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By Christian D. Malesic, MBA, IOM
B
y now, it has been asked of you hundreds of times. You’ve do you want to be when you grow up? You will probably be surprised at the answer I most readily receive – probably even asked it yourself of many kids when you have made their acquaintance. It is a simple question. Straightforward. Clear. Concise…What do you want to be when you grow So, I have sharpened my quill, learned from my past, and deup? As an adult, a smile would probably come to your face if you veloped a new full-proof method to get to the bottom of this were asked this ‘kid’s question’. But…do you know? Can you anever-important question. Once a new employee is on the job for swer it? about a month, enough time to “know the lay of the land” and to begin feeling comfortable in their desk chair, I approach them in Share in the Experience their environment. The conversation is usually brief; but friendly, As an Air Force Officer for almost six years and then a CEO for non-confrontational, and unofficial-feeling. After asking about their more than twenty, I have asked this question of hundreds of suborday or their family, I by-the-way them with “I’d like to schedule a dinates. Granted, I may use more ‘adult’ language, such as: where sit-down with you to talk about your career goals and how I can do you see yourself in 10 years? What is your ultimate job goal? Tell help you reach them. How’s your schedule look?” me about your professional plans. Or, what is your career trajectory? A week later, when the employee joins me in my office, I recite No matter how it’s phrased, the question remains the same: what 8
AT HOME IN BERKs APRIL 2014
“I don’t know.”