donnerwheelerconnect

Summer 2009

Can we talk? Career conversations.

Summer is often a time for self, for reflection and for dreaming about your career future. Once you have taken time, as Emily Dickenson says to "dwell in possibilities" you will likely want to share what you've been thinking with someone else.

For many years, scholars have been telling us how important it is for individuals to tell their stories; yet stories are usually one way dialogues; they are told to listeners who may or may not respond. These stories can be extremely helpful in beginning to clarify issues, hearing ourselves say what is important for us but what we really need in order to develop and grow our careers is conversation.

Conversations are founded in good interpersonal communication. Communication is essentially an exchange of ideas and feelings where meaning is conveyed from one person to the other both verbally and non-verbally. It is that two way search for meaning that is important and that differentiates a real conversation from two people simply talking.

A career conversation begins with a career story, but it doesn't end there. In our work, we engage in career conversations with our clients, asking them to tell us their career stories, i.e. to tell us how they came to be doing the work they do and what matters most to them; and then through active listening, questioning and feedback we help them begin to develop a vision for themselves of what it is they want in their career futures and, for some, an idea of what has been getting in the way of their realizing that vision.

We need more conversations. Conversations are something most of us have on a regular basis in our social and personal lives. But when was the last time you had a conversation with a colleague, with your supervisor or manager or if you are in a leadership position, with your staff, that was focused on career? We have heard from many over the years that they have little or no opportunity to talk about their visions for their careers, their dreams and their fears. They tell us they want to take more risks and be bolder in articulating what they want and need in their work. They want and need to have career conversations in their workplaces.

How can we put career conversations into our work worlds? Firstly, we need to value these conversations as important to improving our work environments and the quality of our work; Then we need to express that value by making time for these conversations, by taking advantage of informal opportunities to engage with others in meaningful communication and by making them part of recruitment and annual reviews.

So when was the last time you had a career conversation? Today is not too soon to begin!

What's New with donnerwheeler?

Mary presented a workshop at the International Council of Nurses Quadrennial Congress in Durban, South Africa at the beginning of July on Coaching Skills to Advance Nursing. She presented to a full house with many participants interested in learning more about how to implement coaching programs in their countries.

Mary has been invited to be a member of the Ministry of Health Mid-Career Nurse Working Group and Gail has been invited to be a member of the Ministry of Health, Healthy Work Environments-Expert Advisory Group.