205: Doris Milton—How You Can Adapt, Fast, To Changing Times

Learn how you can change and find your dream career!

Doris Milton and I do very similar things, albeit in different ways. We love to help people change so they can thrive in changing times. Today’s podcast focuses on how Doris does this for healthcare professionals who have begun to burn out at their jobs. We talk about how to help people who are searching for other paths in their lives, paths that better fit their purpose and passions. With the coronavirus now all around the world, I have a hunch that this podcast is going to speak to far too many healthcare professionals. While we hope they all emerge from the pandemic unscathed, we know that the rigors of their profession take its toll on them. Do listen.

Having worked in healthcare myself for many years as a hospital executive, and with over one third of our clients in healthcare, we watch doctors, nurses and adminstrators try to navigate the uncertain waters that are characteristic of their industry. The paperwork is overwhelming. The regulations, while well-intended, often add additional work and go-arounds, and the volume of daily patients, even before the pandemic, far exceeded the available staff and facilities. If you are in healthcare, or know someone who is, listen to Doris’s approach to helping you pause, take stock, and rethink your life.

Doris’s forte is helping people change

Doris had a dream career in healthcare and wanted that for others. She now works with people on a change process to find their own dream careers. They often resist at first, thinking change is too hard, or that they don’t have time to learn how to change. After working with Doris, they actually find that changing their lives for the better doesn’t take as much time to plan and implement as they think.

Doris’s clients typically arrive at her door through circuitous routes. Some have stalled in their careers and don’t know where to go next. Others have been “reorganized” and are not sure they like what the new organization is going to offer them. Many are just burned out, emotionally drained and no longer able to enjoy their daily lives. All of them need a boost and someone to help them.

What many don’t realize is that once they have a detailed plan for their dream career, they can start to move forward. They can then use their time and energy more wisely, stop spinning their wheels, and work toward a happier life.

Her change process

1. The first step is for someone to actually have a career goal…what is their dream career? What would they love to be doing? If there were no limitations, what would their dream job look like?

2. Next, they need to create a detailed career plan, focusing on the qualifications they will need to achieve the professional position they want in 3-5 years.

3. Finally, they must identify what they are doing today to undermine or sabotage their career growth. Many people do not realize that despite acquiring more education, certifications, experience and published articles, they often do things that reflect poorly on themselves as people. From inappropriate postings on social media to openly criticizing others, they can be a powerful obstacle to their own career advancement. In such cases, Doris coaches people on how to polish their performance and project a positive, professional image.

Doris Milton, PhD, RN

The founder of Healthcare Career Growth, Doris Milton has had a 50-year career in nursing and healthcare. Her extensive expertise includes staff nurse, Director of Research and Education for two healthcare systems and a primary care center, dean and assistant dean, author of several books and book chapters, editor and reviewer for several professional journals, mentor and coach to numerous healthcare professionals, professional speaker and workshop facilitator.

Doris gets great satisfaction from helping others design a personalized plan so they can focus on achieving their career goals, and has found that having such a plan helps leaders fast track their success.

You can contact Doris at Doris@HealthcareCareerGrowth.com, her website, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Free offer

Doris is offering listeners to our podcast a free list of 7 Ways Healthcare Professionals Sabotage Their Career Success, and strategies to use instead. Contact her to learn more.

For more on how to change to achieve career success:

Additional resources