Career Path
I hope the articles here will help you see with fresh eyes your own career and progress in life. It is my sincere desire to help you succeed in your pursuits.
The articles here first appeared in the ACC Docket, the global magazine for in-house counsel. But you don't need to be a lawyer to appreciate these tips on successfully managing your career.
Meet the Career Path columnist:
Career Path: Meet James Bellerjeau
After realizing he had more than 80,000 hours in his career, Mettler Toledo’s former group GC James Bellerjeau weighs in on professional development and what makes one truly happy in his debut column. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
After a Career Spent Reading and Writing, I Ended Up Doing This …
I found a doorway to eternal youth, and it was right in front of me all along
James Bellerjeau
Read the article that started it all:
Career Path: The Stoic Career
I personally experienced the ambition to achieve more, and advance my career. It took me more than a decade to arrive at a more holistic view of career management. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Master Skills Series
In this six-part series, the Career Path columnist lays bare his best secrets on how to create a good impression with your work colleagues and perform well.
The ABCs of Work Series
Note: this is an ongoing series that will be published weekly in 2023.
In each of the 26 articles in this series, the Career Path columnist describes a gem of advice for how to succeed at work.
The Pragmatist's Rules for Work Series
Note: this is an ongoing series of articles that are scheduled to be published after the ABCs of Work.
Our Career Path columnist channels Machiavelli across the centuries to explore 26 behaviors that will bring you success at work.
More Career Path Articles
Career Path: Manage Your Career Like You Advise Your Clients
In his latest column, James Bellerjeau explains working harder doesn’t always equal success, rather it’s understanding the risks and rewards. #ACCDocket #MotivationMonday
Career Path: Can You Succeed at Work Without Working Hard?
Consider James Bellerjeau’s column your cheat sheet for how to succeed without working yourself to the bone. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: No One Said Life is Fair
Accepting life’s vagaries rather than harping on its unfairness is key to a peaceful life, shares columnist James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Share Your Secret Plans
To share or not to share your life goals; that’s the real question contemplated by columnist James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: There Has Never Been a Better Time to Go Back to the Office
Working from home is great, but the pitfall is you’ll lose out on building relationships, especially with your manager. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Are You Globally Competitive in Your Career?
How you measure up as an employee on a global scale is no easy task to ascertain. But here are a few key indicators. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: How Not To Get Rich
Being “rich” is relative, and while some see dollar signs, others see rest and early retirement as their personal wealth. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Why You Should Doubt Yourself
Leaving room for the possibility of being wrong makes you a better listener, and encourages the person you’re speaking with to listen more carefully. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Don’t WFH Yourself Out Of A Job
Even if your job can be done fully remote, missing the opportunity to collaborate and learn from your colleagues comes with a price, including your job security. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: It’s TIME WE JOG
Read on for James Bellerjeau’s rules for personal and professional success in three simple acronyms. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: How to Implement a Project with Lackluster Management Support
You’re not always going to get support from the top, but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve great results. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: How Will You Be Remembered?
Don’t worry about what others think. Worry about what you think of yourself. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: If You Ask the Wrong Questions…
If you ask the wrong questions, don’t be surprised if the answers you get are not much use to you. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Things That May Be Hurting Your Career
: If you’ve done or said any of these, you may want to reconsider how you view your career progression. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Regret ... And Other Things That Compound
Over time, your daily habits and decisions have an impact on your life’s trajectory. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: A Conversation Is the Worst Way to Communicate
Not all conversations lead to fruitful outcomes, but if you listen closely, you may learn more than a thing or two. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: 5 Things I Learned About Quitting From 20 Years of Running
The halo effect of the running habit encouraged James Bellerjeau to feel stronger in other areas of life. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #career
Career Path: Would You Rather Win the Silver or Bronze Medal?
Olympians’ reactions to winning silver or bronze are rooted in their comparing themselves to others. Look around you and assess whether you need to change your perspective to appreciate all you have. #ACCDocket #career #MondayMotivation
Career Path: With Experience Comes … Patience
All in-house counsel handle urgent requests. Before putting aside other priorities, exercise patience while evaluating what to do next. #ACCDocket #career #MondayMotivation
Career Path: What I Learned from Judging and Being Judged
Criticism is hard to swallow but it can make the difference between your learning or being unaware of your mistakes and how you are perceived. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Hard Work Doesn’t Make You a Hero
Who should you compare yourself to when it comes to evaluating your work? Hint: It’s not the person working 100-hour weeks. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: What Makes You Really Stand Out
Lead — well — and they shall follow, or at least you’ll make a considerable difference. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: It’s Good to be the Boss!
Freedom, authority, and respect – what’s not to like? Career Path columnist James Bellerjeau suggests senior managers should contemplate responsibility before expecting anything else. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Who Can Freely Speak the Truth?
Can you freely speak your mind? Do you? If you want to be successful in your career, you must be able to answer both questions with a clear “yes,” says Docket columnist James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Keep Your Cool
Long-term success as a senior manager requires you to keep your cool in many settings, including handling information overload and remaining calm when others have lost their cool, writes ACC Docket columnist James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #career
Career Path: Do You Want to Hear the Truth?
Many people find the truth uncomfortable – even painful. ACC Docket columnist James Bellerjeau urges you to consider who is providing the feedback, and whether it could possibly be true. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #career
Career Path: Try Not Telling People You’re an Expert
What you do is very important, but always saying you’re an expert can backfire. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Develop Principles
New managers, in particular: Watch out for trends. #ACCDocket
Career Path: Can You Think Your Way to Success?
Mental imagery and stating your goals can help you achieve them. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday, #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Do You Have a “More” Mindset?
When you are mindful of what you are doing and why, you can live fully and know when enough is enough. #ACCDocket #career
Career Path: I Miss Shaking Hands
: A handshake seals a deal and builds relationships. Contract signing isn’t the same without them. #ACCDocket #ACCEurope #inhousecounsel #generalcounsel
Career Path: What Should We Wish For?
Wish for at least a few failures and a meaningful life, and you’ll find a much deeper, more satisfying success. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday
Career Path: Observations from a Social Media Noob
A chunk — about 10 percent — of the people you communicate to or with won’t get you — and that’s OK, tells Career Path author James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Do You Know Your Gear Ratio?
You can fly high when you know how you fly best. Fine-tune with Career Path’s James Bellerjeau. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Swiss Cheese Your Way to Safety
Design a system that anticipates issues, keep analyzing to find out what went wrong when a problem occurs, and layer on fixes until the crisis is resolved. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Can You Be Too Good at Your Job?
Excel but remember if you over-do it, you may burn out. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Dealing with One-issue Stakeholders
Advocates can get in the way of your work, but their issues are often critical to understand. Good ESG communication skills will help you rise above troubling challenges. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: No One Cares as Much as You Do
Learn how to be heard through strategic and savvy communication. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Ask “If I Was Doing This for Myself …”
While we know that perfectionism is the enemy of the good, top-quality work is essential. You can learn to distinguish what needs the most attention and what you can handle in little time. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #MindfulMonday
Career Path: Identifying Problems Worth Working On
Problems large and small always clamor for our attention. Carefully consider the ways in which we add value because this helps us identify potential problems worth focusing on. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #MindfulMonday
Career Path: Who are the Most Cost-Effective Employees?
Cost-effective employees are not necessarily the most-qualified. #ACCDocket #Monday Motivation
Career Path: Identifying Solutions That Will Work
Solutions to problems often fail because managers don’t account for potential impediments. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #MindfulMonday
Career Path: Why Aren’t More Pharma Companies Nonprofits?
When you look past the surface of things to the incentives that drive behavior, you sometimes find surprising things. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #pharma
Career Path: Corporations are People Too
Corporations are frequently criticized for major violations and obscene greed, but what about all the good they accomplish for their employees and society? Learn why James Bellerjeau believes corporations deserve a more balanced assessment. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday, #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Can Anything Save Corporations’ Tainted Image?
James Bellerjeau’s latest Career Path column addresses how to secure a strong future for your business, despite regulations, and forge a greater positive impact on society in doing so. #ACCDocket #mindfulmonday #mondaymotivation
Career Path: Who’s Running the Show?
Figure out how you view success and failure – and how to work with others who see things differently. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday #MondayMotivation
Career Path: Do You have Skin in the Game?
Know what it really means to have skin in the game when it comes to what your company needs from in-house counsel. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #MindfulMonday
Career Path: If You Scheduled Your Day Like an Airline
Pay attention to what you accept in your performance. It may be too late for airlines, but it’s not too late for us in managing our careers. #ACCDocket #Mondaymotivation
Career Path: Lawmakers Need a Hippocratic Oath
Why do lawyers and regulators waste their energy on policies that backfire? Columnist James Bellerjeau thinks it’s time to hold them accountable. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday #MorningMotivation
Career Path: Sit Down and Stay Awhile
Job hopping may seem a route to opportunity and success, but it often just looks shiny and is, in fact, starting over. You can go far right where you are. #ACCDocket #MindfulMonday #MorningMotivation
Career Path: I’m a Better Manager Now that I’m Out of the Job
It is only through reflection that you will figure out what you’re doing well, what needs work, and where it all fits writes James Bellerjeau in his weekly Career Path column. #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation #MindfulMonday
Career Path: How to Spot a Bad Lawyer
Why do so many lawyers think the law should apply differently to different people? Learn what Career Path columnist James Bellerjeau says about getting back to the “rule of law.” #ACCDocket #MondayMotivation
Career Path: How In-house Counsel Reinforce the Rule of Law
Holding fast to the rule of law is not an easy path, but it is the least difficult of all other alternatives, writes James Bellerjeau. #ACC #ACCDocket #CareerPath
Career Path: When the Best Course of Action is Inaction
Career Path columnist James Bellerjeau shares how to get beyond the blather of talking about issues but not fixing them. #ACCDocket
Career Path: What the Heck Were They Thinking?
In order to improve as crisis managers, Career Path columnist James Bellerjeau proposes an annual “What Were They Thinking?” list for counsel of companies and institutions that experience public crises. #ACCDocket #inhousecounsel #crisismanagement
Career Path: Try Using Economics to Steer Your Life
Wisdom is your gold chip to a solid career as well as deep personal satisfaction shares James Bellerjeau in this Career Path column. #ACCDocket
Career Path: We Are What We Eat
Pay attention to media and other messages that are actually propaganda or you’ll be spitting out false information. #ACCDocket
Career Path: Failure Hidden in Plain Sight
Career Path columnist James Bellerjeau argues in-house lawyers are positioned to effect change at law firms by asking for annual updates on DEI efforts. #ACC #ACCDocket #CareerPath
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