What is a Jefa?
A jefa is an individual that has a boss-mentality and owns their skill sets to deliver results to their community. Someone who stands strong in who they are and is focused on living a fulfilled lifestyle without having a limiting mindset. Someone who does not shrink themselves in new areas and instead walks with their head held high.
As a Career Confidence Coach, I work closely with first-gen professionals to guide them through my J.E.F.A framework to lead them to becoming more confident in their uniqueness.
In this article, I will help you understand the J.E.F.A framework to start doing the inner work to become a jefa in your own life.
Here is the J.E.F.A Framework:
How do you build a Jefa Mindset?
To have a Jefa mindset, you need to understand that your ideas are unique, and you can bring a new perspective to the table.
Even if you work for a company, you can build a jefa mindset for yourself. Being a jefa, doesn’t mean that you have to lead the company, but it is focused on leading your own career journey with intentional efforts.
The biggest thing that gets in the way of a jefa mindset, is imposter syndrome.
The term "impostor syndrome" is used to designate an internal experience of intellectual phoniness that appears to be particularly prevalent and intense among a select sample of high achieving women…. Despite outstanding academic and professional accomplishments, women who experience the impostor phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise. Numerous achievements, which one might expect to provide ample objective evidence of superior intellectual functioning, do not appear to affect the impostor belief.
-P. Clance & S. Imes (1978) "The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention"
Reality check is that you belong in each room that you are in, and it is not based on luck, it’s based on your talent, experience and unique perspective. Next, you will learn about how to become empowered in what you bring to the table in your career.
How can you become empowered in your authentic self?
Self empowerment is about taking control of your life. This involves developing the self-trust and self-awareness you need to set the right goals, make sound decisions, and understand your strengths and weaknesses - so you can thrive.
Living a life fuelled by self empowerment is a refusal to allow others to make decisions for you.
Instead, it’s claiming your own path - regardless of what anyone else says - because you know that path is right for you.
This takes inner work to examine what your inner strengths are and reframing the weaknesses that you think you lack as opportunities to become better in. To vocalize and be empowered in who you are, you need to have a clear understanding of your personal attributes, characteristic traits and inspirations.
How do you lead a fulfilled lifestyle?
What does it mean to be fulfilled?
Being satisfied or happy because of fully developing one's abilities or character.
In order to become fulfilled, your inner passions need to be aligned with your outer work and where you spend your energy.
If you need help examining your career passions and pursuits, I encourage you to download the digital Career Journal to help you explore by journaling.
Another great resource is the Career Development Toolkit, to help you learn about your career trajectory and build a plan to your career success. Whether you work for a company or own your own business, you need to be confident about your purpose. Having career confidence is knowing your worth and living out your passions. You can use this toolkit to help you explore your strengths and areas for improvement. This will also help you with your career direction with confidence.
How do you move forward into action with your Jefa goals?
This is where action takes place and you use your jefa mindset to launch into reaching your jefa goals. It will be best to develop a plan on how you are going to organize your goals, prioritize and become intentional with your efforts.
There are a lot of tools and digital downloads to help you with goal planning and 5 year career planning.
My personal favorite way to move forward into action is to set three main priorities each year to focus your efforts. For example, last year I focused on my doctoral program, professional development and my relationship with my son. These areas led my weekly planning and were on my mind prior to making other commitments that took me away from my jefa goals. I was glad to see as I recapped the year, that I met and exceeded all of my goals with intentional actions and effort.
Reminder
If you struggle with taking action, you should consider investing in a Career Confidence Coach to help guide you in becoming a jefa and taking control of your career journey.
Comentários