The People I Get to Meet
One of the items I like most about my role as a Job Search Strategy and Acclimation Coach, is that it has afforded me the opportunity to meet a widely diverse set of individuals. That is something that I had never considered when I began my coaching practice. Some of them come from other parts of the United States. Others come into my life from various countries around the world. Many of them are brilliant people with degrees that I never have approached studying for in my life. And, others have developed âniche businessesâ for themselves, being conscious of the fact that there are needs people have, and that focusing on that need and that profession puts them in demand.
I was thinking of this recently, as I realized how it actually has impacted me as an individual. During my 30 year corporate career my focus was on one company, one department, often similar issues and problems, even as time went on and strategies evolved in how to solve them. I will never regret that part of my life. In fact, it helps me in my current role, because I have an empathy for those who come to me from corporate based careers.
However, the current life style and way I work has re-energized me at a point in my life when many consider moving into retirement. I find myself a more intent listener than ever before, listening in detail to the type of work individuals do, the problems they solve, the types of customers they serve. I look for connections between a person I am meeting, and someone I may have met previously. Sometimes a light bulb goes off in my head, and Iâll say I need to connect this person to whom I am speaking to someone else who previously entered my life. If that is not possible, I may be able to share an anecdote with the person that I am with to help them see that what they are facing is not insurmountable, and that there are steps they may be able to take to address it.
We all get to meet different people in our day to day lives. What sometimes is missing is our awareness of that fact. Awareness can be masked by our own busy schedules. It can be hidden by the fact we are so anxious to get our thoughts and opinions expressed, we donât take the time to listen to others. Other times that awareness can be masked by our own pre-conceived bias or mindset.
One of the items that I often look to impress on the people that may come to me in transition is the need to connect with other individuals. That connection should be more than just an exchange of business cards or a connection on Linked In. It should involve a getting to know you conversation, (in person if possible, or over the telephone if distance is an issue). It should mean you are prepared to want to learn about that person by having questions that get them to share their background, their skills and the problems they help solve for others. Additionally, it should be you sharing what is special about yourself, (we all do have special qualities, even if we donât always recognize them). That could be why you love the type of work you do, what challenges others often come to you with and the problems you help solve for others.
Remember, there are a world of people out there. And, while you can assume that you know what they are about, what interests them, what makes them special, you really donât learn that until you get to know them. Who are those new people you will come into your life, this week, this month or the rest of this year. Have some anticipation on meeting them as 2019 continues to unfold.
