Seth Godin said recently:
“The job of the CEO isn’t to check things off the agenda. Her job is to set the agenda, to figure out what’s next.
Now that more and more of us are supposed to be the CEO of our own lives and careers, it might be time to rethink who’s setting your agenda.”
Your first thought might be that it is the organisation for which you work. Your second thought might be that it’s your manager.
If their agenda is one that motivates and inspires you, if where they want to go is the same place you want to go, then you are very lucky. For many people, however, they are not engaged at all with where their organisation is going, even though they may do a good day’s work. It’s just a job. It brings in the money. At some stage they will look for something else.
What often happen, however, is that the new job comes to be the same. Why? Because until you set your own agenda, know what you want for your life and career, and create your action plan for how you are going to achieve it, you are living someone else’s agenda. You are trying to achieve someone else’s goals.
So this week, STOP, and do some thinking about who is setting your agenda. If you thought it was your organisation or your manager, STOP, and think again.
Is FEAR setting your agenda? Do you know what you want to be doing but are letting your fears stand in the way?
Is it FAMILY EXPECTATIONS that are setting your agenda? Would your parents or family disapprove if you did what you really want to be doing?
Is it PROCRASTINATION that is setting your agenda? Do you know exactly what you want to be doing, but keep telling yourself that you’ll do it next week or next year?
Who or what is setting your agenda? Work that out this week.
When people ask me what I do, I often say to them that I help people to stop living their lives with their foot on the brake. That’s why I call my organisation People Empowered. The people I work with are empowered people.
So empower yourself this week.
Take your foot off the brake.
Take action and set your own agenda.
Be the CEO of your own success – personally and professionally.
