I recently participated in a panel discussion with several executives about careers and career development following a keynote speech I delivered during career week in their organization. When asked about their philosophy of growth, one panelist shared what he'd heard shortly after joining the organization: "Here, you'll tend to be either a monkey or a cat."
He went on to explain that the "monkey" archetype tends to swing from tree to tree, opportunity to opportunity, moving around the organization and trying different experiences, whereas the ‘cat’ tends to find that comfortable spot and curl up for a while.
The comment got me thinking about how unconsciously many of us move through our careers, doing what feels most comfortable, frequently without recognizing or ever challenging our natural patterns. Might career spirit animals offer a helpful metaphor and a novel way to understand and more deliberately advance one's goals and objectives?
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