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Career Development Using the Four Stages™ of Contribution

Your boss typically won’t recognize your genius on your first day at work—or sometimes even on your 1,000th. Rather than waiting to be noticed by upper management, what can a communication professional do to grow his or her career and improve its earning potential?

On March 12 Jan Thibodeau answers this question at the IABC Career Development Forum on Your Communications Career & the Four Stages™ of Contribution—How to Achieve Greater Impact & Influence. Ms. Thibodeau is the 2007/08 Chair of IABC’s Research Foundation and Director of Consulting at Novations Group, Inc., an organizational consulting, coaching, and talent-development company.

During a 50-minute Forum, Ms. Thibodeau will review the background and Harvard University–based research behind The Four Stages of Contribution. Over the past 20 years, Novations Group, Inc., has updated and validated the findings of the Four Stages model through numerous consultations and continuous research.

Participants will learn about the characteristics and behaviors of each stage and review mini case studies to become comfortable using the model.

By the end of the event, participants will know how to take control of the contributions they make to an organization and their own career growth. Second, they will understand how to use the Four Stages of Contribution as a framework for personal career development.

The Four Stages model is a common-sense approach that “resonates with communicators at every career level,” says Ms. Thibodeau. “The model helps those just starting out to navigate the organizational landscape, and it helps those at mid-career to leverage high-growth development opportunities.” Seasoned professionals find the model useful in navigating a path to that holy grail of a communication career—a strategic seat at the table with senior executives.

According to Ms. Thibodeau, Novations Group believes that “individual and organizational capacity is fluid, not fixed.” By helping corporate communicators visualize “the specific behaviors, actions, and steps [they need] to do next to further their careers,” the Four Stages of Contribution is a roadmap to increase their capacity, influence, visibility, and value within an organization.

Please join Ms. Thibodeau on March 12, 2008, from 5:30pm-8:30pm for an IABC Career Development Forum at the Henderson House in Weston, MA, to learn more about The Four Stages of Contribution and what it can do for you.

Article written by Linda Sanders. Linda is associate editor of EDIT and senior content manager, publications, at Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA).