5 Career Sabotaging Moves To Stop Now

I don’t know when you’ll stumble upon this page, but it’s December 2020 and I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting on my career journey in general but also this year specifically. I’m going to take a wild guess that you’re in a career and you want to be successful at it. As much as it might be difficult to admit, we knowingly or unknowingly engage in self-sabotaging behaviors in the way we show up at work. Here are five career sabotaging moves to stop today!

1. Letting The Fear of Rejection Keep You Out of The Game

Too many times we disqualify ourselves from opportunities before we even try. I’ve done it to myself more times than I care to count at this point. Get IN the game, bet on yourself. Apply for that new role, that rotation, that promotion. Send the email, send the pitch, send the DM! Don’t let the first ‘no’ be your own.

If you do get rejected, the world won’t end. Try again!

2. You’re Letting Your Career Happen To You.

I will preach this sermon until I’m grey and old and even then I won’t stop. When’s the last time you sat back and thought about what you really want from your career?

Would you ever get onto an airplane and go wherever the plane goes for hundreds of flights without checking if the destination is in line with where you’re headed? Yet, we get into the habit of doing this with our careers. It’s perfectly fine to stay where you are IF that is right for you.

You should be strategic about your career but flexible in your methods. If you don’t know what you want, how will you know what opportunities to say yes or no to? Get out of the passenger seat and drive your career. If you don’t, one day you’ll wake up, look around and you might be unsure how you ended up where you are. Let’s avoid these sudden ‘come to Jesus’ moments 2, 5, 10 years down the line.

3. You’re Not Building a Rounded Network

How deep and how wide is your network? Many of us don’t bother networking at all, network within our little bubbles, or only network upwards. Network with your peers, you’ll rise together. Network across departments, so you’ll know people that can speak to different topics that way you don’t have to know everything, you just need to be plugged in to the right people for a topic.

People recommend those they know. Who knows you and your work? Let’s not forget LinkedIn, you and I both need to get active on it. Who knows, Clubhouse may be the new spot to grow your personal and professional network as well.

Network YOUR way, but network ANYWAY!

4. You’re Saying No To Opportunities

Do you find yourself always saying no to stretch opportunities out of fear of failure ? Do you find yourself saying no because you’d rather avoid the change in your routine and the stress from picking up something new?

While there’s wisdom in being intentional about your yes,’ new opportunities often prepare you for growth and promotion.

5. You’re Doing The Bare Minimum

You can’t do the bare minimum and expect exceptional outcome / growth. That would be magic or plain luck. Even if it happens, it won’t last. There’s no two ways about it . In my role , when we have conversations about promotion readiness, we ask the question‘ is this person ready for the next level, are they already playing the part for the seat they aspire to?’

The answer needs to be yes!

You don’t suddenly develop managerial skills on the day ‘manager’ is added to your title. You cannot choose when to be excellent. Hone your craft, do the work consistently, be known for something (good). How you do anything is how you do everything.

BONUS:

6. You Don’t Know What’s Important To Key Stakeholders (aka your boss)

When you work in an organization, it is important to be aligned with your boss’ priorities Until you become the CEO (CEOs actually answers to investors and customers), you cannot just be solely focused on what you want to give . Clarify and learn what is important to your boss and deliver on those priorities. Do not assume without having the conversation. From time to time , reconfirm because priorities may change .

7. You’re Not Communicating Upwards Early & Often

This is a lesson I personally relearned this year (yes, I too need reminders after over a decade in this game). Set up A cadence to give your boss updates on your projects before they ask you. In doing so, you’re giving them the information they’ll likely need in other interactions with clients or their own bosses. You’re also building goodwill with them by letting them know you’re on top of things. Get to know your boss’s preference for these updates and do it consistently. If your boss has to chase you all the time for updates, it’s not a good look!

If you read this far, thanks for reading these career sabotaging moves to stop per my 7 am brain dump from my year-end reflections! Looking for some of my other career-related posts? Read this one about my lessons from 10 years in a global career. I’m excited for you to grow in your career this new year and always! While you’re at it, please share this post with someone that you think might learn a tip or two.

Till next time,

Dee (Ms. Heels)