Career Anchors And Self Leadership
Navigating with Your Inner Compass
Have you ever felt torn between what you should do and what you really want to do in your career?
Do you sometimes wonder whether your current role reflects who you truly are?
And what if you had an inner compass that could guide you more clearly—especially in times of change?
Today’s episode is about Career Anchors—a powerful concept that can help you understand what drives you at work.
We’ll connect this concept with the core idea of Self-Leadership—how you lead yourself toward meaningful, satisfying work and a life that feels aligned.
You’ll learn:
• What Career Anchors are
• How they influence your motivation and decisions
• How they support your self-leadership
• And finally, you’ll be guided through a short reflection exercise
Let’s get started.
Part 1 – What Is Self-Leadership?
First, a quick reminder of what I mean by Self-Leadership. I define Self-Leadership as “attitudes and methods for the goal-oriented leadership of oneself.” It is based on three pillars:
• Self-awareness
• Self-responsibility
• Self-direction
This approach helps you create clarity about what matters most, stay on course in a turbulent world, and act in alignment with your deeper goals. But how do you know what matters most? That’s where Career Anchors come in.
Part 2 – Understanding Career Anchors
The concept of Career Anchors were first introduced by Edgar Schein and has been recently reimagined in 2023 by Schein, Van Maanen, and Peter Schein. Career Anchors describe the core values, motivations, and needs that guide your career decisions—whether you’re aware of them or not. Think of them as inner reference points. When you honor them, you feel energized. When you ignore them, you feel lost or frustrated. Here are the eight Career Anchors:
1. Technical/Functional (TF)
This anchor reflects a deep need to become truly excellent in a specific field. People with this anchor are driven by expertise and problem-solving. They enjoy mastering a domain and being recognized for their know-how. Picture someone who doesn’t need a leadership title—but thrives when solving complex technical challenges or perfecting systems. They often feel most fulfilled when they are “in the zone” of their specialization.
Self-Leadership implications:
Build your role around deep work. Set goals that challenge your skillset. Look for environments where craftsmanship is valued—and avoid being pulled into roles that take you too far from what you do best.
Ask yourself: “Where do I want to go deeper instead of wider?”
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2. Autonomy/Independence (AU)
People with this anchor value freedom over structure. They want to shape their own work—when, where, and how it happens. This might show up as a desire to work remotely, to reject micromanagement, or to create a business that lets you define your own pace. What matters most is self-direction.
Self-Leadership implications:
Design your work so that it gives you room to decide. Structure your day, your processes, and even your collaborations in a way that respects your independence. Watch for roles where rigid systems undermine your drive.
Ask yourself: “Where do I feel boxed in—and where do I feel free?”
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3. Challenge & Risk (C&R)
This anchor is about pushing boundaries. If this is your anchor, you seek complex problems, ambitious goals, and high-stakes situations. You’re energized by uncertainty—by the thrill of figuring things out when others step back. You may not need constant adrenaline, but you do need stimulation and growth.
Self-Leadership implications:
Keep your stretch goals visible. Volunteer for projects that scare you—in a good way. But also learn to manage recovery, because intensity needs balance.
Ask yourself: “What challenges am I ready for—but maybe avoiding?”
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4. Entrepreneurial Creativity (EC)
This anchor is about building something new. You’re excited by innovation, by launching projects, or by creating solutions where none existed before. People with this anchor don’t wait for permission—they experiment, prototype, and learn through action. Impact matters, but so does independence and originality.
Self-Leadership implications:
You need time and space to create. Build routines that support innovation—whiteboard sessions, idea journals, or side projects. Look for collaborators who energize you rather than constrain you.
Ask yourself: “What have I created lately that I’m proud of?”
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5. General Management (GM)
You are drawn to leading people and steering complex systems. You enjoy aligning teams, making strategic decisions, and delivering results through others. It’s not just about control—it’s about seeing the big picture and coordinating moving parts. You thrive on responsibility and influence.
Self-Leadership implications:
Sharpen your systems thinking. Strengthen your communication skills. And regularly check that your leadership remains values-driven—not just performance-driven.
Ask yourself: “Am I leading with clarity—or just managing complexity?”
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6. Service / Dedication to a Cause (SV)
This anchor is rooted in meaning and contribution. You want to make a positive difference—to help people, solve societal issues, or support a cause bigger than yourself. Success is measured not just in numbers, but in impact. You feel fulfilled when your work reflects your deeper beliefs.
Self-Leadership implications:
Align your goals with your values. Don’t ignore purpose when making decisions about your role or organization. And take time to reconnect with your why—especially in difficult moments.
Ask yourself: “What kind of impact do I want to have this year?”
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7. Stability & Security (S&S)
This anchor is about predictability, consistency, and reliability. You want to work in an environment where expectations are clear, change is manageable, and long-term planning is possible. You may not resist all change—but you value continuity and low risk. This anchor often shows up in people who’ve experienced instability in the past.
Self-Leadership implications:
Don’t apologize for seeking structure. Instead, choose roles that let you build routines and minimize volatility. But also stay open to evolution—security doesn’t have to mean stagnation.
Ask yourself: “What routines make me feel grounded—and which ones trap me?”
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8. Life-Work Integration (LW)
This anchor reflects a deep desire to balance life’s different areas—not by separating them, but by integrating them meaningfully. You want work that allows space for family, well-being, travel, hobbies, or personal growth. You don’t want to sacrifice your life for your job—or vice versa.
Self-Leadership implications:
Define your non-negotiables clearly. Design your time with care. Say yes to flexibility—and no to false urgency. Make alignment your leadership strategy.
Ask yourself: “Am I living the way I want—or just working the way I’m told?”
Keep in mind: Most people have one or two dominant anchors that shape their career satisfaction and decisions.
Part 3 – How Career Anchors Connect with Self-Leadership
When you combine the concept of Career Anchors with Self-Leadership, at least three powerful things happen:
1. You gain clarity
You’re better able to filter opportunities. Example: If your anchor is Autonomy, you’ll recognize that micromanagement will be toxic—no matter the salary.
2. You increase your motivation
When your work aligns with your anchor, you naturally feel more energized and committed. Example: Someone driven by Service will perform best in roles with a sense of purpose—even if they come with lower pay.
3. You navigate change with confidence
Career Anchors are not fixed forever. Maybe ten years ago, you were driven by Challenge. Today, it might be Stability. Self-Leadership helps you recognize and accept this evolution—and to adjust your goals accordingly.
Handle with care
You know me by now—I always encourage you to treat any concept, model, or framework with care. The Career Anchors are just that: a concept. A useful lens, not a label.
Test it. Use it. But don’t confuse insight with identity.
You’re not a finished product—you’re becoming. As psychologist Daniel Gilbert put it:
“We’re works in progress who think we’re finished.”
Let that sink in.
Personality is fluid. Motivation evolves. Don’t get trapped in a fixed self-concept.
Let your Career Anchor guide you—not box you in.
Reflection Exercise
Let’s pause for a moment of reflection. You may want to write down or just think through your answers.
- Am I doing work that reflects what I really care about?
- What is one bold step I can take now to move in the right direction?
- Where might I need to adjust my mindset or actions to reach the next level?
These questions can open the door to real change.
Download The Slides
If you found today’s episode helpful, you can download my slide deck from the Career Anchors webinar that I did for AHK Bogotá:
bensmann-consulting.com/career
Password: career2025
Music Into & Outro by Joakim Karud http://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud
