| "The most successful people are those who are | | | | can make a healthy living by becoming a certified NLP |
| good at plan B." - James Yorke | | | | coach, a certified personal trainer, a HR consultant or |
| Adaptability, flexibility, diversity, creativity, self | | | | even a salsa dance teacher!" She really got excited |
| knowledge, relationships, vision and focus are some | | | | about her new Plan B; it made her grow & glow! |
| of the most critical ingredients to succeed your | | | | - When meeting various friends for drinks, I asked |
| career in these hectic times. | | | | the wife of one of my friends: "How can you |
| As part of my focus on career coaching, I often ask | | | | generate an income if your husband would lose his |
| my team members, coachees, friends and other | | | | job and could not find another job?" She responded |
| people I meet: "What's your career Plan B?". | | | | very upset: "How am I supposed to get a job and |
| I'll explain what kind of Plan B I'm referring to: | | | | work full-time, while raising three children, doing the |
| - What is your Plan B if you'd lose your current job | | | | household and a thousand other jobs?" I challenged |
| tomorrow? | | | | her by giving her new insights on how to think |
| - What is your Plan B if you can no longer continue | | | | without limits. Then I raised a couple of other Plan B |
| your career within the same company, the same | | | | type questions and agreed to ask her for her Plan B |
| type of role and the same kind of industry? | | | | in a week time. Within four days she called me... She |
| - What is your Plan B if you were being asked to sell | | | | sincerely thanked me for stimulating her to create |
| yourself into an entirely different profession? | | | | her Plan B. She was super excited! She had created a |
| - What is your Plan B to take on a role at least 3 | | | | Plan B which was based on starting her own business |
| levels higher? | | | | from home, based on a business idea she had for a |
| - What is your Plan B to increase your income with 5, | | | | long time. She was so passionate and excited about |
| 10 or even 20 times? | | | | her plan B, that she already had found a girlfriend |
| - What is your Plan B if you lose your own income | | | | who was willing and able to start the business |
| and now your spouse/partner will become responsible | | | | together with her. And....her husband would do the |
| for generating an income? With these kind of | | | | marketing! She assured me that even when her |
| questions I not only motivate them to stretch their | | | | husband would not lose his job, she most likely would |
| own thinking, it often makes them realise they | | | | go ahead with her Plan B! |
| currently do not have a solid Plan B. How will you | | | | |
| succeed if you're not thinking ahead, exploring | | | | Of course I've challenged myself on my own career |
| opportunities and creating a Plan B with options, | | | | Plan B's. This is what I've came up with so far: |
| alternative strategies and actions you can execute at | | | | besides selling my skills, experience & services |
| any point in time? | | | | as a senior executive leader in various areas, and |
| A couple of recent examples in response to some of | | | | selling myself as a certified coach and executive |
| the Plan B questions I raised: | | | | mentor, I think I could sell myself as a business |
| - One of my coachees was focused on selling himself | | | | & strategy consultant, a certified fire fighter, a |
| into a similar senior leadership role within the same | | | | certified paramedic officer, start various new |
| organisation he worked for. I asked him: "What if | | | | businesses as entrepreneur/investor, become a book |
| there is no demand for your role in other areas? Are | | | | author, play drums in a band and someday maybe |
| there any other roles/functions you can sell yourself | | | | even sell my own paintings for a good price..... All |
| into?" After allowing him to think and when I | | | | great ingredients for a number of compelling and |
| stretched his thinking even further, he came up with | | | | flexible Plan B's! The ingredients of my other more |
| two new leadership role types he was perfectly | | | | ambitious Plan B (to increase my income at least |
| qualified for! This allowed him to broaden his scope in | | | | 25x...) I'll keep to myself....because that's the main |
| finding and securing his next leadership career | | | | plan I'll be focused on over the next 5 years! |
| challenge! | | | | My advise is to create various plans and they should |
| - At a recent introduction meeting with one of the | | | | cover all career scenario's: worst case, normal case, |
| preferred executive recruiters my company is | | | | best case! |
| working together with, I kindly asked the female | | | | So....What's YOUR Plan B? |
| recruiter: "What would your Plan B look like, if as of | | | | “You can do anything you need if you just |
| tomorrow you could not be a recruiter anymore and | | | | believe in it.” - Patrick Driessen |
| the recruitment business would no longer exist?". In | | | | |
| first instance she responded: "I would try to find a | | | | Make this a Positive & Fruitful day....unless you |
| similar recruitment role somewhere else." I reminded | | | | have other plans! |
| her that in this Plan B scenario that would not be | | | | Warm regards & success with creating your |
| possible; no more recruitment! I raised some more | | | | own Plan B, |
| thinking questions to get her out of her comfort | | | | |
| zone. She than cleared her mind and started thinking.... | | | | Patrick Driessen |
| Soon she responded with her draft Plan B: "Based on | | | | © Patrick W. Driessen. All rights reserved. |
| my other qualifications, skills and experience, I think | | | | |