By Andrea Bankier
Having reached a milestone of ten years in my consulting role at Sheffield, I have been reflecting on what motivates and engages me, and why staying in my current role is still a great career choice.
There are many reasons we choose to stay in a role or with an organisation. These motivations can be wide ranging and include:
- The challenge – are you consistently growing?
- Opportunities to learn
- Variety, autonomy, and flexibility
- Working with great people and a positive team spirit
- Exciting and interesting work and clients
- Positive leadership, a good manager
- A chance to grow skills, experiences and ultimately career
- A voice – being heard
- Remuneration.
Whether you stay in a role or decide to look for a new opportunity, you need to understand your own motivations and ‘what satisfies you’ in a role.
As another work year begins, it is a great time to reflect on your career so far, and where you would like it to head:
- What do you want to be doing in your career five years from now? Ten years from now?
- What aspect of your work has given you the greatest feeling of achievement and satisfaction?
What part has been most frustrating and unsatisfying?
- What job have you enjoyed the most/least? What was it about the job you enjoyed?
- What type of manager gets the best from you?
- What type of people do you enjoy working with or find difficult to work for/with?
- Think about a role you’ve had where the job responsibilities and the culture of the organisation were a good fit for you. What aspects made it such a good fit?
- Reflect on the work environment/culture in which you are most productive & happy.
- Have you had a job that didn’t offer something that was important to you? What was missing? How did you feel about that situation?
Now is a good time to take stock. Talking with your manager about your needs and what motivates you is also useful as you develop your career. If that hasn’t happened recently, book a coffee catch-up with them – you are then managing your own career and are likely to be more motivated and engaged.
Andrea can be reached via this link or through our website, www.sheffield.co.nz
Andrea Bankier is a senior consultant for Sheffield South Island. Andrea has a 20+ year track record of success as a consultant and facilitator across an extensive range of strategic and operational Human Resources and Organisational Development including Learning and Development, Leadership and Team Development, Performance Management, Talent Management, Change and Transition Management, Workforce Planning, Career Development and Leadership Coaching.