Overview of Career Development Principles

This matrix brings all the Stages together. The columns tell a story and capturing the spirit of that story is what is most important here. The exact wording and phrasing of cells could be adjusted and improved to suit particular industries or organizational settings.

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Stages»  Stage-1 Stage-2 Stage-3 Stage-4 Stage-5 Stage-6 Stage-7
THEE-names» Market-
centred		 Power-
centred		 Cause-
centred		 Community-
centred		 Kinship-
centred		 Perspective-
centred		 Reality-
centred
Injunctions» Do the job well! Work the system! Commit to a path! Achieve for the organization! Sustain a Core Group! Embrace alien ideas! Master thefuture!
               
Harnessing Yourself            
Challenge Work hard Show your strength Develop convictions Expect cooperation Deepen relationships Enter new mind-sets Unify around the future
Benefit Make money Get control Seek fulfilment in work Achieve across boundaries Build trust Think through properly Ride social forces
Means Grasp opportunity Acquire a power base Acquire special expertise Seek consensus Communicate freely Tap diverse sources See potentials
Harnessing Others            
As a Group Maintain a network Exert pressure Be in vanguard for change Develop a win-win culture Enjoy working together Recognize alternatives Make predictions
As Individuals Show integrity Win respect Enthuse, explain, exhort Be of service Attribute specialness Respect autonomy Integrate individuality
               
Harnessing Process            
For Success Use your talents Jockey for position Demonstrate high standards Accept others as they are Find capable loyal colleagues Analyze impartially Discover the master-stroke
In Failure Keep trying Protect yourself Take responsibility Maintain morale Give unequivocal support Shift perspective Face reality

The later Cycle-2 Stages (5-7) are far more difficult than Stages 1-4 in Cycle-1 because they emerge from a communalist ethic rather than an individualist ethic. In other words, they demand that you put your own personal interests, preferences, convictions and views to one side. You are expected to regard the organization and its needs as the paramount issue and to do whatever you must do to ensure that the enterprise succeeds.

It seems rather evident that many big and established companies viewed as «great» and «successful» are still struggling to find senior people capable and willing to take the Kinship-, Perspective-, and Reality-centred principles seriously.

TOP Note: It is important to distinguish:
► principles relevant to individuals as they pursue their careers within businesses;
from
► principles relevant to businesses as they function in a competitive market.

These latter principles are developed in the section on how a business becomes profitable. The matrix table comparable to the above (in the section on business) can be seen here.

Originally posted: July 2009