Success shouldn’t be one size fits all

Why and how employers can empower their employees to define their version of success to benefit their business.

The dictionary defines success as 'the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors, accomplishing one's goals.'

However you define it - whether you call it a victory, a triumph, or making progress, it's essential to understand that success should look a little different for everyone.

Don't get me wrong - we can have shared success and goals as an organisation, group, or team, but we must define what success looks like for us as an individual to thrive and be our best selves. Often, we inherit other people's definitions of what success looks like, which is the route we follow throughout our lives. That might be from our upbringing or working in a particular environment - with the expectation that certain things such as money, status, or one specific career path will mean that we are successful. But what if it just doesn't feel right? What then?

Go back to basics:

It's important to go back to basics and understand your values and beliefs before defining what success looks like. One of the best things I would suggest you do is question them - I'm not saying they are wrong, but it's essential to understand where your beliefs came from and if they affect your definition of what success looks like to you - positively or negatively. From here, you can start to build a picture of what success looks like to you, which can help when you're setting goals - personally or professionally. 

Millennials make the first move:

If we look at this from a professional perspective, most older generations believed that you should go to school, university, get a job, and work up the career ladder until you retire. We've seen that approach start to change with millennials, and we will continue to see that as Gen Z grow up.

A report by PWC 'Millennials at work: reshaping the workplace’ highlights some of these changes: 

"Millennials tend to be uncomfortable with rigid corporate structures and turned off by information silos. Instead, they expect rapid progression, a varied and interesting career, and constant feedback. In other words, millennials want a management style and corporate culture markedly different from anything that has gone before – one that meets their needs. 

The particular characteristics of millennials – such as their ambition and desire to keep learning and move quickly upwards through an organisation and their willingness to move on quickly if their expectations are not being met – require a focused response from employers. Millennials want a flexible approach to work, but very regular feedback and encouragement. They want to feel their work is worthwhile and that their efforts are being recognised. And they value similar things in an employer brand as they do in a consumer brand.” 

So it seems in the workplace, at least, millennials - who accounted for 50% of the global workforce in 2020 - are happy to question their beliefs, values and strive to define what success means to them. 

How can employers adapt to this?  

In the report, 65% of those surveyed said that the top reason influencing their decision to accept their current job was 'the opportunity for personal development.' 

'Training and development' ranked highest as a benefit valued most from an employer, with 22%, followed by flexible working hours (19%) and cash bonus (14%). 

With these kinds of statistics, I think it's key for employers to consider the employee holistically and encourage them to explore what success means to them in more general terms, not just at work. Also, accepting that not everyone will want to be on the same path to success with promotions and pay rises, recognising where this is happening, and tailoring an approach to suit them. 

I know it's a delicate balance to maintain the shared success and focus of the organisation, while encouraging employees to explore their definition of success in the workplace. But with 28% of those surveyed saying that they would value working with strong coaches and mentors, I feel neglecting this area could see an employee consider looking elsewhere for employment. 

A coaching relationship will help identify what is important to a client, allowing them to define their version of success and then provide support as they navigate through the options they decide to achieve. This approach will differ from a mentor relationship that relies on advice, information, and guidance given to the mentee about specific situations. Both approaches have their merits and could actually work well in conjunction with each other.