Use the Hedgehog Concept to Attain Your Dream Career

"Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline."
Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great," as quoted in a monograph from his Website.

Many of us are familiar with the wonderful work of Jim Collins in helping companies and social sector institutions understand how to move from mediocrity to greatness.

Although his ideas are used for companies and social sector groups, I believe they apply as well to us individually when we think about attaining a meaningful career and a work purpose that feels deeply satisfying and meaningful.

His hedgehog concept is simply three intersecting circles. The middle part, where they intersect is where a company or an institution can find its greatness.

You can, too.

Take a look at the diagram. Each circle has a question you must answer in order to have a satisfying career that expresses both your life purpose and work purpose.

Let's look at each question separately.

Question 1 asks, "What are you deeply passionate about?" What are you interested in? What captures your attention?

What could you and do you spend hours learning about because it's so intriguing or fulfilling?
I recommend you try this now. Take a moment to answer this question. You may add to it later, but begin the process.

Question 2 asks, "What are you (or can you be) best in the world at?"

Don't shrink from this question out of false modesty. We all have talents and abilities and QUALITIES that form the uniqueness of who we are. What are yours?

What do people admire you for? What do THEY tell you you're good at?

Other people - friends and colleagues - are often better able to answer this question for us, because they see us more clearly than we do ourselves. Write down your own answers, but ask others what they think. You may be very pleasantly surprised.

For example, one of my mentors said to me recently, "You know, when people get to know you a bit, they see how absolutely trustworthy you are."

I was actually surprised, not ever counting 'trustworthy' among my positive qualities. But as I think about it, I know that it's true.

In the coaching relationship, I am very aware that I hold something very precious in my hands during that interaction. I am very careful about it and I am very respectful of the other person's process.

I say these things, not to brag, but to help you understand that you, too, have many qualities and talents that are hidden and they may involve what are called the 'soft skills.'

Another example: I once helped a friend develop his resume. I always try to get people to give a sense of their unique qualities and contributions rather than list by rote, jobs and tasks.

As I questioned him, I learned that teams and departments loved to have him come and train them on new IT applications. Why? Because he had a gentle, respectful, clear way of explaining things without being patronizing or condescending in the least.

I don't know about you, but that's a quality I would love to have experienced in some of my interactions with IT professionals. At any rate, we highlighted that quality. It evoked many questions from interviewers and became the basis for many discussions about what he brought to the table.

He found a wonderful position in short order. Better yet, he now knows a bit more about what makes HIM great.

Let's continue with the third question in Jim Collins' Hedgehog approach.

Question 3 asks, "How can we ( I ) develop a sustainable resource engine?"

This has implications for those seeking a career change or a better way to find much greater career satisfaction.

This question deals partly with timing. Do I have the resources I need to move in the career direction I'd like to go? Do I need more education or training?

How can I acquire those resources? Do I have the resources, but I'm afraid to move forward? How can I ensure I'll continue to have sustainable resources and finances as I reach for that dream career?

You've answered some questions. You probably have many more.

Look at the intersection point. How can you attain 'piercing clarity' about what you want your dream career to look like? How can you create a satisfying, meaningful career from the intersection of these circles?

How can you create long-term results that are deeply satisfying to you, and beneficial to others?

Developing your dream career allows you to express the greatness in your life and career that Jim Collins talks about with companies and organizations. But as he also infers, achieving that greatness is a matter of discipline (in your actions and intent) as well as choosing that for yourself. Companies that have become great have done it.

You can follow the same principles as you create that dream career.

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