by Steven B. McKinney

McKinney Consulting Inc.

A client recently mentioned that he did not like the "cookie cutter approach" to his operational needs. He was referring to a standard one answer that fits all companies. The client was more interested in this solution.

A recipe of good people mixed with great skills and guiding principles guaranteed to yield high quality results. This recipe cannot be baked like cookies but must be planted like seeds. The best people are raised and nourished to bring forth a bountiful harvest of good ideas and achievements.

To enjoy a healthy career we must plant the right seeds. We must focus on those skills and competencies that will yield the most fruit. The enjoyment of a great career should not be left to luck or chance.

There are several areas of our personal development that we should consider for our personal career management. The most important for us today are interpersonal abilities; communication skills; leadership; teamwork; computer technical aptitudes; personal traits; strategic thinking and community involvement.

Interpersonal abilities are the strength and talent an individual practices when as he or she relates to others. Very few people can be successful working in a vacuum by themselves. One's ability to inspire others to participate and contribute to the effort at work or mitigate conflict between co-workers is a seed or skill well worth cultivating.

This leads directly to good communication skills. All leaders or workers must demonstrate solid verbal, written and listening skills. Most CEO's will tell you that they spend more time on communicating than any other single act. The capstone is presentation skills that include the ability to respond to questions and serious critique of the presentation material. Solid communication skills are as important to your career management as rich soil is to agriculture.

In addition, true leadership ability is being able to take charge or relinquish control according to the needs of the organization. Also, closely aligned with this is the possession of management abilities. One client recently confided in me that one of his senior leaders had all of the leadership and business development qualities but, it took a team of people to follow behind him to clean up the mess. Day to day management functions was his weakness.

Also, engaging tasks with effective teamwork skills is a talent and a science. The key is to learn to work cooperatively and collaboratively with different people while maintaining autonomous control over some parts of the assignments.

Next, based on the level required for the position, computer technical aptitudes have become a core competency skill. Computer training is no longer an elective but a required skill for success. Computer skills today are now rated right up there with reading, writing and mathematics. The ability levels (expectations) for computer knowledge and application continue to rise.

In addition, web-based technologies are becoming more and more commonly used. A working knowledge of Microsoft Office and other Microsoft technologies is the norm. System building (visually and technically) and Interface analysis (business technology, and society), which requires higher-level critical thinking skills are becoming increasingly important.

Also, strategic thinking competencies are on the rise. Demonstrated ability to think out of the box and develop winning strategies is becoming a norm. Just a few years ago only mid to senior management was required to have strategic thinking skills, but now even new graduates should have some ability.

As the Generation X generation takes over leadership in companies, a community service commitment is expected to be a more important hiring requirement. I believe one of the reasons for this is the idea of corporate and individual responsibility for the communities where we live.

The shape of all of these skills and competencies are a combination of personal traits, which specifically demonstrate initiative and motivation. Also they outline your ability to be flexible/adaptable and to handle change and ambiguity.

In addition, they demonstrate someone with a strong work ethic and reliability; honesty and integrity; and ability to plan and organize multiple tasks.
Emerging, as a key personal trait is an individual ability to provide customer service anticipating customer needs and the demeanor to respond positively to customer concerns.

We can enjoy a fruitful career if we plant the best seeds, and provide all the necessary nutrients and attention to help us grow. The taste of a fruitful career is like the mouth watering sweet sensation of a Korean Pear, truly the best pears in the world.

About the author: Steven B. McKinney is the founder and president of McKinney Consulting Inc., Korea's most trusted executive search firm.  McKinney Consulting offers a comprehensive range of personalized, professional resource services to a wide cross-section of companies operating in Korea and Asia.  Mr. McKinney is a globally established commentator on international management.  He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it