How do you greet a challenge?

In my resume writing and career coaching practice I often have clients fill out a set of fairly comprehensive worksheets to provide me with the information that I need to develop their career marketing documents and coach them in the advancement of their career.  When I deliver the news about these worksheets I always tell them that they may end up cursing me while filling them out.  And that is OK -  I won't hear them and if I do I am a New Yorker!  I'm tough!  I can take it  - Ha ha! We have a small chuckle over my silly joke and move forward with the client prepared to do the work and embark upon the introspection that lies ahead.

What surprises me is the diverse reaction that I get from my clients after they have filled out the worksheets.  Keep in mind that these are all senior level executives that have a wealth of knowledge and extensive accomplishments that must be delved into. The responses range from analogies of sulfur being poured in wounds to a wonderful and revealing experience where they are left feeling empowered and inspired. Ok then!

I once heard a statistic that something like only 12% of the executives in this country ever actively engage in their own professional development. While I find that hard to believe I do acknowledge the fact that there are certain personality types that are not comfortable with looking in their professional mirror and examining their actions. Yet the this statement raises the question – if an executive can’t look at themselves objectively and make proactive changes when need be for their own career then how can they look at their own firm and be expected to make those types of decisions on a larger scale?

And if you are the executive that would compare completing a questionnaire about your career to sulfur in the wound then what kind of candidate will you make?