Maximize Opportunities

You've likely heard the saying "bloom where you're planted." Depending on your current situation, the saying likely results in one of the following responses:

  • Inspiration: Yes! That's right. I've got a lot of opportunity here. What a great image.

  • Despair: I can't! How am I supposed to "bloom" when I'm being trampled underfoot, there's no fertile soil, no sustenance?

  • Anger: That's great for you to say. There's no way I can bloom here, and asking me to is basically asking me to accept all of this awfulness and just grin and bear it.

The truth is, all analogies fall apart when you poke them too hard. Some analogies will also resonate more at certain times in your life. You'll perceive analogies differently depending on who delivers them. In some situations, the analogies themselves might be insensitive because of where you're at in your life.

That doesn't mean there's not something valuable to pull from them though. When we (your presenters) say "bloom where you're planted," we like to think of it as "maximize the opportunities you have available to you right now."

If You're Just Starting Out

Are you in a lower level contributor position, just starting out in the field? Your horizon is FULL of opportunities. If you're an online learning professional, you've got a lot of different specialties, paths, areas of interest to explore. Maybe the specific role you've been hired for is focused only on one area that you're not very interested in. Do an awesome job at that specific role, but leverage it in every way possible to stretch into new places. Talk about your interests with your colleagues and your manager. See what kind of opportunities might exist to branch out. Bloom where you're planted. If the results of those conversations are "no," that's not the job, you still have a lot of hours of your life that you can dedicate to learning about and getting better at the things you are passionate about. The experience you're gaining as a professional, the reputation of being a good, reliable worker is not wasted experience.

If You're Experienced and Wanting the Next Step

Are you an experienced individual contributor wanting to move into management? This one is a bit harder.

  1. Recognize that manager roles with direct reports are a different career, with different competencies. Just because someone is great as an individual contributor or has been with an organization for a long time doesn't mean they'll be great as a manager. If you want to become a manager, you'll need to seek out opportunities to get better at those specific competencies (leading people, conflict management, strategic planning and thinking, to name a few).

  2. Taking this into account, determine if being a manager is what you really want to do. If you're not sure what your manager does all day, ask for a more nuanced explanation of their work so you know what you'd be getting into.

  3. Recognize that title does not necessarily equate to more money. Sometimes when organizations can't reward good work with salary, they reward it with a title.

  4. Seek more opportunities within your current role. What new projects can you ask to be involved in? What new things can you learn? Every single one of those experiences will be helpful to you in being competitive for future roles. Bloom where you're planted.

  5. If you feel you've maximized your opportunities where you're at, you'll likely need to look elsewhere (up and out) or look sideways (lateral) at other units within your organization.

  6. Be patient. If you keep showing up and doing good work with a free and happy spirit, you will achieve your goals.

"Bloom where you're planted" can be a very cliché, overused phrase and piece of advice. But it can also be a guiding principle that reframes your thought approach to your work and the opportunities that may exist for you in your current position. "Bloom where you're planted" doesn't mean stay in your lane. It doesn't mean be quiet and do your work. It means to find those areas where you can thrive and blossom in the context that is real for you right now, and then leverage that experience for the next place you would like to bloom.