[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/know.jpg” custom_padding=”0|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”91px|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.0.9″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_line_height=”1.1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet”]<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s About What You Know!<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/david-ivers.png” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.23″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|”]DAVID IVERS<\/span><\/a> \u201cIpsa Scientia Potestas est\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n meaning\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Knowledge Itself is Power<\/span><\/a><\/em>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sir Francis Bacon (1597)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Meditations Sacrae and Human Philosophy\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When the term <\/span>\u2018The Transition Decade\u2019<\/span><\/a>, a term I coined in my January 2020 article by the same name at careersingovernment.com, is used, it is more than reasonable to conclude, even on elementary grounds, that the pursuit of knowledge will need to feature significantly throughout this decade. The reason is very simple. The more the workforce transitions towards a more agile and technologically enhanced entity within society, the more complex the knowledge base will be. If your intent is to be the master of your own destiny, rather than being subservient to whatever destiny picks out for you in terms of a career, then the pursuit of knowledge is the key.<\/span><\/p>\n Typically the more you know, the more you can engage in an informed critical analysis, the more you can apply your learnings to the world around you, the more successful you most likely will have been by the end of \u2018The Transition Decade\u2019. In this regard, Sir Francis Bacon (writing in the 16th Century, long before computers and the silicon chip), has provided us with a hidden truth, a mantra worth remembering. If you ever have reason to wonder about this, look at the motto of some well-known Universities. Many will have the Latin word Scientia (Knowledge) or Veritas (Truth) in them. In fact, according to <\/span>Wikipedia<\/span><\/a>, world-wide, there are at least 126 Universities and Colleges that refer to Scientia or Knowledge and at least 127 Universities or Colleges that refer to Veritas or Truth. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude that knowledge in the pursuit of truth has and will continue to be of value in a decade of transition.<\/span><\/p>\n Some may already find themselves caught in what is often referred to as a \u2018mid-career rut\u2019. The Harvard Business Review addressed this at the dawn of \u2018The Transition Decade\u2019 in an excellent article by Laurence Minsky and Julia Tang Peters entitled: \u201cAre You at Risk of a Mid-Career Rut?\u201d In this article, they surveyed 500 mid-career respondents. What they discovered was that people who might be considered mid-career, typically ages 40-48, are at times in greater need of guidance around career issues than those just starting out in their career.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe results were startling: Less than 50% of decisions made in mid-career were rated as successful. People are most susceptible to making decisions that lead to less-than-successful outcomes between the ages of 40 and 48, according to respondent assessments. The people reporting less-than-successful outcomes strongly agreed with such statements as:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cWhen making this decision, I was so busy with day-to-day work that I didn\u2019t have enough time to think strategically.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ make_equal=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” module_class=” et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” make_fullwidth=”on” custom_width_px=”680px”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/know3.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ background_color=”#efefe9″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/know2.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ animation=”off”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|” _builder_version=”4.0.9″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#818178″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20%|10%||10%” custom_margin_tablet=”|10%||10%” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”]<\/p>\n Some may already find themselves caught in what is often referred to as a \u2018mid-career rut\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#888888″ text_font_size=”12″ text_letter_spacing=”2px” text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||20%|” custom_margin_tablet=”20px|||” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet”]DAVID IVERS <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cAt the time I constantly second-guessed myself and tried to talk myself out of making a change.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cI found the whole process of making the decision stressful and unnerving.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In other words, at the very time when people attain management roles and need to make the decisions that could improve the enterprise \u2014 as well as decisions that could advance their career \u2014 many become trapped in the status quo. Focusing on the tasks of managing the day-to-day, managers stay in their comfort zones rather than setting new directions.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Minsky, L, Peters, J.T. (September 2019). \u201c<\/span>Are You at Risk of a Mid-Career Rut?<\/span><\/a>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are a variety of reasons for this. It is not unusual for the leadership team of an organization to have a higher tolerance of risk, especially when they have managers who are more risk-averse, as they manage the risk of the organization. As Minsky and Peters (2019) note: \u201cthe average mid-career manager feels they have more to lose if they make a mistake. They talk themselves into making decisions that play it safe, where they feel in control. They put off decisions when they should be examining what needs to change. In decision-making moments, they overestimate the risks of change and underestimate the risks of preserving the status quo.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are of course other possibilities. In some instances, they might simply be too good at their job. In other words, they are so astute at assessing risk, they have a reasonable risk appetite and continuously read the scene well, that it would be \u2018illogical\u2019 for the organization to promote them and thus lose that degree of certainty. The other possibility is that they have risen as far as they should go if professional competency is key criteria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n No matter what the reason and no doubt there are others, education in the broadest sense is required. According to the <\/span>Collins Dictionary<\/span><\/a>, Educate and Education is derived from two Latin words \u2018Educare\u2019 meaning \u201crear and train\u201d and \u2018Educere\u2019, meaning to \u201clead out of.\u201d Working with this definition, coaching has a true educative function for a person finding their career in a rut. This coaching might be \u2018in-house\u2019 or via an external provider. Done well, coaching should really get the person to go on that inner-journey of the self, to determine what the blockages might be. Sometimes it can be as simple as changing your own narrative. Once your own narrative changes and people notice the change to a more positive narrative, things often follow and usually for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Harvard Graduate School of Education professors Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, any failure to meet goals and bring about change in life, may be derived from an <\/span>\u2018Immunity to Change\u2019<\/span><\/a>, which happens to be the title of their book on the subject. The locus of the problem lies with the person\u2019s emotional state. Simply, moving out of or away from the known into an unknown, is often too much work, for no guarantee of any reward and thus emotionally draining. This nexus between status-quo and emotional well-being is very powerful. It is for example, why some people stay with an expensive mortgage, when a better rate and repayment may well be at the bank next door. The same is true when we think about career advancement. Having had the pleasure of attending Harvard Graduate School of Education and listening to Professor Kegan explain this and then the process to overcome the immunity to change, was life-changing for this writer! They advocate a four-step process<\/span><\/p>\n For more information see: Harvard Extension School. (ND). <\/span>The Surprising Reason We Don\u2019t Keep Our Resolutions (and How to Overcome It)<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n The recurring theme here is that often progression, change, advancement, will start with working on your inner-self. That personal knowledge and transformation is critical and as mentioned in my previous articles on <\/span>www.careersingovernment.com<\/span><\/a> you need a <\/span>personal plan<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n You also need to consider updating or diversifying your current knowledge base and skillset. This might be as simple as updating your First Aid and CPR qualifications, through to graduate courses and professional education programs. The Pew Research Centre asked a range of experts, Professors and Researchers in areas as diverse as Computer Science, to Communications, to Marketing, Data Analysis, Policy Analysis and Psychology, where they saw the future of work headed.<\/span><\/p>\n The Pew Research team, led by Lee Rainie and Janna Anderson, developed Five Themes from the experts. These were:<\/span><\/p>\n Theme 1:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The training ecosystem will evolve, with a mix of innovation in all education formats.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0Theme 2:\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Learners must cultivate 21st-century skills, capabilities, and attributes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0Theme 3:\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n New credentialing systems will arise as self-directed learning expands.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n Concerns:<\/strong><\/p>\n Theme 4:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Training and learning systems will not meet 21st-century needs by 2026.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0Theme 5:\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Jobs? What jobs? Technological forces will fundamentally change work and the economic landscape\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||60px|”]David Ivers is from Sydney, Australia. He is a qualified Primary and Secondary School Teacher. In total, he has served on school leadership teams for 16 years in senior leadership roles.
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Hopeful Themes:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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