Many of us would like to move up the corporate ladder. Certain psychological techniques can help on the way to achieving the desired goal. What exactly to do, says psychotherapist Elena Ulitova.
There are many managers of different levels among my clients. Most of them are counting on career advancement and apply with a corresponding request. Working with them, I apply an algorithm that may be useful to others.
The whole task is divided into two main stages, and each of them includes five points, which are formulated as questions.
Stage 1. Create an image of the target
1.What place are you dreaming of? When I am asked to help in getting to a higher position, I suggest starting with this question. A place, both literally and figuratively. This is a different workspace, a new office. What will it be like?
“I know very well how everything will look like,” Daria, 27, replies, “it looks like my boss’s office, which I often go to. The same big table, the same chair. But I will definitely put flowers on the windowsill — I like it when there is something alive in the room.
Working conditions will also change, perhaps the schedule will be different. There will be new subordinates, colleagues and managers, tasks, functions, responsibilities.
“I will have to compile a monthly report,” Daria continues, “but I know very well how this is done, because I am already collecting all the data for him. Only now — in a new role, I send it myself, it is signed with my last name.
2.What new abilities will you have? That is the next question. “I will need to analyze more information and give a quick answer,” says 37-year-old Vitaliy.
“In this position, I have the ability to pick up an excellent team,” says Anna, his age, “and I know how to find a suitable job for everyone in which he is as effective as possible.”
3. What new beliefs—about yourself, about others, about life in general? “I am sure that I can manage a large team, like a conductor of an orchestra,” continues Anna. “When everyone understands his signs and obeys his instructions, the result is a well-coordinated work that everyone enjoys.”
Other answers most often sound like this: “Finally, I can say about myself:“ I am fulfilled, ”I help others to fulfill their desires.”
4.You yourself — what (what) will you be when you achieve what you want? Many people say: “I am a manager”, “I am a boss”, “an accomplished person”.
5.Why are you making your dreams come true? Most often, the answers are as follows: for myself (in order to be creatively realized), for the sake of my family (the life of my loved ones will become more prosperous), for the sake of my profession (I bring new knowledge to it).
Vitaly says: “Father will finally see what I have achieved and will be proud of me.”
Is it useful for us if we do something not for ourselves, but in order to prove to someone (usually a father or mother, less often other relatives, teachers or classmates) what we are worth?
If this is the only motivation, then there is a chance that after a short moment of triumph, the work will no longer bring us satisfaction. But if this is an additional motivation that is important to the client, I see no reason to convince him that this is not good. A similar motive — to prove his worth to his father — is present in many men.
And women rather dream of surprising their mothers. “Mom will see that everything works out for me, that I manage on my own, that I am independent and competent,” says Daria.
6.How do you feel when the goal is reached? Usually, after this question, clients straighten their shoulders, raise their heads, talk about such sensations in the body as warmth in the chest, free breathing. “The same feeling that I experienced when they told me that I won the school olympiad,” Anna replies. “It’s like walking on the ground, but you know that you can take off at any moment if you want.”
Stage 2. Plan the steps to achieve the goal
After the client gets a clear idea of what he is striving for, what he will feel, see how he himself and his view of the world will change, we move on to the planning stage. There are two important questions here that need to be answered.
- First: what will I lose on the way to my goal?
- Second: what will I lose by achieving the result?
Usually it seems to us that if we rise above the place where we are now, then we will get nothing but bonuses and benefits. Sometimes it does.
But much more often, achievements are accompanied by losses that we did not think about. For many, they are unexpected and prevent them from experiencing the joy of acquisitions. Therefore, I propose to consciously weigh all the pros and cons in advance and make a decision not blindly, but with full responsibility.
Should I think about it even earlier? Until the goal is set and felt, its image is unclear and it is almost impossible to realize what will have to be abandoned in order to achieve it.
1. How will your life change when you find yourself in the desired place? Common answers: “I will lose time for rest, for meetings with loved ones”, “I will lose my freedom”.
“I will have a big responsibility — I won’t be able to leave for the weekend with my phone turned off,” Victor says.
Clients often have a new awareness at this stage. Some understand that the losses may be greater than the gains, and decide to postpone their plans or even abandon them. They begin to appreciate what they have now.
Sometimes people realize that the named goal does not actually belong to themselves, but was the result of introjects (uncritically learned beliefs) that career growth is an indispensable component of success in life. Then their views change. And those who are still ready to move towards the goal do it more responsibly.
2.What will you need to reach your goal? “I need additional education, new communication skills”, “read a lot of specialized literature”, “take time management courses”, “learn a foreign language”.
3. What are your resources? This is not an easy question. Most of us see obstacles much more clearly than what can help us.
Therefore, here I usually suggest to clients that resources include their own qualities, such as willpower, the ability to motivate themselves, or the habit of getting things done, building a hierarchy of tasks and starting from the main (or, conversely, the simplest). Already accumulated knowledge that you can rely on. And conscious incompetence, that is, knowledge of what knowledge is lacking, and the desire to obtain it. This is also a resource.
Finally, there are people who can inspire by example, share their achievement strategy, teach individual skills, or simply cheer with the words “you can do it, I believe in you.” And also we, psychologists, and the opportunity to consult.
4. When do you want to take this or that step? Here, much depends on the specific case: on the distance between the current state of affairs and the intended goal, opportunities, resources, on the presence of other desires and goals … Someone needs a month, and someone needs several years.
5. In what mode do you want to do it? Most often, it turns out that my clients (most of whom are working families) can take 2 hours in the morning and one hour on Saturdays and Sundays in the evening to achieve the goal.
And again, we find out what they are willing to sacrifice for this: communication in social networks, time spent with family, leisure, entertainment. Target dates are also assigned for intermediate stages, and the criterion by which the client knows that the main goal has been achieved.
“Planning helps a lot,” says Vitaliy, “I can move step by step and see my progress.” After that, the action check begins.
Sometimes times change as a result.
Why? This is best answered with an old story.
A traveler on his way to Athens met a resident of this city on the way and asked how much longer the journey was. He told him: «Go!» The traveler considered the Athenian impolite and went on. Then he heard the answer: «In two hours you will be in Athens.» «But why didn’t you answer right away?» «Because I couldn’t answer until I knew how fast you were going.»
Sometimes we don’t even know how fast we can move, so an action check is necessary.