Exploring the Perception of Professional Ambition

Exploring the Perception of Professional Ambition

What are the characteristics of an ambitious professional? A widely-held response may state that they are individuals who are driven to set and achieve challenging goals so they can attain leadership status and access to resources and power that come with it. Furthermore, ambition may have attached to it an intrinsic expectation of intensity, steady focus and rhythm and/or pace.

While the above is certainly a traditional definition of the ambitious professional, it has, like the world at large, been largely forged in a male-centric model in which success at work was largely due to a willingness to give one’s all on the job to the exclusion of any and all other aspects of their life. Yet today’s workforce is no longer composed of only those men; nor is it composed of people who are willing to always prioritize their profession at every stage of their lives. With the arrival of women in the workforce it’s becoming obvious that the traditional definition of ambition does not take into account differing priorities, such as pregnancy, raising children, homemaking, illness and caring for aging parents, which have - just as traditionally - been considered their responsibility.

As things stand in most workplaces, men and women’s level of ambition is measured only by this one traditional blueprint that fails to take into account factors that traditionally are in women’s purview. As a result, it is women who are primarily faced with choosing between their work and personal life and often opt to attend to their domestic responsibilities, stepping out of their career path. It is at this point that, when measured with the traditional professional yardstick, their perceived ambition falls short. In fact, their ambition is not low at all; it’s the standard by which it is measured that is flawed. They want to achieve, just not at the expense of the rest of their life.

It’s regrettable that many highly competent and talented individual’s career paths have been crippled by the assumption of "low ambition" simply because of the choices that fall to them. It seems logical that a redefinition of ambition would serve the business world so as to eliminate this stumbling block and to respect their ambition in a way that would support them as they meet life’s personal demands.

Greater flexibility in the way that ambition is measured is key to solving this predicament. When the mindset surrounding ambition changes, so can the systems that help it thrive. Some areas to consider include:

Normalize the fact that life happens. No one’s life should have to prioritize work at every stage. Recognizing that there are times when a person needs to attend to their personal life is just the right thing to do. Flex time, family leave, sabbaticals... should be as prevalent as sick days and paid vacation. Gender roles are less rigid and people need the freedom to choose who takes care of which duties, professional as well as personal.

Abandon the "either-or" mindset that says that the only career path is linear and that you’re either on that fast train to the top or you’re getting off altogether. Allow flexibility that honors the needs of the employee and the pace that their career needs to take. Their talent isn’t going anywhere while they attend to personal needs. In fact, they may be building experience and confidence that will make them an even more valuable asset upon their return. Adjusting time/pace expectations allows for a career path plan that’s inclusive of any breaks or decelerations. The "traditional" career trajectory need no longer apply where a slowing down or break in a career spells doom for the employee’s ultimate success.

Avoid severing ties with employees who need to cut back on their ambitious endeavors temporarily. Keep them in the loop, continue to include them in decision making and conversations. Provide the framework for reentry into the workforce without penalty, providing assurance and guidance. With a flight plan in place, employees can feel empowered to return and re-engage their ambition without having compromised other important elements of their life.

Elevate those who have navigated a non-linear career as role models. It will empower and motivate newer members of your workforce to see that there is a viable career path that can take their other priorities into consideration. When they know other ambitious employees who have navigated having families, illness or caregiving, they will be inspired to do likewise and continue to expand their career - with their ambition intact.

Ambition isn’t just for the traditional professional male who dedicates his life to his work above all else. It’s important to recognize that ambition can look different at different stages of a career or life. It is possible to have both ambition and a life outside of work.

How do you honor your employees’ ambition while supporting their choices to step on - and off - their career path?