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In the realm of careers for organization development and change (OD&C) professionals, the traditional paths of leadership and monetary gain often fall short of yielding optimal fulfillment. Contemporary OD&C professionals are increasingly drawn to diverse experiences that involve the human side of change, driven to become thought leaders, creating a positive "ripple effect." We offer that genuine professional enjoyment is rooted in crafting distinctive, scalable solutions and conceptual frameworks that advance one's professional brand in alignment with the principles of OD&C. It is at this point that professional freedom can be achieved while addressing important career questions. How can a professional in our field, or any field for that matter, do what they want, where they want, with whom they want, making the living they want? This article examines the concept of professional joy, firmly anchored in achieving the career trifecta: A role harmonizing personal aspirations, autonomy over time and place, collaborative partnerships, and income. We introduce five pivotal competencies of thought leaders, serving as catalysts for achieving this trifecta and, consequently, experiencing profound contentment moments of ecstatic delight. This perspective passionately advocates for a departure from conventional paths, inviting OD&C professionals to embrace thought leadership as a potent vehicle for enriching career landscapes with transformative moments that enable one to make a meaningful difference.
Keywords: professional joy, joy, emotion, thought leadership, career development
"Where do I go from here?" It is a question that may be asked at any career stage, field, or point in life. As career options grow, "traditional" paths and trajectories rapidly evolve beyond linear ways of thinking. As an illustration, consider the emerging gig economy characterized by freelancing and short-term agreements. The self-reliant workforce surged from 10 percent in 2005 to 31 percent in 2018, with projections indicating ongoing exponential growth. Moreover, a substantial 79% of full-time independent workers expressed greater contentment working autonomously compared to traditional employment settings (Almeida, 2022; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2019).
In our ever-increasing volatile and complex world, there is less career predictability with more options from which to choose. How does a person prepare for the next professional career level? What is the best path? We propose moving beyond subject matter expertise toward thought leadership with a professional...