February 1st, 2010
It\’s Your Turn
It\’s Your Turn is a concise but powerful offering from author, professor and executive coach, Dr Barbara Collins. Collins began a career in education, and while it was rewarding, she still grappled with the nagging sensation that something was missing. She paid close attention to the emptiness she felt, the feeling of not understanding her purpose, and decided that instead of looking the other way she would meet it head-on and see where it took her. She begins the first chapter with a quote by Judy Garland: “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else,” and while the words are inspiring, Collins realizes that it may seem an impossible task when you feel you\’re stuck. Decisions we make out of necessity and obligation may offer safety, but often passion gradually dies away, and before we know it we\’ve lost who we really are (provided we ever really knew to begin with!) Collins presents five short chapters in which she benefits the reader with her experience, her model of how to: ”Develop a Career Path, Create a Career Portfolio, and Network,” and then encourages the reader to try the same with an “It\’s Your Turn” exercise at the end of the chapter.
Discerning the right career path or the best way to use our talents can only be done when we are in touch with who we are, and that may take some doing. The suggestions offered by Dr. Collins, while not entirely new, are helpful. Those who become inspired and take the time to share their stories are always worth listening to, and Dr. Collins is no exception.
