Looking For Skills for Career Success?

Despite being an ambitious woman and starting out my career being more successful than I imagined, I had a problem that limited me. That problem was me. But I didn’t know that for decades and even when I realized it, I didn’t want to change it. Until I had to. When I started to look inward, I realized that it was one of the critical skills for career success that many women overlook.

Looking in the Mirror for Career Success

The truth was hard to admit, and I did everything to avoid it.

I wasn’t fooling anyone — I was the person who was holding me back from even more success. Until I chose to look myself in the mirror and actively try to understand and change what I was doing, nothing would change.

But, why in the world would I do that? Why would I spend so much energy trying to be successful but at the same time be engaging in self-sabotage?

It’s a ridiculous pattern, but I would bet you do the same thing.

Radical Honesty and Personal Accountability are Critical Skills for Career Success

The key for me was turning inward — taking an inventory of all the thoughts, all the behaviors — that were serving me or not.

And then understanding why they were present.

And then deciding what I wanted less of and more of.

And then doing the work to change it.

No one else could change my experience of life except for me. I was tired of being angry and unhappy and feeling like life was so hard and being done “to” me.

I was seeing life through the lens of victimhood, and frankly I was tired of my own whining.

Skills for Career Success Starts with Your Perspective

Sure, tactical career skills are important — and I teach them.

But those mean nothing if the way you think and the behaviors that thinking creates are getting in the way.

Employers, leaders, peers and your direct reports care about the soft skills that you develop through personal improvement. The only way to develop soft skills is by becoming more aware about how those show up in the workplace and by being intentional about the way you show up.

Because, wherever you go, there you are.

How to Get Support

If you’re looking for skills for career success, click on the “Work With Vanessa” link to find out how I can help you.