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Write Your Own Screenplay

Imagine Yourself in Future Roles

ARE YOU ENJOYING the journey outside of your Comfort Zone? How’s it feel to be trying some new things? You are trying to expand yourself, right? Are you pushing yourself out of your normal routine? Meeting some new people? Looking at things through a wider lens? Admitting that you don’t have all the answers? Great, that’s exactly what you should be doing. You won’t grow and develop new skills if you don’t challenge yourself differently than you have in the past. Think of it this way: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’re always going to get the same results. You have to break out and take charge of your development in new and exciting ways, or you won’t grow as a leader.

Here’s an exercise that really challenges you to look at things differently: Visualize yourself in a different role, environment, and industry. That’s right—take another step outside the Comfort Zone by imagining what you’d be doing if you weren’t in your current organization, doing this particular job. Now you might ask: “What does this have to do with developing my leadership skills?” Good question, but let’s withhold the answer for awhile and get into the exercise.

Start with Your Dream Job

What is it that you love doing? Don’t think in terms of a specific role when answering this question; instead, write down the activities that get you excited. Do you like solving problems? Teaching people? Building relationships? Doing deals? Building a business from scratch? Developing a team? What is it that you enjoy most (the list might include things you haven’t gotten a chance to try yet). What work-related activities motivate you most? Limit your list to five; you’ll find that’s enough to give you a clear view of your dream job. If you could build a job that allows you to do these five activities most of the time, wouldn’t that be great?

Next, rank order the following work environments from most to least desirable: large corporation, small company, consulting or professional services firm, nonprofit organization, government agency or public service, independent contractor. There may be other career options, but these six cover most of the bases. What’s right for you? Again, be honest with yourself. What appeals to you as you look ahead to the rest of your career? It may not be the current situation you find yourself in today. In my case, I’ve worked in all of these environments with the exception of government, and each of them has something different to offer. Early in my career, I worked in a small consulting firm, which required me to learn all of the parts of the business; we were so small that we all had to pitch in and do the little things. Later, I went to a small company, where I felt a real sense of purpose and inclusion; even though I was young, I got to be part of the management team that was striving to grow the company. Then I had the privilege of working in some well-respected large corporations, where I really felt the mission and excitement that comes with working for a winner. Later, I served on the board of a nonprofit organization and now work as an independent consultant, which gives me the flexibility and freedom to meet new people and broaden my skills. Clearly, the sum of those experiences has made me who I am today, just as your experiences have shaped you. As you look at this list, consider where your heart is leading you. Are you in the environment that’s right for you, or are you ready to move to a different type of organizational structure and experience?

Finally, think about what industries or market segments interest you most. Are you fascinated with alternative energy? Are you drawn to life-saving industries such as health care or pharmaceuticals? Have you always wanted to work outdoors rather than in an office? What about public service? Do you like knowledge worker industries (technology) or customer interface businesses (travel, entertainment)? Give thought to the products and services that you really want to be associated with; from there, it’s a quick leap to which specific companies you might want to work in. This exercise is pretty simple, isn’t it? You’ve now established what you want to do, where you want to do it, and the type of organizational environment that seems best for you. Congratulations, you’ve just created your imaginary “dream role” scenario.

How Does This Help Me Today?

Now let’s answer the question: “What does this have to do with developing my leadership skills?” Have you figured it out yet? There are three reasons to take a step back and imagine your dream role. First, it elicits the realization that this is your responsibility. If you don’t first dream it, then chances are it won’t become reality—no one else can envision the perfect job or career for you. Did you even realize these things about yourself? In my coaching practice, I repeatedly ask executives to do this exercise, and I’m continually amazed at how many have never thought about their skills or career in this way. You need to know these things about yourself: what you enjoy doing, where you would like to do work, and the type of organization you prefer. Give yourself the gift of reflection and insight—in this case, into your own hopes and dreams.

The second reason to do this is rather obvious: If this is what you want, how can you make it happen right now, in your current role? Think about your answer seriously. You already have the power to change how you spend your time, so make sure the majority of it is spent doing the things you enjoy best. As for what industry your firm is in, OK, so maybe you can’t change that overnight. But maybe you can drive innovation that helps your company discover new products or markets, or maybe you can open new business channels with a little creativity. That might take you closer to the type of industry you want to be in. What about your environment? If you work in a large bureaucratic company but prefer a smaller environment, invent ways to make your corner of it feel like a small, entrepreneurial start-up. If you work in a small company but prefer a large corporate environment, create ways to add discipline and process to the way things get done, just like the big guys. How can you help your team be more consultative, or perform better in service to others?

Finally, this exercise may help you when the time comes to think about taking on a new career challenge (either inside or outside the company). You’re bound to face this decision several times in your professional life. What are you using to guide those assessments? Knowing what you want to do, where you want to do it, and who you want to do it with helps to clarify the choices and point you in the right direction.

The point is this: It’s great that you’re busy in your current role; you’re dedicated to your team and the company, and hopefully, you’re happy there. But you need to write your own career story as you go along, and to do so you need to envision your career a few years down the road. After all, if you don’t know where you want to go, no one else will, either. Identify what’s important to you, and follow your heart. You just might take the first steps on a whole new leadership journey!

Bootstrap Takeaways

Imagine Yourself in Future Roles

1. Think ahead to the next stretch of your career journey: What do you want to do? What interests you? Where do you want to do it and with whom?

2. Document your desired activities, industries, and work environments. Have a clue about where you might want to be at the next stage of your career.

3. This is something that only you can do—no one can do this for you. Take an interest in your own future, and be ready to take a potentially big step outside your Comfort Zone!