You're feeling stuck in your career. What's the best way to get back on track?

2 Set SMART goals

Once you have a clear picture of your situation, you can start setting goals that will motivate you and guide your actions. Goals are essential for career development, as they help you focus your energy, measure your progress, and celebrate your achievements. But not all goals are created equal. You need to make sure your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART goals are more effective than vague or unrealistic ones, as they provide clear criteria and deadlines for success. You can use communication systems like goal-setting worksheets, action plans, or progress trackers to define and document your SMART goals.

3 Learn new skills

One of the best ways to get back on track in your career is to learn new skills that will enhance your value, performance, and satisfaction. Learning new skills can help you overcome challenges, adapt to changes, and seize opportunities in your field. It can also boost your confidence, creativity, and curiosity. You can learn new skills through formal or informal channels, such as courses, workshops, webinars, books, podcasts, or online platforms. You can also learn from others, by joining communities, networks, or groups that share your interests or goals. You can use communication systems like learning journals, portfolios, or certificates to record and showcase your learning outcomes.

4 Delegate tasks

Another way to get back on track in your career is to delegate tasks that are not aligned with your goals, skills, or priorities. Delegating tasks can help you free up time, energy, and resources for more important or rewarding activities. It can also help you develop your leadership, teamwork, and trust skills. Delegating tasks is not a sign of weakness or laziness, but a smart and strategic decision. You can use communication systems like delegation matrices, task lists, or status reports to identify and assign tasks to others, and to monitor and evaluate their performance.

5 Seek feedback

A key factor for getting back on track in your career is to seek feedback that will help you improve, grow, and advance. Feedback is a valuable source of information, guidance, and support that can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. It can also help you recognize your achievements, celebrate your successes, and appreciate your contributions. You can seek feedback from different sources, such as your manager, peers, clients, or mentors. You can use communication systems like feedback forms, surveys, or interviews to solicit and collect feedback, and to act on it.

6 Review your progress

The final step to getting back on track in your career is to review your progress and adjust your actions accordingly. Reviewing your progress is a way of communicating with yourself and others about how well you're doing, what you've learned, and what you need to change. It can help you stay on track, overcome obstacles, and achieve your goals. It can also help you celebrate your wins, reward yourself, and acknowledge your efforts. You can use communication systems like progress reports, dashboards, or charts to track and display your progress, and to make informed decisions.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?