Talking about Job+Career: A Teacher's Guide

Potential Use Cases for "My Job - or My Career" Graphic Facilitation Tool

This graphic facilitator serves as a versatile tool applicable in numerous professional and educational contexts. Its structured questioning approach makes it particularly useful for career exploration, professional development, and organizational knowledge transfer. It is part of my "Executive Storytelling" series, developed for one-on-one management and executive coaching sessions, as well as an Executive MBA program in Germany.

 💼 How to use this in a Coaching Session

✅ DO’s

- Create a safe, judgment-free space so they can speak freely.

- Use open-ended follow-up questions like “Tell me more about that project…” or “What surprised you about that experience?”

- Encourage story-sharing—this organizer is story-rich and works best when people reflect in narrative.

- Adapt your pacing—if they linger on one circle, it’s likely meaningful; don’t rush it.

- Close with synthesis—help them summarize their takeaways or next steps from each section.

❌ DON’Ts

- Don’t treat it like a checklist. This isn’t a questionnaire—it’s a conversation compass.

- Avoid “fixing” their answers. Listen deeply; this is about their insight, not your advice (unless they ask).

- Don’t skip the emotional content. If they seem touched or frustrated, explore gently—those moments hold gold.

- Avoid interrupting reflections. Let silences hang; people often need space to access deeper layers.

- Don’t push reluctant topics. If a circle feels too raw or off-limits, pivot respectfully.

Here are several scenarios where this graphic facilitator could be effectively utilized:

1. Individual Career Coaching Sessions

Scenario: Mid-Career Professional Seeking Greater Fulfillment

• Explanation: A professional with 10-15 years of experience feels stagnant and seeks greater meaning in their work. They're contemplating a career change but are unsure of their transferable skills or how to articulate their strengths.
• Application: The career coach uses the mind map as a framework to guide the client's self-reflection. Questions in Circle D ("How does this job fulfill you?") and Circle C ("What skills did you bring to the table?") encourage the client to assess their values alignment and identify hidden competencies. The tool helps the client visualize their accomplishments and gain clarity on potential career paths.

 2. Employee Performance Reviews and Development Planning

Scenario: Annual Performance Review Process

• Explanation: As part of the annual performance review, managers want to engage employees in a meaningful conversation about their contributions, growth, and future goals.
• Application: The manager and employee collaboratively complete the mind map. Circle B ("How do you measure success?") helps align performance metrics, while Circle F ("What lessons learned?") promotes knowledge sharing. By addressing questions in Circle G ("Organizational Savvy"), the employee can also articulate the challenges and opportunities they see within the organization, encouraging proactive problem-solving.

 3. Succession Planning and Knowledge Transfer

Scenario: Experienced Employee Preparing for Retirement

• Explanation: A long-term employee with specialized knowledge is retiring, and the organization wants to capture their expertise to ensure a smooth transition.
• Application: The graphic facilitator guides a conversation with the retiring employee, focusing on Circle E ("Do's and Don'ts") and Circle F ("Lessons Learned"). The resulting mind map serves as a valuable resource for the incoming employee and the broader team. It ensures critical insights are preserved and organizational knowledge is retained.

 4. Onboarding New Employees (as well as Interviewing a potential candidate)

Scenario: Integrating a New Hire into the Team

• Explanation: A new employee is joining the organization, and the team wants to accelerate their integration and understanding of the role.
• Application: The team uses the mind map as a discussion guide with the new employee. Circle A ("How were you integrated into your role?") ensures a structured onboarding process. The questions in Circle B ("Describe some of your tasks") provide a quick overview of job responsibilities. By answering the questions in Circle E ("Who would be a successful candidate?"), the new employee gains insight into the team's expectations.

5. Team Building and Role Clarification

Scenario: Addressing Role Ambiguity within a Project Team

• Explanation: A project team experiences conflicts and inefficiencies due to unclear roles and responsibilities among team members.
• Application: The facilitator uses the mind map in a team workshop. Each team member completes the mind map individually, then shares their responses in a group discussion. This process clarifies individual roles (Circle B), identifies skill gaps (Circle C), and reveals conflicting expectations (Circle D). The resulting shared understanding strengthens team cohesion and improves collaboration.

 6. Career Counseling for Students

Scenario: University Students Exploring Career Options

• Explanation: University students seek guidance on aligning their academic interests with potential career paths.
• Application: The career counselor uses the mind map as a guide to explore the student's interests, skills, and values. By addressing questions in Circle C ("What skills did you bring to the table?") and Circle D ("How does this job fulfill you?"), the counselor helps students identify careers that match their strengths and motivations. The mind map provides a structured framework for setting realistic career goals.

7. Leadership Development Programs (Assessment Center Interview)

Scenario: Developing Leadership Skills Among Emerging Leaders

• Explanation: A company wants to equip its high-potential employees with the skills and insights needed to excel in leadership roles.
• Application: As part of a leadership development program, participants complete the mind map and share their responses in a peer coaching session. This process encourages self-reflection (Circle D), enhances organizational understanding (Circle G), and fosters knowledge sharing (Circle F). Participants gain insight into leadership qualities (Circle E) and build a supportive network.

In summary, this graphic facilitation tool is highly adaptable and can be used in any situation where structured reflection on job roles, career paths, or organizational experiences is desired. Its broad applicability stems from its ability to elicit both personal insights and actionable knowledge, making it a valuable asset for individuals, teams, and organizations seeking to enhance professional development and foster a culture of continuous learning.

"My Job - or My Career" Graphic Facilitation Tool Questions

This graphic facilitator, created in 1998, utilizes strategic questioning (also known as Behavioral Questioning) to explore seven crucial dimensions of professional experience.

Each circle targets specific organizational aspects and elicits particular insights about career development and job performance.

Below is an analysis of what each set of questions addresses and aims to reveal.

First, what are the questions and prompts?

Circle A

1.     How did you get your job?

2.     How were you integrated into your role?

3.     Did you have any role models or mentors?

Circle B

1.     Describe some of your tasks from the easiest to the most difficult.

2.     How do you measure success in the workplace?

3.     How do you know your work has worth?

Circle C

1.     What skills and competencies are required to perform your job effectively?

2.     What skills did you bring to the table?

3.     What have you learned or acquired along the way while holding this job?

Circle D

1.     How does the official job description of your job compare to reality?

2.     Have you ever benchmarked your job?

3.     What self-realizations have you made while holding this position?

4.     How does this job fulfill you?

 Circle E

1.     What would you tell a person about the dos and don'ts of your position?

2.     Who would be a successful and unsuccessful candidate for your job?

Circle F

1.     What happened on some of the projects you have worked on?

2.     Talk about some of the high points, setbacks, or low points of these projects?

3.     What lessons learned and best practices can you talk about in detail about some of the projects you have worked on while holding this position?

Circle G

1.     How would you describe your organizational savvy?

2.     How has organizational savvy helped you to get things done, or helped you to advance in your career?

Below is an analysis of what each set of questions addresses and aims to reveal.

Circle A: Career Entry and Mentorship

These questions explore recruitment processes, organizational socialization, and professional development support systems.

• "How did you get your job?" - Elicits career path narratives and illuminates formal/informal recruitment channels. This provides insight into networking effectiveness, internal mobility patterns, or external hiring practices.
• "How were you integrated into your role?" - Addresses onboarding practices and organizational assimilation. Research shows "a positive onboarding experience sets new hires up for success in their role" and can "shorten the time-to-productivity by removing blockers".
• "Did you have any role models or mentors?" - Reveals developmental relationships and professional guidance systems. Effective mentorship during onboarding is particularly valuable as "new hires are likely to have lots of questions and are eager to prove themselves".

 Circle B: Task Analysis and Value Assessment

These questions target job complexity, performance metrics, and work valuation systems.

• "Describe some of your tasks from easiest to most difficult" - Maps job responsibilities across a complexity spectrum, revealing task variety and cognitive demands.
• "How do you measure success in the workplace?" - Explores personal and organizational performance indicators. Effective metrics should "enable the organization's daily operations by removing barriers and creating a sense of control at every level".
• "How do you know your work has worth?" - Addresses job value perception and impact assessment, connecting to meaning-making and intrinsic motivation in professional contexts.

  Circle C: Skills and Competency Framework

These questions examine job requirements, personal capabilities, and professional growth.

• "What skills and/or competencies are required for you to perform your work effectively?" - Identifies essential capabilities for role performance. These might include "business awareness," "customer orientation," "analysis/problem solving," and "communication".
• "What skills did you bring to the table?" - Explores transferable competencies and pre-existing strengths that informed initial job performance.
• "What have you learned or acquired along the way?" - Reveals on-the-job learning and skill development. Organizations that "prioritize continuous learning and professional development are more likely to retain top talent".

 Circle D: Job Alignment and Personal Fulfillment

These questions investigate role clarity, position benchmarking, self-awareness, and job satisfaction.

• "How does the official job description of your job compare to reality?" - Reveals gaps between formal role specifications and lived experience, potentially identifying evolving responsibilities or expectations misalignment.
• "Have you ever benchmarked your job?" - Explores comparative assessment against industry standards or similar positions elsewhere.
• "What self-realizations have you made while holding this position?" - Examines personal insights and identity development through professional experience.
• "How does this job fulfill you?" - Addresses psychological needs and values alignment. Research shows "true career fulfilment is not simply about securing the next promotion, it's about finding a role that aligns with individual aspirations and values".

 Circle E: Position Success Factors

These questions focus on tacit knowledge and candidate selection criteria.

• "What would you tell a person about the 'Do's and Don'ts' of your position?" - Elicits unwritten rules and practical wisdom that formal documentation rarely captures aka Psychological Contracting
• "Who would be a successful and unsuccessful candidate for your job?" - Reveals success predictors and risk factors beyond formal qualifications. Creating effective candidate profiles requires identifying both "soft skills: non-technical and often related to emotional and social abilities" and "hard skills: technical and often related to a specific trade or occupation".

 Circle F: Project Experience and Knowledge Transfer

These questions explore work history, challenge management, and organizational learning.

• "What have been some of the projects you have worked on?" - Maps professional experience across specific initiatives and responsibilities.
• "What about the high points, setbacks, and low points?" - Examines resilience, adaptation, and achievement through project narratives.
• "What 'lessons learned' and 'best practices' can you talk about in detail?" - Captures experiential wisdom for knowledge transfer. Effective project management involves "capturing and documenting the lessons learned" because "whether your initiative is a resounding success, an unfortunate failure, or somewhere in between, there are always lessons to be learned".

 Circle G: Organizational Navigation

These questions address political intelligence and career advancement strategies.

• "How would you describe your Organizational Savvy?" - Explores understanding of formal and informal power structures and decision-making processes, as well as Psychological Contracting.
• "Has it helped you to get things done, or helped you to advance in your career?" - Examines practical application of organizational navigation skills for both task accomplishment and career progression.

Let’s dive into tailored follow-up prompts for each of the circles in the “My Job – or My Career” graphic organizer. These follow-up prompts are designed to spark deeper reflection and storytelling during your coaching session:

🔵 A – How I Got This Job

- “What drew you to this field originally?”

- “Did someone influence your choice, or was it more of an accident?”

- “How different is your current reality from what you imagined back then?”

🟡 B – What I Do / What Is Expected

- “What parts of your work energize you?”

- “Are there tasks that feel misaligned with your strengths?”

- “How clear is your sense of what success looks like in your role?”

🟢 C – Skills and Strengths

- “Which skills are you proud of growing in this role?”

- “What do others turn to you for help with?”

- “What’s one skill you haven’t been able to use enough?”

🔴 D – Job Description vs. Reality

- “If someone shadowed you for a day, what would surprise them?”

- “What’s the biggest gap between the ‘official’ job and your daily reality?”

- “Have you had to redefine your role to make it work for you?”

🟣 E – What Works / What Doesn’t

- “What behaviors have helped you thrive here?”

- “Where have you had to stretch outside your comfort zone?”

- “Is anything draining your energy that you’ve just learned to tolerate?”

🟠 F – How I Get Things Done

- “Who are your ‘go-to’ people in the organization?”

- “What systems or shortcuts have you developed to be effective?”

- “How do you navigate red tape or resistance?”

🔘 G – Key Milestones / Signature Projects

- “What’s one project that felt like a turning point in your career?”

- “Which accomplishment still makes you proud?”

- “If your career were a book, what would this chapter be called?”

Together, these seven dimensions create a comprehensive framework for exploring professional experience, fostering self-reflection, and facilitating knowledge transfer between employees. The graphic facilitation tool demonstrates how thoughtfully structured questions can elicit rich insights about career development and organizational functioning that might otherwise remain tacit or unexplored.

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