I'd rather be me NOT you...is is the only way I can own my success
I recently offered to help out a colleague by “becoming her”
for two hours of my work day. What a
ride that experience was! I began this
new “job” somewhat reluctantly; all I had going for me was my desire to help my
colleague. I knew going in that I was
probably not going to enjoy this. So, I
pasted a determined smile on my face, quelled the nagging fear that I will fail
miserably and reminded myself that it is only for two hours.
The funny thing is that I was to do only a miniscule piece
of her job: answer the phones professionally,
take messages, transfer calls and direct visitors who might show up in the
office. I was NOT asked to do any of
the highly complicated things Liza does on a daily basis. So why this tension? Let me describe to you my initial minutes of
sitting at her desk, which Liza and I laughed about later.
First, I tried to make sense of the written instructions,
get comfortable behind the desk and generally look very capable. My heart was
pounding and I was already looking at the clock! It strikes me that when we are
unsure of our skills and have trusted someone else to do what we typically
don’t enjoy doing, we respond with fear and unease when put in a situation such
as this. The phone rang and I felt
my throat tighten up. I got through that
moment only to be told, “You are not Liza.”
Hello, don’t I know that? Then it strikes me that when we are faced
with uncertain situations we can dig into what is familiar about our
personality and use it to save that moment and in doing so, make it easier for
ourselves. So, I said back, “you
are right…I am trying very hard to fill her big shoes and will try my best to
help you.” The caller laughed, I joined
in and took care of her request.
The minute hand seemed to move S-L-O-W-L-Y. I was surprised at how many times I peek at
the clock. I recognize instantly that when
you are NOT having fun, each task is a chore and I feel blessed to know that
when I go back to doing what I truly enjoy doing, happiness will return with a
bounce. Productivity and engagement are terms used frequently in our
work world. These business terms make
best sense when we identify why we enjoy certain things more than others and
create opportunities to have “more of” those tasks in our work. Can
you clearly identify your burn-out skills?
TWO AWESOME IDEAS
- Identify what you
do well and find opportunities to use those skills. Motivated skills lead to increased
enjoyment and career happiness.
- Ask people to give you feedback with examples on what you do
well. Keep these endorsements and
stories in a portfolio—use them on your career documents and interview.
At 4 pm, I begin to feel somewhat comfortable. I made one mistake so far and survived. I am reminded that mistakes are a way for us
to learn, try something different and add to our portfolio. It also reminds me
that I can reach out for help because people are willing to help—you must know
how to ask the inquiry question. My body started to relax and I finally started
to attend to some work I brought in to do with me WHEN people who pass Liza’s
desk, stopped to talk to me and to each other.
The number of conversations that happen around Liza’s
workspace began to overwhelm me. I wanted
to go into a burrow and stay there for a while and just breathe. And, that day was not even a super busy day
at the office! I quickly realize that the environment in which we do our best and
happy work matters. Both, the overall
culture fit as it resonates with your values, interests, skills and personality
traits as well as the “micro-environment” we create within that larger culture
matters. How does your work culture and work space support your best and
superior work?
TWO MORE AWESOME IDEAS
- Where do you get
your energy from? Do you get it from engaging with the outer world, being
around and with people OR do you prefer being in a space of inner
thoughts, ideas and reflection? Remember, we are talking about preferences
here, NOT skills.
- How do you create and organize your learning/working space? Be a
detective and observe when and how you contribute in the most upbeat,
joyful and creative manner. Maybe
you like lists, order and schedules.
Maybe you like “going with the flow,” variety and setting deadlines
on the go? There isn’t a right or wrong answer. The more self-aware we
are, the easier it is to create opportunities for success and growth.
The clock finally says 5 pm!
In my head, I am already driving down I-71. Even the fact that I will get stuck in
traffic doesn’t bother me. So,
would I sub for Liza again? Absolutely! One, I know that moving out of my
comfort zone is good for me. Second, it
confirms for me what I’d like to do “less of.”
Sometimes it opens a new window of opportunity. How about you? Are there
aspects of your work that you wish to do “more of” or “less of?” Do you wonder
whether you can move toward doing “more of” what you are truly passionate
about?
TWO FINAL AWESOME
IDEAS
- Look at your current job/role and
identify what you like/dislike in this role. If you are in transition, make sure that
you are aware of this list before you say yes to an offer. A recent Gallup poll suggests only 45% of
us are happy in our jobs! I think we need to change that number.
- Continue to reflect on what might be non-negotiable as you plan
your career path – John Pepper, former CEO of Procter and Gamble talks
about finding your North Star to define your life. What might your North Star be as you define
your career happiness?
Take ownership for your career
happiness. What are you waiting for? And, welcome back, Liza!
Sunitha Narayanan is
a certified career coach with a passion for connecting people and their talents
to life and work opportunities. She is a co-active coach, empowering her
clients to believe in their dreams, set actionable goals and actively create
joy in their work lives. Her niche is working with clients on exploring and
researching career ideas, writing proactive job search plans and identifying
strategies for transition, work-life balance and career management issues.
Sunitha enjoys writing articles on career management topics and is published in
Mobility Magazine, H&R Relocation News
and Career Convergence.
She
is with OI Partners Promark Company, a firm that offers executive coaching,
leadership development and outplacement services. She has recently discovered
an interest in blogging and plans to continue that journey as well. She can be reached at snarayanan@oipartners.net
