need to do work that is satisfying, challenging and aligned with who you really are.

Claire was ready for a change. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to do. She longed for more excitement in her work and was eager to explore different areas of the organization than those she had previously worked within, but felt certain there were no job openings in any of the areas she was interested in. In our coaching meetings, Claire expressed frustration over her perception that there just didn't seem to be any opportunities that would allow her to branch out. Though she wasn't clear on the specific job she wanted or what her title might be, she did have some solid ideas about what she wanted to do. So she began to make a list.

In the process of thinking about what she wanted her ideal job to be like, she considered the kind of boss she wanted to work for, the degree of autonomy and flexibility she desired, the type of team she might like to lead, and the nature of the work. She wrote down the qualities and attributes of her desired position, as well as the talents and skills she wanted to bring into it and added to the page as new things occurred to her. Every so often, she opened the drawer in which she kept her list and read it as though she had rediscovered it a year in the future and was looking back on it with amazement that all the items she specified had come to fruition. She allowed herself to feel the excitement and thrill over having realized that her dreams were coming true.

As Claire gained clarity on the specific area of the organization she wanted to work in, she began to learn more about it and get to know the people there and the challenges they faced. She realized that she had skills and experience that would bring a new perspective to meeting those challenges and solve some of the problems that had not yet been addressed - and offered suggestions whenever she could. Within six months of creating her list, Claire was approached by executives from the area in which she wanted to work. They proposed to create a special position that would allow her to utilize her expertise and insights to help them seize emerging opportunities and wanted her input on what that job should look like.

Here are three things Claire did to create her opportunity that you can do as well:

(1) Get clear on what you want most. Spend some time identifying attributes of your ideal job. What is the nature of the work? What kind of people would you be surrounded with? What would the values of the organization or team be? What would the hours be like? What would your boss be like? What would be the major contributions you could make? Start a list and continue to add to it whenever you think of something new. Read the list often and imagine that it is part of a job description that will soon be yours - feel the gratitude and excitement it brings.

(2) Look around and identify companies (or divisions within your current organization) that intrigue you. Learn more about the current and emerging challenges that face them and how you might be uniquely positioned to help. Don't be discouraged if there is not already a job opening. Think of your approach as one of a consultant whose aim is to help the organization become more successful by bringing to the table whatever would benefit that organization most.

(3) Become aware of any promptings or impulses you get about what you can do to make your ideal job a reality - and ACT ON THEM! As you get clearer on your desired reality, you will talk and act in ways that bring it closer to you. Opportunities that previously escaped your attention will make themselves known and your intuition will tell you what you need to do to seize them - if you ask and listen.

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Diane Bolden is passionate about working with leaders to unleash human potential. An executive coach and organization development professional with over 18 years of experience in leadership development, coaching and consulting, Diane has worked with managers, directors and vice presidents/officers in Fortune 500 companies and non profit organizations to achieve higher levels of performance and success by helping them to bring out the best in themselves and everyone around them. To receive her free special report on Ten Traps Leaders Set for Themselves ~ and How to Avoid Them, visit www.UnleashTheExtraordinary.com.

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