Our paradigms dramatically affect our judgment and our decision making by influencing our perceptions. Paradigms are sets of rules and regulations that do two things: 1.) They establish boundaries 2.) They provide rules for success by allowing for problems to be solved within these boundaries.
In order to make a good judgment about career planning (the future) and to successfully accomplish crafting a career plan, we must recognize our current boundaries and be ready to go beyond them. Example: Yes, I believe I can achieve the ‘American Dream!’
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If we want to get individuals to buy into the importance of career planning we must first address the paradigms that may negate the validity of career planning.
We live in a world of ambiguities: globalization, a rigged system, representatives that are not responsive to our needs and institutions that put self-interest over the needs of people and of the country.
Strategies, tactics and tools must be provided to respond to the paradigms. This can minimize the emotional response of not buying into the validity that individuals influence the outcome of their actions. When an individual ‘buys in’, acceptance occurs because the individual has self-identified with the concept and recognizes the principle of ‘what is in it for me.’ For the individual, this facilitates the process of taking ‘ownership’ and leads to self-guided engagement, initiative and creativity to achieve the plan.
When the planning process is ‘owned’ by the individual, then the emotional disbelief of ‘why it is important to have a career plan?’ is not an issue.
How do you craft a career plan (need analysis, resources, create plan)?
How do you identify your gaps in learning (conducting talent assessments to create a talent profile)?
How do you begin to fill those gaps (development strategies)?
These questions are now open to a reasoned, rational, and critical thinking approach.
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