Reaching Your Potential

Despite their lofty job titles and impressive pay, many high-achieving executives feel professionally dissatisfied and unfulfilled. Looking back, they wish they'd accomplished more or even chosen a different career altogether. Often they feel trapped in their jobs. In this article, Kaplan, a Harvard Business School professor, examines why people arrive at this impasse-and offers them guidance on how to break through it and reach their full potential. That goal isn't about getting to the top, he says. Rather, it's about taking a very personal look at how you define success in your heart of hearts, and then finding your own path there. To discover your way, you need to step back and reassess your career, recognizing that managing it is your responsibility. Many people feel like victims when, in fact, most career wounds are self-inflicted. Taking control begins with understanding yourself: seeking frank feedback about your strengths and weaknesses from colleagues above and below you, and figuring out what you truly enjoy doing. That understanding-not other people's definition of success-should guide your career choices and goals. Next, it's critical to identify the three or four tasks central to your business and make sure you excel at them; otherwise, success is likely to elude you. Once you've chosen the right enterprise, you must show character and leadership. Great executives put the interests of their company and colleagues ahead of their own. They're willing to speak up, even to voice unpopular views. Many managers hit a plateau because they play it too safe. But those that identify their dreams, develop the skills to realize them, and demonstrate courage will find fulfillment-even if they hit bumps along the way.

• Employee satisfaction
• Career changes