As a public sector leader, you know how to get things done. You know the processes, you know the people. You value systems and evidence-based decision-making. There may not always be time for it, but that’s the ideal.
That’s why changing your career can feel a bit overwhelming. You don’t know any clear process for how to go about it.
It’s like you’re standing at the edge of a dark cliff. You can’t see any clear path. You can’t see the destination on the other side. You can only see the cliff.
Now imagine you had a torch to shine small pools of light around to see what’s out there.
Are you curious enough?
Are you open to finding a way to get across?
To create a path that works for you?
In today’s episode, I’ll talk about ‘structured curiosity’. It’s a process, consisting of a 6-steps, you can follow to find career options that are the right fit for you.
It’s your torch in the dark.
‘Structured Curiosity’ = Your Torch in The Dark
Most of the public sector leaders I speak with feel stuck at the very beginning of career change.
They say things like:
- “I just can’t see what else I could do.”
- “I’m not a creative, I’m a pragmatic person.”
- “I need something realistic, not wishful thinking.”
And if that’s you, I feel you! That’s what I thought myself, too.
The public sector is generally a system where the next step is quite structured and pre-determined. You join a particular track in your subject area, gain experience, get promoted, move up the ranks, lead bigger teams, budgets and programmes. Maybe you move across to another part of the organisation.
But when you step outside that structure… you suddenly have to create something for yourself. And that can be a bit scary. Like the cliff edge in the dark.
But don’t worry, there is a process for this! I call it ‘structured curiosity’. I’m going to take you through the 6 steps, step-by-step.
6 Steps to Create Sustainable Career Options For Public Sector Leaders
Step 1: Create an Ideas Bank
Public sector leaders often get stuck because they search for roles too quickly. But that would be like putting the cart before the horse.
To get clarity about work that is more aligned with who you are now, work that makes your heart sing, you need to start with YOU.
That’s why the first step is to create an Ideas Bank. This is where you capture ALL your ideas, no matter how small.
To create your Ideas Bank, take a blank sheet of paper. Or if you prefer to work on your computer, open a new document or use a digital tool like Miro.
Then, ask yourself “What sparks my curiosity?”
Write down anything that you’re interested in, even just slightly. Things you’ve done before. As well as things you feel drawn to but haven’t given any attention to – yet.
For example:
- Topics you research for fun
- Conversations you lose track of time in
- Roles you admire from a distance
- Activities that make you feel more like yourself
There’s an example of an Ideas Bank on my website for this episode at SpaceToShiftYourCareer.com/37 if you want to get an idea of what this looks like.
Step 2: Create Experiments, Test Assumptions
Look at your Ideas Bank and get more curious. Create little experiments around the things that spark your interest. Go out and DO stuff. Test whether it really lights your fire in the way you thought it would. Whether you can imagine doing them.
As you do this, you are very likely to come up with new ideas for your Ideas Bank. Which is great. Because the goal is to have AT LEAST 35 ideas in your Ideas Bank.
Everything from the most straightforward ones to the most outrageous idea you can think of.
This is part of the EXPLORATION phase, where you are meant to shine your torch light into every corner. To make sure you’ve checked all sorts of possibilities to find a way across that cliff edge.
Step 3: Look for Themes
A theme captures the gist and the breadth of the ideas on your Ideas Bank. You are looking for the golden thread – or threads because you are likely to find several themes.
So when you look at ALL the ideas in your Ideas Bank, connect the dots and look for patterns: What’s the essence of these ideas?
Here are some examples:
- Creating structure out of complexity
- Working outdoors rather than behind a desk
- Bringing people together
- Building capability in others
- Designing systems that improve lives
When I work with public sector leaders in my 5-month Find Your Career Space programme, we do this together. We usually come up with 4-6 themes. Then my clients choose the 2-3 themes that really resonate with them. Those are the ones we develop options for.
Step 4: Create Your ‘Spectrum of Possibilities’
For each theme we come up with options that would turn this theme into reality. That’s how you develop your ‘Spectrums of Possibilities’.
Number 1 on the Spectrum is the easiest step you can think of to act on this theme. Something you can do now. While number 10 is the most ambitious and holistic way to act on this theme.
Let me give you an example: You’ve looked at your Ideas Bank and identified the two themes “building capability in others” and “emotional intelligence”.
For you the essence of these ideas is “the magic of people’s internal growth and ability to navigate the world without being thrown around by reactions and emotions”.
On the Spectrum of Possibilities, a 1 could be ‘sharing an article on emotional intelligence in a post on LinkedIn’. And a ’10’ could be ‘being the #1 speaker on emotional intelligence in an AI-driven workplace, running your own training business, and publishing research studies’.
Your 1 and 10 can be something completely different, as long as they represent two ends on the spectrum.
Then you develop options in between those end points. Once you have 10 options on that first spectrum, you choose the one option that resonates with you and that you want to test further to make sure it has legs.
Step 5: Verify Your Options
To verify your option, you create an experiment. Then, you go through the ‘Build – Measure – Learn’ cycle to test this option. You decide whether to discard this option based on 3 questions:
1. Resonance: Does it give me energy?
2. Competence: Am I good at it? OR can I become good at it?
3. Sustainability: Can I make a living from it?
If the answer is ‘yes’ to all 3 questions, you develop this option into a real career option in step 6.
If not, you either refine the option so the answers become ‘yes’ – or you discard it.
I talked about this Build-Measure-Learn cycle in more detail in episode 17 called ‘Why the big new career idea won’t just arrive”. Have listen to that one to help you with this step.
Step 6: Build Your Transition Plan
Once you’ve verified your idea, you begin to design a career transition plan for it.
This includes a time line, any potential training you might need to do, or a bridge job before transitioning fully.
It also includes looking at your financial situation, any adjustments you might need to make to build a buffer to get through the transition, and to set up well in your new career.
A good transition plan should also include how you’re going to involve your loved ones, so they are not blind-sided and more likely to support you on your career change journey.
That’s what I help my clients with as well in my 5-month programme.
Let me give you an example of how this works in practice.
Example: The Value of Discarding Ideas
One of the themes Mike, a public sector leader, identified was ‘working with people’. His first idea on his Ideas Bank was that he might enjoy being a leadership coach.
Instead of overthinking it for months, he ran two small experiments:
- He attended a free workshop about leadership coaching
- He had coffee chats with two coaches
And he realised, it didn’t resonate with him. He said, “I can’t see myself doing it. It doesn’t motivate me at all”. And that was great to find out!
Imagine he had invested into the whole coach training – which costs several thousand dollars – and only then found out it wasn’t for him.
His experiment was much more effective. It was not a failure. It was a smart way to make progress.
So Mike pivoted toward another option on the ‘working with people’ spectrum he had developed.
He explored fundraising. He met someone who worked as a fundraiser, shadowed them for couple of hours, and then started volunteering for the organisation they worked for. First for a few hours, then Mike built it up to one day a week. Gradually, he built expertise, experience and confidence. AND: a network!
Mike’s path is still unfolding. But the key point is: he’s no longer frozen. He’s on his way.
Shine Your Torch Around That Dark Cliff
Exploring new career options isn’t about finding THE answer tomorrow. It’s about making space for yourself to widen your horizon wide enough that patterns emerge. It’s about shining your torch around that dark cliff.
Creativity and having a play with something you are drawn to helps you generate options.
Experimentation helps you test them.
Reflection helps you make meaning.
This is not fluffy. It’s evidence-based, and I know from experience that it works.
If you feel clueless right now, feel stuck or lack ideas – it’s ok. Be kind to yourself. You’re simply at the beginning. Beginnings can feel overwhelming and scary. But they can also be exciting and fun.
So pick up your torch and have a look!
Follow what sparks curiosity.
Collect ideas.
Connect the dots.
Look for themes.
Run small experiments.
Build – Measure – Learn.
Career clarity won’t just fall from the sky, fully formed. You create it for yourself. Step. By. Step.
Trust the process. It’s a tried and tested method. And trust yourself.
If you’d like my support along the way, get in touch on the Work With Yvonne page on my website, SpaceToShiftYourCareer.com.
Until next time: make space, rediscover YOU, and then take action.