Question: I am 39 and have worked at the same company for over 10 years. But I don't know what I can do for this company anymore and I don't know what they can do for me.
I brought industry knowledge with me and clients who trusted my judgment and expertise. The company wouldn't have grown as quickly without me... I became a key member by default.

The company has grown to 60 people from 8... younger, more ambitious players have evolved. And in this economy it's necessary to be more resourceful, more dynamic and more aggressive than in the early 80's when business almost had to be turned away.

As I hired staff my 12 hour days pulled back a bit. I managed the people I hired and trained them to do the jobs I had been doing. At first, the management role was easy with a few high-level employees, all self starters and quick learners. But as the department grew, other issues came up: work flow, administration, reviews, support for company owners, support for the department. It was much more difficult to manage and I wasn't always able to keep things together. I had received no management training... the company was small and there was no training budget. The skills had to come from within the individual.

I was replaced by a younger, more ambitious, more dynamic, outgoing individual who told my boss he could do a better job than I could. His weaker people skills and communication skills were outweighed by his quick learning ability, initiative, aggression and strong belief in himself. He has loyalties only to himself and plays golf and has lunch with people who can make a difference to him.

Since my department was taken away I have been a free agent. In a loose way, it was decided that I would be responsible for training, information flow within the company and to our clients. I created an internal newsletter which is very popular with the staff. I have taken on short term projects with industry vendors and have been asked to handle some larger projects. Some, I have not been able to handle and I know this is a disappointment to my boss.

I feel my boss who everyone reports to and who, himself, reports to the owners of the company, is at a loss to know what to do with me. He has asked me to define my role... because I don't have a department, I can't quantify my work.

I know this company can survive without me and it would certainly improve the bottom line. But I also know that I have many skills that are being wasted. For the first time in my career, I don't see a direction and have no idea what steps to take. My boss is like me in that he can only manage people who know how to manage themselves. I think I need external direction, but I know I won't get it from anyone above me.

My self-esteem is at its lowest point ever; I don't feel I am a valuable member of the organization any more. This feeling is reinforced by my boss's avoidance of me, his lack of involvement with my work. ( I've never had a review, and never been asked what I'm working on.)

I've been told the owners are loyal to me for helping build this company, I would never be fired no matter how poor my performance is. I have seen this happen to others who have stagnated in their jobs... They too have become invisible people, people who have had their work taken away from them when they can't do it properly...

I wish my company would say, 'How can we get the best out of this individual? What does she need from her manager?'... and there has to be more that I can do for myself. I know I can't just fold my arms and say, 'make me a better employee'. What should I look for within myself? How can I get my motivation back? How can I figure this out if, in the worst possible scenario, my boss sits back and waits?

I'm aware of my strong points and my limitations. I am very communicative. People react well to me and learn from me. I'm a good teacher. I am analytical and not easily stressed. I am very competent with unhappy clients. But, I have trouble seeing a clear path to a solution. And I have become complacent.

My family depends on my salary; it would be impossible to replace it elsewhere. If I were in a stronger position financially, I would love a change. I've been impressed with the help you've give others. I'm hoping you can give me some advice.

Answer: Somewhere along the line, it seems, you decided to turn your career over to your employer. You're not alone in this. According to Paul Christian, the human resources specialist with whom I discussed your letter, lots of people throughout the workplace, are "waiting for the company to do something for them rather than doing something themselves."

Christian is a Brampton based management consultant. He's president of The Dynamics Consulting Group and specializes in helping companies improve their human performance.
Yours is a "story of hope rather than a story of despair", he believes. But you have to take charge of the situation.

Careers, at their most dynamic, are strategically managed, or "self-managed" to use the jargon of the moment.

Do you have to be lean, mean and aggressive to manage your career today? The man who slipped your job out from under you might say, yes. But it isn't necessarily so. You do, however, have to take a page from his man's book and develop a loyalty to yourself, Christian says.
You also need to face the fears that are holding you back. "There's a fear of letting go of what has become comfortable," Christian says. "Comfort is one of the most damaging things to a person's career."

In other words, it's time to shake things up a bit. This means risk. But if you move carefully, you can make it a calculated risk. You have the luxury of planning your next career move within the confines of a relatively secure situation. And who knows, perhaps you can create an ideal job for yourself.
But first, you need information on several fronts. To self-manage your career you have to know yourself and what you have to offer. You need to understand the skills you have and those you need. A broad base of information about your industry and your workplace is also essential. And you need a strategic plan.

According to Paul Christian, you need two plans. "Plan A to find your value within the company. Plan B to find your value outside the company."

It's to your advantage, he adds, that you already have good insight into yourself. "She has identified her strengths and some of the areas she needs to improve on."

His point is well made. You have strong communications skills, training and analytical skills. You understand client services. These are highly valued today. You also have a wealth of corporate intelligence, and industry intelligence, as well.

Apply your analytical skills to your firm. Think strategically. This company is at a different stage in its growth cycle than when you joined. What problems and challenges lie ahead? How can your skills and "corporate intelligence" be applied to those needs? This will be the basis of your plan A. Do a similar assessment of your industry to create plan B.

Ongoing skill development is a personal initiative.Your career belongs to you, not your employer. If you need supervisory skills, get them. Creative problem solving is a skill, as well. Edward de Bono's work on creativity can provide some insight. Look, as well, for a book by McMaster University professor, Dr. Min Basadur called The Power of Innovation (Pitman Publishing). Check out courses at college or university continuing education programs.

Your immediate challenge is to come up with a proposal to present to your boss and the company's owners. Include an assessment of corporate needs now and in the future. Define a concrete role that you can play to address them. Good luck!