PROTECTING your CAREER

COULD it be there is an invisible enemy nibbling away at one of your dearest friends... that is your Career.

IF your career is just a job then I guess it doesn't matter... HOWEVER ask yourself the ONE thing almost ALL successful people have in common. They LOVE what they do. Their career is like their BEST friend...

I am assuming you are successful.. IF so I recommend asking

Whom you're protecting?
Your self, your family, your client

What you're protecting?
Your Skill, Your Value, Your Reputation, Your Trade Secrets, Your Lifestyle, Your Choices

Where do you have to protect it?
Your thoughts, Your perceptions, Your Beliefs, Your Reactions, Your Self Esteem, In leading, In participation, In delivering Promise... In Your Vision, Purpose, Health

When do you have to protect it?
Perhaps the BEST time to actively protect is between contracts. This is a great time to emerse into every aspect of review and repositioning. ITS WORTH remembering that GAPS in contracts are seen as a RED FLAG by some... it implies lesser quality... and that would be valid IF the contractor just sat there emoting by the phone INSTEAD of embracing it as a wonderful opportunity to immerse and reinvent that is denied the permanent employee. A permanent employee does NOT get access to the power of breaking away... stepping back... reevaluating... repositioning that a contractor has. Unfortunately that is also a time when pressure MOUNTS and feel MOST VULNERABLE.

Why you have to protect it and HOW does it Threaten?
Actually this part is perhaps the most simple yet most easily MISSED. The world is changing so rapidly odds are that you will make a mistake and get it wrong more often than not. Its just the way it is. There will be times when your skills become obsolete and no longer worth a dime. There will be times your skills become saturated in the market and reduce your income dramatically. There will be times when you get blocked from accessing leading edge that will breathe new life into your attractiveness. There will be times when the economy dives and you are stuck for extended periods on the bench. YES we SAY we accept that we can get it WRONG. YET each time we get it wrong stealth silently, unnoticeably pulls another support out from under us... QUIETLY, steadily, surely wearing away at our esteem, our certainty.

MAY I ASK

TO what EXTENT is implementing policies, procedures, training and awareness, and technology to reduce your risk of exposing your best friend that is your career to this quiet threat IMPORTANT? or is your career not that big a friend?