"Stretching is the future imperative for us all. Whenever people stretch, in any area of their lives, they can achieve unimagined success. Sometimes all we need is a little guidance. You have dreams."
- Stretch, page xiv
"The importance of keeping our skills and abilities fresh in order to be competitive in the job marketplace is mandatory. To keep nudging our own sell-by date out further, we must be in constant refresh mode."- Stretch, page 18
The hero message of Stretch, for me, as obvious as it may read, came from The Stretch Imperative. At its heart lies three recurring themes for building a successful career in the future. They are: 1. It’s all on you. 2. You need options, and 3. You have dreams.
Imperative #1, It’s all on you, is the reality check we need. No matter whether we have a boss or are in business for ourselves, experience and capabilities for ‘tomorrow’s workplace’ are unlikely to land in our laps. It’s up to us to find them, build and understand them.
But we need options to help us stretch. Options come from diverse networks of contacts and being open to experiencing new things. If we are serious about stretching to our full future potential, we need to have dreams and create a “living of learning”.
To prepare ourselves for a career or business opportunity tomorrow, we need to be individually proactive in learning and understanding what lies ahead of our current role and industry. We must build capabilities that “future-proof” us and set us up for success.
"Having a vibrant, diverse network will be one of your most important resources in seeking opportunities in your job and in being prepared for job changes and job searches."- Stretch, page 95
We cannot easily develop and grow on our own. As we look to the future and think about ways we can remain relevant as an employee or our own boss, it’s important to actively practice building a diverse network. This ‘stretch’ skill requires us to connect in new ways – extending our experience by tapping into the skills of others.
“Networks are not the same as networking,” Mistick and Willyerd remind us. When referring to “networks” the authors describe the different groups we connect with. In contrast, they consider “networking” as the way we intentionally use our individual networks to develop or build personal or professional objectives.
Everyone has two distinct networks:
So how do you build diversity? Use your social networks – both online and offline. Your aim is to connect with people who can make a significant difference to your business opportunities. Discover the people who demonstrate confidence towards risk-taking, can provide knowledge and resources to stretch your existing capabilities and who can introduce you to other helpful connections.
Remember! Build but balance existing and new relationships. Don’t be afraid to let go of connections that are not ‘stretching’ you. Adjust your network to suit your career progression.
Here are some useful tips to get you started building a ‘forward-focused’ network:
"The number one concern employees around the world share is that their position will change or their skills will become obsolete."- Stretch, page 221
In Stretch, capacity refers to “a collection of credentials, skills and qualifications that demonstrate accomplishment and potential in a given area” to help you “future-proof” yourself for tomorrow. There are many core capabilities successfully used by professionals around the world to stretch themselves within the workplace and develop their careers. The authors list ten key ones within the book.
You should begin to build these capabilities through opportunities external to your workplace or, working with your teams and/or bosses to identify projects they can assign you to within your business that can help you develop in these areas. Together, they will stretch you far…
As Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try”. Stretch encourages us to consider specific experiences and learning we should undertake as employees or business leaders to ensure we effectively develop individually and within teams for tomorrow’s workplace. The message is clear. Don’t become obsolete. Begin stretching now. Find people inside your business or build networks that can positively encourage and help your personal growth.
Dr. Barbara Mistick is President of Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She recently made history pioneering the nation’s first loan buy-back program for college students. Barbara holds prominent leadership roles in some of higher education’s most influential national organizations and is a recognized change agent. Prior to her roles in academia, Barbara was an accomplished two-time entrepreneur. She has held executive positions in a number of non-profits and public institutions such as The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood where she helped children discover their curiosity for science. Barbara is a frequent guest on NPR commenting as an expert on issues in higher education.