According to Mercer, 60 percent of employees report feeling physically and emotionally drained at the end of each workday. And it’s no wonder: The landscape of work is shifting dramatically, with roles morphing, new ways to work emerging, and a growing emphasis on skills-based hiring. In today’s workplace, the winds of change are thrashing employees from all directions, creating a swell of stress that threatens to swamp even the most intrepid career journeyers.

As we grapple with these changes, many are left wondering: How can we effectively navigate this dynamic environment? It’s clear that the career development landscape is vastly different than it was just five or 10 years ago. If you’re feeling adrift in the choppy waters of organizational life, it might be time to throw out the old navigational tools you’ve relied upon and embrace a new type of compass—one that will harness the rough waters and make the winds of change work for you.

This new career compass points to the qualities needed to thrive in today’s workplace. Employees who become more self-aware, strategic, scrappy, and synergistic in their approach to self-development will find themselves better able to weather the stormy workplace that has become the norm.

Image Credit: LaRay Gates, Gates Graphics

True North: Self-Aware

The first and most important point on this new compass is self-awareness. Understanding what interests and motivates you is crucial, and leaning into that self-awareness can elevate your career development. It guides you toward engagement, which is particularly important in a time when disengagement is dangerously high. Gallup reports that we’re at an 11-year low for engagement, with trends like quiet quitting and quiet vacationing becoming louder by the day. Disengagement is unhealthy, not just for individuals but for organizations as well. Fostering self-awareness is key to keeping yourself and your team engaged and thriving.

East: Strategic

Self-awareness alone isn’t enough; it must be viewed through a broader, forward-looking lens. Being strategic means understanding the broader landscape—your organization, your sector, and even global trends—and using that understanding to establish guardrails for expressing and experiencing your interests in a sustainable way at work. For instance, one instructional designer I know saw her budget slashed and technology demands rise. Rather than seeing this as a threat, she embraced AI as an opportunity, taking an early course on the topic and honing her skills by developing a project for her child’s school. She became an expert, reinvented herself and her role, and in doing so, found satisfaction and job security. This kind of strategic thinking is about positioning yourself to not just survive today but thrive tomorrow in an ever-changing environment.

South: Scrappy

The third point on the compass points us in the direction of optimizing scrappiness. For years, we’ve been told to “own our careers,” but that can be hard when we look to our organizations for funding, courses, and other resources. In today’s world, success is increasingly in the hands of creative DIYers who exercise new agency and recognize that content is ubiquitous. As an L&D professional, you know that if you want to learn something, a quick click is all it takes.

Additionally, job titles are becoming less fixed, and boundaries are blurrier as organizations grapple with concepts like hiring for skills and deconstructed job descriptions. This means that those who are scrappy can find ways to use the envelope of their current role for powerful growth. Scrappy self-developers focus on curating opportunities and experiences they can control to fill necessary skill gaps, broaden perspectives, and remain highly engaged. They also focus on exposure by working with others and angling for proximity to role models from whom they can learn by osmosis while increasing visibility. Scrappy self-developers are mindful about mining their current roles for every vein of learning gold. They look outside of the workplace and leverage extracurriculars to intentionally build skills and networks. Essentially, they’re MacGyvering their way to success.

West: Synergistic

Finally, the fourth point on the compass is synergy. Career development is not a solo endeavor; it’s a social experience that frequently benefits from a broader lens. In the past, career development was often experienced as an exclusive relationship between an employee and their manager. But today, we know that co-workers, contractors, vendors, and even customers are often in a better position to see and support each other’s growth. So, why not synergize among ourselves? Turning development into a team sport can exponentially expand the support you receive. By sharing goals, engaging in group development planning, and having regular peer feedback sessions, you can create organic recognition and coaching opportunities.

One team I’m working with did just this (with the support of their boss), nearly immediately elevating engagement survey results. And, in fact, the team member who spearheaded the effort found that this collaborative approach tapped into new interests and skills he wasn’t aware of before—and he’ll be working with the talent management function part time next year—a testament to the power of synergy in career development.

While the sea conditions may seem challenging, there’s never been a better or more exciting time to chart your career course. An updated and recalibrated compass will help you re-orient in the face of ever-changing conditions. When you adopt these new cardinal points—becoming more self-aware, strategic, scrappy, and synergistic—you may not have a completely smooth sailing experience, but you’ll chart a meaningful career course on your terms and enjoy the journey.