Vitality Increasing

Congratulations. You have taken a lot of initiative to get your career on track. You have
chosen a profession or trade, learned to use technology creatively, created a learning
path for yourself, and you do outstanding work. You can continue building a
sustainable career through taking initiative and showcasing your accomplishments. A
good way to demonstrate your value to yourself and others is to conduct an annual
accomplishment audit. Study the relationship between your work and the
measureable

01Determine how your accomplishments have contributed to the bottom line.

To better customer service. To the organization's reputation.

02Summarize the bottom-line value of what you provide. Try to put it in terms of
financial results.

03Ask others to evaluate your accomplishments. Ask them how they would
assess your contribution to the bottom line. What are their metrics?

04Think about complaints you’ve heard from customers or colleagues that

warrant new or different procedures. List a few.

05Brainstorm with other colleagues ways to improve the procedures and what
that would contribute to your customers or the organization.

06Determine what it might take to initiate such a change and enroll your
manager or team in doing so.


 07Take initiative and intelligent risks! Propose solutions! Don't wait to be asked
for your recommendations. Act as if it's your organization and it will be. You will
thrive.

Answers That Determined This Score

#01
I am working to become a master in my profession/trade.
Completely True

#02
I am evaluated as "outstanding" or "exceeding expectations" in my job performance.
Completely True

#03
I regularly look for ways to improve how I do my work.
Completely True

#04
I often initiate the projects on which I work.
Completely True

#05
I have a portfolio of accomplishments that clearly demonstrates the quality of my
work.
Mostly True

Profession 17 / 20
Profession
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Vitality Increasing
Congratulations! You've chosen a profession or trade that is important to your
organization and of value to you personally. You've learned how to build a support
network of fellow professionals or trades people and may have had several mentors
along the way. You're good at what you do and others probably come to you for
coaching and advice. So what else could you be doing to maintain the vitality of your
profession or trade?


 01Determine associations, study groups, seminars, or meetings you can
attend that increase the opportunities for learning and feedback from clients and
colleagues.

02Create opportunities to observe people doing similar work or projects in

other companies or parts of your own organization.

03Discuss changes in the profession and trade and discover new skills or
technology that you will need to master to stay competitive.

04Be on the lookout for projects, assignments, or work experiences that will
keep you at the forefront of your profession or trade. Make them happen.

05Discover the experts or leaders in your profession or trade and learn how
to access their thinking and expertise.

06Study the journals, webcasts, and videos that capture the changing trends
in your profession or trade And always be asking, "what is the implication for me
and my career?"
Answers That Determined This Score

#06
My profession/trade has professional and trade associations that are easy to join.
Partially True

#07
My profession/trade has a clear path for attaining mastery.
Completely True

#08
My profession/trade provides work opportunities in many different types of
organizations and industries.
Completely True

#09
My profession/trade requires competencies that can be applied to other
professions/trades.
Mostly True

#10
My profession/trade offers both personal fulfillment and financial compensation.
Completely True

Industry 18 / 20
Industry
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Vitality Increasing
Congratulations! You appear to be in a vital industry. While an industry may be in an
overall growth phase, not all organizations within that industry grow at the same rate
and, indeed, some may not be growing at all. Therefore, you need to look for
organizations in your industry that are making the kinds of changes needed to renew
themselves and meet the challenges of the future. Stay abreast of the fundamental
technologies in your industry and how various organizations employ them.

01List some of the recent technological shifts in the industry. Given those
shifts, name those technologies that will probably become obsolete in the next
three to five years.

02Brainstorm with colleagues the technological breakthroughs or trends in

other industries that might impact your industry.

03Determine which trends will most impact your profession, trade, or job.


04Specify the new competencies you need to learn in order to take advantage
of these shifts in technology.
 

05Is your current organization open to these changes and leveraging them?
Or resisting?

06Name the products and services generated by your industry that didn’t
exist two years ago.

07Determine where most of the innovations in the industry come from? Your
organization? Other organizations? Your country? Other countries?

08Discuss the implications for your profession or trade based on business

expansion or contraction in your industry with your manager or mentor.
Answers That Determined This Score

#11
My industry demonstrates high growth potential.
Completely True

#12
My industry has strong competition between firms across global markets.
Completely True

#13
My industry serves a basic human need that will exist for many years to come.
Partially True

#14
My industry has a large or growing impact on the national economy.
Completely True

#15
My industry continues to expand its products and services.
Completely True
Organization 16 / 20
Organization
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Vitality Increasing
There's an old saying that very bad and very good organizations have a similar
problem: retaining really good people. The good people in growing, vibrant
organizations are in great demand by others with high aspirations! You know you are
in a great organization when the organization is committed to learning and
development and workers are well informed and empowered. Employees who feel
their opinions and expertise are taken seriously by leaders are employees who are
more likely to be passionate and professional in their work. They are always seeking
ways to learn more and make the organization a better place for employees and for
customers. When their expertise and experience tell them there's a better way to do a
job, they expect the people in charge to listen to them. They are also willing to risk a
certain amount of career uncertainty to gain control over their lives. The most vital
organizations share power with employees and foster learning and development. Here
are some recommendations for exploring your organization's learning and
empowerment culture:

01Brainstorm ways you could have more access to organization leaders and
decision makers. What are the forums? What could you do to have more access?

02Use the structures and systems that are in place for hearing and acting on
employee ideas and recommendations? E-mail, "town hall" meetings, lunch with
the leaders, open-door policy, etc.

03Do you feel you can innovate, challenge the status quo, push back, ask
questions, and take risks?

04Talk with your manager about the structures and systems in place to pass
on wisdom and know-how, so that people in other parts of the organization
profit from learning everywhere in the organization. If the systems need
enhancement, what are your ideas?
 

05Think about how you learn best. Discuss this with your manager or mentor
and make opportunities for your own learning.

06What practices are in place to encourage organizational learning and

retaining the knowledge base of the organization?

07Find a mentor in an area that is really important for your career.

Answers That Determined This Score

#16
My organization includes leaders in professions that are at the core of the industry.
Mostly True

#17
My organization has access to and uses the latest technology and telecommunications
tools.
Partially True

#18
My organization has well-respected managers – people want to work with them.
Mostly True

#19
My organization fosters and rewards learning and development.
Completely True

#20
My organization shares power and information with all employees.
Completely True

Positions/Projects 19 / 20
Positions/Projects
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Vitality Increasing
Congratulations. Right now you’re in a vital job. Have you thought seriously about
redefining your current job? Actively seek new ways to 'keep the juices flowing' -
initiate new projects - try to set aside some time and resources to do exploratory
development on new ideas for improvement of methods, practices, and procedures.
Make your job a showcase of your unique abilities. Develop your leadership skills.
Oftentimes in large organizations, a person gets known for his or her unique
contribution - be it the way they manage a complex project, understand and take care
of difficult customers, manage a plant, develop marketing campaigns, or handle
complex contract negotiations. This is great for the organization - they have the talent
required to do the job. However, the trap at getting so well known for a certain
function or specialty is that management doesn't want to let you go. They're afraid of
the results if you move on, and you get stuck and stop learning. You may even feel like
you have to give up on your long-term aspirations. Recommendations for ways to build
your mastery in your current position:

01Suggest you begin training your replacement.



02Become a member of some virtual teams that are working on projects of

great interest to you.

03Start delegating some of your work to high potential people and become
their mentor.

04Scan the organization for projects, jobs, experiences where you could add
even greater value and quantify the ROI for you making that move.

05Determine the next 2-3 jobs or projects you'd like to have and sell your
manager or mentor on helping you accomplish your goals.

06Conduct a trend analysis on future issues that your job will need to cope
with and begin developing plans to do so.
Answers That Determined This Score

#21
My position/project is critical to this organization's ability to fulfill its purpose.
Completely True

#22
My position/project requires ongoing skill development and higher levels of mastery.
Completely True

#23
My position/project fits my personal values and interests.
Mostly True

#24
My position/project gives me contacts and visibility in other parts of the organization.
Completely True

#25
My position/project is not routine, repetitive, or mind-numbing.
Completely True