Defining Career Purpose

Are you measuring what matters in your organization? A comprehensive measure of organizational effectiveness includes much more than profit margins and growth rates. The market and media often celebrate companies that show rapid financial growth or high profitability, leading to a cultural bias towards these metrics as signs of success BUT the tide is slowly turning- more businesses are recognizing the long-term value of a holistic approach to effectiveness and success. Many more businesses are embracing the concept of the "Triple Bottom Line," which measures success not just by financial profit ("Profit"), but also by the company's impact on people ("People") and the planet ("Planet"). HOWEVER 🚨 There is more work to be done! The prioritization of non-financial elements of organizational success can get pushed aside when financial pressures hit or quick results are valued. You have probably heard the phrase "What gets measured gets managed". This is generally true. Quantifying and measuring non-financial aspects of effectiveness, such as employee well-being, social impact, and workplace culture, is hugely important but remains challenging. 💡 Here's some straightforward steps to move you towards a more holistic approach to measuring success: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Define what holistic success means for your organization. This could include specific targets related to employee well-being, social impact, and environmental sustainability. 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: Talk to employees, customers, and community members to understand what aspects of your business matter most to them. Their insights can help shape your holistic success framework. 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Based on your goals and stakeholder feedback, pick metrics that are meaningful and manageable. For example, employee satisfaction can be measured through regular surveys, while environmental impact can be tracked through energy consumption or waste reduction metrics. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬: Look into established frameworks (like GRI or B Corp standards for sustainability; Gallups Q12 Engagement Survey for employee engagement or the Denison Organizational Culture Model to measure workplace culture). There are existing frameworks for most known elements of organizational effectiveness so it's just a matter of looking into them. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: Ensure that these holistic metrics are part of regular business reviews and decision-making processes, not just side projects. 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲: Share your progress openly, including both successes and areas for improvement. Transparency builds trust and credibility. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Be prepared to adapt and refine your approach as you learn what works and what doesn't. This is a journey, not a one-time task. #organizationaleffectiveness #measurewhatmatters #leaders

The Reality of Being a Chef: It’s Not What You Think Everyone loves the idea of being a chef. The adrenaline, the creativity, the pride of putting out beautiful food. Maybe you’ve watched a few cooking shows and thought, “I could do that.” But here’s the truth most people won’t tell you: Being a chef isn’t glamorous. It’s not about fame, fancy plating, or name-dropping who you “worked under.” It’s about grind. Sacrifice. Repetition. Pain. It's a career that will take everything from you if you're not prepared. I work 75+ hour weeks regularly. In at 10 am, out after 11 pm. No weekends. No holidays. You miss birthdays, weddings, and family funerals. Relationships strain and break. Friendships fade. You start losing pieces of yourself, and most people outside the industry won’t understand why. Substance abuse is real in this world. Burnout is common. Mental health? Often ignored. You’re exhausted, overworked, and underpaid for years. And still, you show up, because the kitchen demands everything you’ve got. You’ll be tested. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. You’ll be screamed at, humbled, broken down—until you learn, or you quit. There’s no middle ground. If you want to be a chef, understand this: it’s not just a job. It’s not even just a career. It’s a life. One you have to choose every day, knowing what it costs. And if you're getting into this late in life, be brutally honest with yourself. Are you ready to give up your comfort, your schedule, and a big part of your personal life to pursue it? Still want it? Good. Because the people who survive this life—the ones who earn the title “Chef”—aren’t in it for the clout. They’re in it because it’s in their blood. Because they love the craft, the chaos, the challenge. Just know: this industry doesn’t owe you anything. But if you give it everything, it might just give you something back. Chef Timmins

The Class of 2025 faces unprecedented challenges—but your greatest asset isn't just your degree, it's your capacity for transformation. Research consistently shows that sustainable career success emerges from internal motivation: ↳ 68% higher employment satisfaction when work aligns with personal values, according to Workforce Analytics ↳ 2.9x greater career resilience when skills development is self-directed, according to Harvard Business Review ↳ 81% improved interview performance when candidates articulate authentic purpose, according to PSYCHOMETRIC RECRUITMENT LIMITED To activate your career transformation engine, master these five essential components: 🔹 Design your "Skills Acceleration System": Map your learning against emerging industry needs. Graduates who dedicate 5 hours weekly to strategic upskilling secure roles 40% faster (LinkedIn Workforce Report). 🔹 Craft your "Rejection Resilience Protocol": Convert interview feedback into growth opportunities. Candidates who implement structured feedback review processes receive 3x more follow-up interviews. 🔹 Develop your "Network Cultivation Rhythm": Create systematic touchpoints with industry connections. Professionals with consistent relationship-building practices receive 57% more unsolicited opportunities. 🔹 Create your "Opportunity Visibility Framework": Establish daily practices that position you where serendipity happens. Graduates in 3+ industry communities encounter 4x more "hidden market" roles. 🔹 Formulate your "Professional Identity Narrative": Craft and practice your unique value proposition until it becomes second nature. Candidates with coherent personal narratives advance 2.5x faster in early career stages. That's how you become career-resilient in a competitive landscape—by systematically building the professional identity that creates opportunities where others see only obstacles. What's one step from this framework that sparks your curiosity? Share below. Coaching can help; let’s chat. Joshua Miller #Classof2025 #CareerAdvice #Executivecoaching

Your career will outlast every company you work for. Here's how to build a career around purpose instead of positions: The advice to avoid attaching yourself to external things - companies, people, projects - resonates because these things are temporary. Companies get acquired, managers leave, projects get cancelled. But your sense of purpose and mission can travel with you anywhere. That shift from position-focused to purpose-driven thinking looks like this: 1/ Define what impact you want to make in the world, not just what title you want to achieve. 2/ Develop transferable skills that serve your mission regardless of where you work. 3/ Build a professional identity based on the value you create, not the company logo on your business card. 4/ Network around shared interests and values, not just industry connections. 5/ Make career decisions based on growth opportunities and alignment with your goals, not just salary or prestige. 6/ Evaluate opportunities by asking "Does this move me closer to my purpose?" rather than "Does this look good on my resume?" When your identity is tied to external factors, changes feel like personal failures. When your identity is tied to your mission, changes become strategic moves toward your larger goals. The people who navigate career changes most successfully are those who see each role as a chapter in a larger story, not the entire story itself. What's the mission or purpose that guides your career decisions? ♻️ Repost if you found this insightful! 👊 And follow Ford Coleman for more like this.

Do not outsource your career My mentor always emphasized a crucial mantra: "Do not outsource your career to your employer." This resonated deeply – a job is what your employer provides, but your career growth is your responsibility. If your employer is invested in your growth, consider it a bonus. For young professionals navigating the corporate landscape, the key is to take ownership of your career – a distinct entity from your job. This involves understanding your aspirations, mastering the intricacies of your industry, and, crucially, mapping the trajectory to reach the pinnacle. The following steps are outlined to help you take proactive ownership of your career. Strategic Planning: Develop a strategic plan for your career. Identify your long-term goals, the qualifications needed, and the steps required to achieve them. This plan serves as a roadmap guiding your professional choices ensuring that you do not merely coast through your firm and also get to the pinnacle faster than your peers. Resource Utilization: Acknowledging that resources, including time and money, are limited, underscores the importance of strategic decision-making. Invest in training, courses and conferences that align with your career goals. I remember investing 2 months' salary into a course that I knew was needed to move into Senior Executive Management and it did work, I was promoted 6 months into passing my exams. Mentorship: Seeking mentorship is a powerful tool for career growth. Learning from someone who has navigated a similar path can provide valuable insights, guidance, and a support system to help you make informed decisions. Saying Yes or No: Understanding your career goals allows you to evaluate job opportunities both within and outside your organization more effectively. You can confidently say yes or no based on whether the opportunity aligns with your overarching career objectives. Cross-Functional Mobility: Don't hesitate to explore cross-functional opportunities within your organization. Discussing career goals with HR and exploring different departments can help you find the best fit for your skills and aspirations. Continuous Learning: Embrace a mindset of continuous learning. Stay informed about industry trends, new technologies, and evolving best practices. This commitment to learning enhances your adaptability and competitiveness in the job market. Networking: Building a professional network is essential. Engage with professionals in your field, attend industry events, and participate in networking activities. These connections can open doors to new opportunities and perspectives. Reflection and Evaluation: Periodically reflect on your career journey. Evaluate whether you are on track with your goals and adjust where necesary. Regular self-assessment ensures you stay aligned with your aspirations. Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. How have you owned your career, and what lessons have you learned along the way?

I had a 6-page pros and cons list. New job. More money. Bigger title. But something felt off. It wasn’t fear—it was something deeper. And the question that cut through it all was this: “Am I running FROM something or running TO something?” The quality of your career isn’t shaped by the opportunities you say yes to. It’s shaped by the questions you ask yourself before you decide. So here are some of the questions I’ve asked myself at every turning point in my career: 1. When you're thinking of quitting... “Am I running from something or running to something?” “If nothing changes in six months, can I live with that?” 2. When you're offered a new opportunity... “Would I still take this if the title and salary were the same?” “Does this move me closer to the life I want—or just the one that looks good?” 3. When you feel overlooked or underused... “Have I actually asked for what I want—or just hoped someone would notice?” “What version of myself am I showing them—my current one, or the one from five years ago?” 4. When you’ve just been promoted... “Do I enjoy the work—or just the recognition that came with it?” “What part of this role gives me energy?” 5. When you're managing people for the first time... “Am I trying to be perfect—or just present?” “What would I need from me if I were on this team?” 6. When you’re constantly busy but don’t feel accomplished... “Am I producing real impact—or just staying in motion?” “What would change if I believed my time was valuable?” 7. When you want more visibility but feel awkward asking... “Who needs to know what I’ve done—but doesn’t yet?” “What’s one small way I can advocate for myself this week?” 8. When the job no longer aligns with your values... “What part of myself have I muted to stay comfortable here?” “What would I be proud to say at a dinner table about what I do?” 9. When you’re on a career break—by choice or not... “What parts of me have I rediscovered that I don’t want to lose again?” “What do I want more of in my next chapter—and what’s non-negotiable now?” 10. When you’re returning from parental leave or a sabbatical... “What boundaries do I need now that I didn’t before?” “What do I want to reintroduce intentionally—and what can stay gone?” 11. When you're bored but afraid of change... “What would I try if I weren’t afraid of starting over?” “Am I more afraid of change—or staying the same?” You don’t have to figure it all out today. You don’t need a 10-step plan. Sometimes clarity doesn’t come from a perfect plan. But maybe—just maybe—you need to ask yourself a better question. So if you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or restless… You don’t need to fix everything. Stop asking "What should I do next?" Start by asking better questions. What’s the one question you asked yourself that changed everything?

You hit every KPI. But did anything actually get better? Solving the wrong problem perfectly is still failure. So is solving the right one - without knowing how you’ll measure it. Let’s say a digital health platform launches: 🔹Sleek interface 🔹User numbers climbing 🔹Dashboards full of green ticks But two months later... 🔹Patients are still confused 🔹Clinicians are frustrated 🔹Data isn’t flowing across systems 🔹Helpdesk tickets pile up The dashboard says success... but the outcomes show otherwise. In digital health, success is often defined too narrowly: 🔸The platform went live 🔸KPIs were ticked 🔸Stakeholders celebrated But if patients still struggle, providers still burn out, and workflows remain broken - was it really a success? The truth is, different players define success differently: 🔹Patients want clarity and trust 🔹Clinicians want support in context 🔹IT wants performance 🔹Leadership wants results 🔹Funders want scale And that misalignment is where failure often begins. We don’t just need SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals. We need SMART goals for healthcare, ones that reflect complexity, context, and care. Because what gets measured, gets built. And if we define success in terms of speed and scale, we risk delivering fast but shallow. A better way would be to define success through multiple lenses Systems Thinking 🔸What ripple effects will this change create? 🔸Will it reinforce or undermine other parts of care delivery? Design Thinking 🔸Does this make life better for the people using it? 🔸Does it work in context, not just on paper? Interoperability Thinking 🔸Will it integrate across teams and platforms - or just add noise? How does SMART Goals for healthcare looks like? ✨S – Shared & Specific Is the goal clear and aligned across patients, providers, and implementers? ✨M – Meaningful & Measurable Does it tie to real improvement - not just activity? ✨A – Aligned & Achievable Is it grounded in actual clinical workflows and capacity? ✨R – Relevant & Responsible Is it equity-conscious, ethically sound, and system-aware? ✨T – Time-bound & Tracked Is it tracked across the care journey - with feedback loops, not just endpoints? What this looks like in action: 🔹30% reduction in medication errors across 3 facilities in 6 months 🔹15% improvement in post-discharge follow-up for elderly patients using an interoperable care platform 🔹Measurable reduction in care team workload without sacrificing continuity or quality Not: 🔸Number of logins 🔸Lines of code shipped 🔸How fast we deployed When goals are shared, meaningful, and grounded in real care, 🔸Teams stay focused 🔸Results are credible 🔸Patients feel the difference Define success. Measure what matters. That’s how we make digital health actually work. What’s one thing you believe we should start measuring - but rarely do in digital health today? #HumanCenteredDesign #SystemsThinking #Interoperability

It’s not perks that keep you stuck—it’s your brain protecting the ego it built around your role. For a long time, I believed my role defined who I was: my confidence, my worth, my voice. That belief felt safer than tying identity to physical or mental ability, because roles demand action, results, and recognition. Titles give structure, and structure feels like certainty. The problem begins when the brain mistakes a role for a permanent identity. Research in neuroscience and attachment suggests our brains prioritize stability, creating powerful inertia around the professional labels we’ve internalized. Studies on career transitions reveal a counterintuitive pattern: identity loss from role changes can generate distress that rivals—or even exceeds—financial loss, particularly when financial security is stable. Role threat feels existential, not merely economic. When identity freezes around a title, curiosity drops, defensiveness rises, and leadership can quietly shift from creating value to protecting position—often without conscious awareness. I learned this the hard way. Growth began the day I stopped letting my brain run my ego and took responsibility for authorship. I started holding my role lightly and leading from who I am, not what I’m called. Leaders who separate self-worth from title tend to recover faster, adapt better, and build healthier cultures. The shift is simple, but not easy: use your role to act—but don’t let it decide who you are. #ImpossibleTransition #Identity #System

Your career is a long-term asset, not a temporary emotion. Over the past year, in dozens of one-on-one coaching sessions, I’ve seen a recurring pattern among high-achieving leaders navigating intense organizational politics: The biggest threat to their career longevity wasn't a lack of skill or a difficult boss/ stakeholders. It was emotional over-identification with the workplace brand or their current job description. When you allow your sense of self-worth or professional identity to be dictated by the "brand" you work for, two things happen: 1. You hesitate. You avoid necessary political risks because you fear damaging your emotional connection to the company. 2. You burn out. You absorb the company's stress and setbacks as personal failures, rather than seeing them as operational data points. The Power of "Strategic Detachment" As a leadership coach, I guide leaders to treat their career development like managing a diversified portfolio. Your job is the vehicle for your growth, not the destination of your identity. You must learn to disconnect emotions from the organizational landscape. This isn't about being indifferent; it's about being strategically objective. It's about seeing organizational politics as a game to be navigated calmly, rather than a personal battle to be won, whilst delivering at your best. Your ability to remain composed when others are reacting emotionally is one of the greatest competitive advantages you can develop for your growth and sanity. Protect your longevity by protecting your mind. Have you ever let your emotional connection to a company brand hold back your own career growth or affect your decision-making? #LeadershipCoaching #CareerGrowth #OrganizationalPolitics #ProfessionalIdentity #CareerLongevity #FutureProofing #StrategicLeadership

🥅 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬. You’re told to make them SMART, but rarely to make them meaningful. SMART goals help you define what you’ll achieve and how you’ll measure success. But they don’t always help you understand why it matters. When I work with my team members, I always ask them to add three simple words... 𝐒𝐨 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧... 🟢 “I’ll complete my data storytelling certification... so I can... influence business decisions with confidence.” 🟢 “I’ll mentor two new analysts... so I can... help grow the next generation of leaders.” 🟢 “I’ll explore practical AI tools for my role... so I can... spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on creative problem-solving.” Those words change goals from being deliverables into impact. They bring clarity to your motivation and remind you that growth is about utility and purpose. And if you don’t hit your goal, ask yourself if it was truly meaningful in the first place. Often career goals get deprioritised because something urgent comes up or new opportunities get presented. When your career goals connect to your purpose, you don’t just do more, you become more. 💡 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥? Share your tips in the comments below. #CareerGrowth #GrowthMindset #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #PurposeDrivenLeadership #LinkedInNewsAustralia