According to Carter Cast, professor at Kellogg School of Management, knowing what truly motivates you is critical to career success. Without this insight, you risk ending up in a role that’s a poor fit for you and your company—and your career could, as Cast warns, “go off the rails.”

In Part 1 of this series, we shared our overall CLAB approach to helping leaders find a fulfilling, future-oriented career. Today, we’re focusing on the foundation of that process: understanding what truly drives you and where your energy comes from.

🧭 Why This First Step Matters

Understanding your motivations and drivers gives you clarity and focus. It helps you:
– Target roles and companies aligned with your values and aspirations.
– Increase your chances of long-term career satisfaction and purpose.
– Avoid career choices that can lead to burnout, frustration, or disengagement.

This kind of self-awareness is what keeps your career trajectory both authentic and sustainable.

🔍 The Tools We Use

While there are many excellent career assessment tools available, we consistently rely on two that our clients find especially insightful and practical.

1) MRG Motivation and Career Report

We all prioritize our work and life—often unconsciously—based on our motivational makeup. The MRG Motivation and Career Report makes those drivers visible and actionable.
Built on the Individual Directions Inventory (IDI), it measures 17 motivational dimensions such as:
– Belonging – being accepted by others
– Gaining Stature – earning recognition and esteem
– Creating – thinking in original and innovative ways
– Independence – being self-reliant and autonomous

It reveals:
– What energizes you and what drains you
– How different motivations interact
– Potential motivational “biases” to be aware of

With this knowledge, you can make career choices that feel authentic—and avoid those that don’t.

2) Career Lifeline Analysis

A visual tool for reflecting on your professional (and personal) journey. You map key events along a timeline, rating how positive or negative each was for you.
This helps you:
1. Identify experiences that brought satisfaction versus those that caused frustration.
2. Recognize your inherent strengths and areas for growth.
3. See patterns that reveal what matters most—so you can align future choices with your core values.

🤝 Let’s Talk

If you’re exploring what’s next—or simply want to avoid having your career “go off the rails”—understanding your motivations is the place to start.

Let’s connect to see how CLAB can help you discover your “True North” and build a career that energizes you.

📧 info@borrerexecutive.com

Emile Borrer is Managing Partner and Executive Search Consultant at Borrer Executive Search, a boutique retained search firm founded in Switzerland in 2010. He partners with both local and multinational companies to attract, evaluate, and integrate top talent that fits both role and culture.

Martin Suter is an international career strategy and executive coach. He helps business leaders shape their careers and develop future-ready leadership skills—combining coaching techniques with 33 years of hands-on experience as a Line Manager and Global HR Leader.