World Bytes

Self-Actualization and Your Career

by Terrance Malkinson

A Thought to Chew On

Self-actualization is a term used to describe realizing our potential as human beings. Abraham Maslow placed this term at the apex of his hierarchy of human motives. Carl Rogers also emphasized the importance of self-actualization. Like Maslow, he used the term to designate a universal and innate tendency toward growth and fulfillment that governs the human personality. Rogers believed that self-actualization is closely related to each individual's perceived reality and self-concept — the way in which one thinks of oneself. According to Rogers, a person's self-concept can become distorted by the need for approval by others, which can lead to alienation from his or her true beliefs and desires and suppression of his or her self-actualizing tendency.

While self-actualization is considered to be the most desired state, in many cases we are too preoccupied with lower needs to achieve our full potential in life. Many of us go through life thinking that we could "do more" or "be better," and that "circumstances" somehow prevent us from achieving. It is not the "circumstances" in our lives that get in the way but rather our approach to life. Self-actualization is the ultimate goal for those who strive toward growth and work to make the most of their lives. It propels us forward, toward wholeness and uniqueness, and gives us the confidence to face the world.

How do you reach your potential? Here are some tips.

• Make all of your choices growth choices, with each decision moving you toward your potential.

• Discover what you really want in life and set goals and objectives that will serve as milestones to achieve your vision of your future.

• Listen to the impulsive voices that come from within rather than others' voices. Do not focus on how you are expected to feel or on the need to impress or be liked by others.

• Identify your defenses and find the courage to give them up. Be a courageous risk-taker and dare to be unique. Be willing to risk unpopularity by disagreeing with others.

• Assume responsibility and seek experiences that stretch your boundaries and move you toward higher levels of personal growth and development.

• Experience each and every moment totally, living your life to the fullest. Do not feel threatened or frightened by the unknown.

• Accept yourself and have a realistic perception of your reality. Look within yourself for the answers and take responsibility for yourself and your behavior.

• Become skilled at interpersonal relations. Share empathy, kinship, intimacy, tolerance, respect, friendship and benevolence to others. Laugh at yourself and your imperfections but never make comments that hurt others.

By making a daily effort to follow these suggestions, you will be on the path to self-actualization — your mission in life.

For more information, refer to:

• Maslow, Abraham. Toward a Psychology of Being. Princeton: Van Nostrand, 1968.
• Maslow, Abraham. Motivation and Personality. 2d ed. New York: Harper and Row, 1970.
• Rogers, Carl. On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1970.
  
  

Other Bytes and Tydbytes

Here are some of the things going on in and around the global engineering community.

• In "Building Competitive Advantage Through People" (MIT Sloan Management Review, 43(2): 34-41, 2002), Christopher Bartlett and Sumantra Ghoshal discuss the concept that people are a key strategic resource and that organizational strategy must be built on a human resource foundation. They conclude that in order to be successful, organizations must compete for the hearts and minds of talented and capable people, which will ensure that they will become engaged in the organization's ongoing learning processes and will be strongly committed to the company's aspirations.

• What's Happening to Home? Balancing Work, Life, and Refuge in the Information Age is the title of a book by Maggie Jackson (Sorin Books P.O. Box 1066 Notre Dame, Ind. 46556). Excerpts from this book are available in a two-part series in BusinessWeek Online, (www.businessweek.com, 11 February and 15 February 2002). The author discusses a question many of us may ask ourselves: "Can we be too connected?" She describes where working life may be headed at a time when it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between work and leisure — particularly when your office is home.

• In "Cultural Protectionism" (Business Horizons, 44(6): 5-15, 2001), Christopher Baughn and Mark Buchanan discuss the concern that the globalization of world's economies and communications may be undermining the cultural identity of the local populace. Common markets tend to promote similar behaviors and lifestyles, which may erode the customs, heritage, and traditions of distinct societies. The authors conclude that a way must be found to balance global markets with concerns for deeply held cultural sensitivities.

• In "Exit Strategies" (HRMagazine, 46(12): 52-57, 2001), Carolyn Hirschman discusses the concept of phased retirement, a work arrangement that allows employees near retirement age to make a gradual transition to full retirement. This concept has value to both the employer and the employee: the employer gets to retain experienced workers, while employees can stay engaged in work and make a gentler transition to a retirement lifestyle.

• "The Transformed Workplace: How You Can Survive" is the title of an article (The Futurist, 35(6): 24-28, 2001) in which author John Challenger discusses the forces of change, ending with a discussion on the workplace of the future. Many valuable insights provided may guide career planning. Of particular interest is the concept of work arrangements that allow people to continue to work well past the traditional retirement age. On a similar theme, "The World of Work in 2010" by R.W. Dye (The Futurist, 35(9): 38-41, 2002) discusses four trends that are affecting management accounting and organizational strategies. The author suggests that accountants are important information providers who guide major organization strategic decisions.

• In "How to Keep Me — Retaining Technical Professionals" (IEEE Engineering Management Review, 29(4): 69-75, 2001), authors James Kochanski and Gerald Ledford discuss the changing work environment, understanding the causes and the true cost of employee turnover, and ways to predict and reduce it. The discussion focuses specifically on technical professionals and their importance to the organization. On a similar theme, "In a Downturn Do You Cut Pay, Slash the Workforce, or Protect Precious Talent?" by Patrick Zingheim and Jay Schuster (Strategy and Leadership, 30(1): 23-26, 2002) provides a concise discussion on the essentials of this complex issue and provides practical strategies and guidelines.

• The February issue of PMnetwork (16(2): 2002) presents a number of articles and viewpoints of interest to careers. "Knowledge is Power" by Kenneth Rose describes how managing knowledge effectively will allow companies to march successfully and profitability into the future. "Send in the Coach" by Sonya Delgado describes how bringing in an outside executive coach helps correct managerial communication shortcomings. "Good Timing — Marketing Projects That Hit the Mark" by Pamela Rohland describes the importance of anticipating consumer demands and scheduling projects to take advantage of them. Other articles that may be of interest include: "The Re-emergence of the City-State" and "Ringing in the Euro." Business is increasingly looking at how to deploy and integrate project management with business operations better. A basic understanding of the principles and standards of project management is valuable for career success. Visit the Project Management Institute's website for further details: www.pmi.org.

• "Proactive Coaching" is the title of an article by Matt Bolch (IEEE Engineering Management Review, 29(4): 76-80, 2001). The author discusses the value of having a willing listener and trusted adviser in your career. What to look for when searching for a "coach" and how to make the engagement work well are also discussed. Although this article focuses on executive coaching, the same principles apply to those at lower levels of the organization; a coach or mentor is a valued ally to everyone's career success.

Terrance Malkinson is a proposal manager/documentation specialist with GE Capital IT Solutions Inc., and IEEE-USA Today's Engineer's international correspondent.