https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYf55b5uQzA
What do we have to offer in the job market, and how do we stand out from the rest? During the online conference organized by Universidad ORT Uruguay, titled “Design Your Professional Canvas,” Lorena Quiroga—MBA, HR manager at Mediterranean Shipping Company Uruguay (MSC)—noted that the Business Model Canvas can serve as a tool to drive transformation in the workplace.
The event, part of the Management and Business Lecture Series, took place on Thursday, September 24, 2020.
Quiroga suggested using the Business Model Canvas. This model was created by Osterwalder and Pigneur in 2008 and adapted by Alejandro Melamed in 2019, who suggests the following seven steps:
1. Self-reflection.
This point is about stepping out of your comfort zone, stopping procrastination, and overcoming your fear of change.
“Asking ourselves how we can take ownership of our lives and our decisions, and what we can change. Considering what we have to offer, analyzing our whole being: what we value, what we see, how we view the world. Let’s undertake this process not when it’s urgent, but when it’s important, because urgency will lead us to focus on or worry about the end result rather than enjoy the journey. On the other hand, when it’s important, we can devote the necessary time, energy, and space to learn from the process and the end result,” the expert noted.
2. Background.
When designing a Canvas, it is important to take into account the personal, professional, and social context. For example, keep in mind that in today’s world, with the changes in the workplace brought about by the coronavirus, some processes have accelerated in a matter of weeks or even days.
3. Purpose.
Purpose is tied to each person’s beliefs and convictions. “It can change over the course of a lifetime. It has to do with why and for what purpose I do what I do, ”and it is action-oriented.
4. Target.
“It means knowing who our efforts and our purpose are directed toward, empathizing with those who will be the recipients of our energy, and understanding the goal on which to focus our efforts, ”Quiroga said.
5. Value proposition.
When defining a value proposition, we’re talking about a promise of what we have to offer; we need to consider what we’re offering, to whom, and how it adds value. The expert recommended thatwe “fall in love with our proposition, but also look outward.”
6. Brand.
A brand must have an action plan, a strategy, values, a mission, and a vision, as well as a relevant and consistent point of differentiation. It has both objective and subjective attributes, and it is what will be seen as the hallmark of our offering.
7. Prototype.
This final phase involves presenting a proposal to relevant stakeholders—such as our target audience —who can test it. To do this, we must overcome our fear of vulnerability and embarrassment, embrace change, and be willing to take the risk of failing.
When approached consciously, with both analysis and emotion, this process will allow us to gain a new perspective on ourselves. Let us be humble enough to accept that we will make mistakes, that we will face criticism, and that we will discover aspects of ourselves we didn’t know—and that we might not like. And when this happens, let us treat ourselves with kindness; let us not punish ourselves. If we are willing, this will be part of the learning process toward building a happier professional and personal self.