How Women Lead: The 8 Essential Strategies Successful Women Know

SUCCESS STRATEGY THREEBe the Architect of Your Career

Building a career takes a little serendipity; a bit of being in the right place at the right time; a considerable amount of flexibility, courage, and belief in yourself; and a lot of risk taking and hard work. Most important of all, it involves taking responsibility for propelling yourself to achieve your goals. No matter how prominent your sponsors or how wide-ranging your networks, at the core of professional success is having the skills and the experience to apply those skills, to expand your portfolio, and to demonstrate your capabilities.

A prevailing myth believed by many people is that you can plan your career from day one and then pursue it. In reality, careers are flexible and often ...