As a psychologist, I work with accomplished professionals to help them make personal and professional changes to overcome obstacles that are limiting them.
The majority of my clients are highly educated. Another segment are individuals that have learned what they have needed to learn on their own to build successful careers.
My professional background leaves me uniquely qualified to help accomplished professionals because I have worked on the executive floor myself.
Frequently, counselling professionals involves helping my clients to:
- Understand they are intellectually gifted. This means they are capable of doing many things well. Being intellectually gifted can be a “mixed blessing,” however, because it can set them up to be perfectionists.
- Understand that they may threaten or intimidate clients, colleagues, supervisors or business partners without intending to. For example, they frequently deliver more than expected in ways that are superior to what was expected. In other words, they build a Maserati when they were asked to tune-up a Chrysler.
- Understand their own value systems. They may feel driven to “do the right thing,” rather than “live to see another day” in politically-charged situations.
- Learn to pace their activities so they don’t burnout. They frequently do not know that delivering 65% of what they are capable of is adequate. Keeping the other 35% of their energy for themselves can allow them to think strategically and spot opportunities they might otherwise miss.
- Understand that they can choose to do work that they like and let the rest go. By choosing to do only what they enjoy, they can change from having a job to having a vocation – which is an occupation they are passionate about. This is possible once they realize that someone else will enjoy doing the tasks they relinquish.
- Learn to give up some activities they enjoy. This comes from realizing there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything, and recognizing that delegating effectively is a critical skill.
- Make time to pursue life outside work. This can lead to greater life satisfaction, more energy, greater insights, and ironically to increased productivity at work.
- Learn to say “no.”
— Dr. Patricia Turner, Registered Psychologist, Calgary, Alberta