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You can focus on things that are barriers or you can focus on scaling the wall or redefining the problem. ~ Tim Cook
There is a lot of talk about redefining how we work. Is it remote, hybrid or simply a return to the office? Do we simply keep doing what we've always done, or do we think of another way to be meaningfully employed? Is our career matching our expectations, and if not, what is getting in the way?
We know that people join a company and leave a boss. The research shows that 76% of employees say their manager creates the culture at work. 69% of millennials feel a lack of leadership development. And managers account for 70% of the variance in team engagements and well-being.
Is it any wonder we are confused about what we want from work?
We wait for things to change, and then we wait some more. And nothing happens. It's the same old, same old.
What if you could have a workplace environment where everyone feels seen and heard. Where your opinion matters. Where communication was open and transparent, and clear. And where managers, senior leaders and C-suite individuals really care about the well-being of others and bringing their best selves to work.
Would it make coming to work a joy instead of a chore?
Some of you might say..."yeah, right!" but it doesn't have to be that way.
We are redefining what leadership looks like and pushing for every single person to be part of that conversation. ~ Michelle Wu
In the ideal world, companies are a gathering of people who come together for the primary purpose of making the company profitable and being of service to others. Everyone is onboard to facilitate success, and everyone wants to feel their role is a meaningful one, and people care about each other.
Redesigning work is removing the top down hierarchical structures that dominate many work environments, and eradicating ineffectual leaders by identifying the people who are better suited to the roles. Too many 'leaders' are promoted due to their skillset and too often, their people skills are not enough to steer successful outcomes from all participants.
Helping leaders become better is what I've been doing for over 17 years teaching self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication skills, and decision-making. When an individual really understands who they are and what matters to them life and career changes.
There are many reasons why people feel dissatisfied with work and want to make changes including:
- Not making the impact you want to have?
- Diminished and invalidated in meetings
- Lethargic and reluctant to start projects or push them forward.
- Daily routines have become stale and lack opportunity for learning.
- Role has been marginalized.
- Consistent high levels of stress or anxiety about performance.
- Cynical or pessimistic and low energy.
- Unappreciated and overlooked.
- Falling behind with career goals and want more excitement, responsibility, money and opportunity.
- Burned out
All of this is frequently driven by leadership that is disconnected from what really matters to the individual.
Consider some ideas to reset, redefine and reinvent your relationship with work.
Are You Ready to Redesign Your Work Life
To redesign healthy workplaces CEO’s down must figure out how to engage employees more meaningfully, and with greater humanity. It’s time to focus on employee’s well-being and give them the tools they need for growth so they stay motivated to bring their best authentic self to work and will participate fully in the overall vision for the company.
Start With Mindset
You’ve heard me talk about this before and I’ll continue to do so because this is where it starts. Do you believe you can change? Do you believe there are other opportunities out there for you? Of course, you do otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. But shifting your mindset is not a simple matter of flipping the switch. It’s about asking yourself the right questions, taking the deep dive into curiosity to find the answers, and challenging yourself to think differently. My books The Fearless Factor and The Fearless Factor @ Work were written to help you with the questions and insights you need to adjust your thinking and start taking actions that change your life.
Do You Trust Yourself
You have no doubt heard, “If you can’t trust yourself who will you trust?” Lack of self-trust is one of the hardest things to overcome – if you are not willing to take a risk. Do you trust yourself to do what you say you will do? Do you trust that you have the right instincts? Do you trust that you know how to make the right decisions and choices? Did you know that fear is your inability to trust that you can handle whatever it is that comes your way? This is fundamental to all change. Start by taking small risks. Test the waters. See how it feels. Then do something bigger. Gradually, you’ll develop the knowledge that you can do what you say you want to do, and along the way gain the trust of others.
Embrace Failure
If you’re afraid of failing, flip the narrative. If you want to redesign your work experience, you have to experiment. So, redefine failure as experimentation. Think about trying and failing as market research. Experiment, fail, and reiterate. When you avoid failure, you avoid risk and without risk there can be no innovation or forward movement. What are the risks you can take in your current work situation? Who do you need to build alliances with so you can do this?
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses and Your Blind Spots
Knowing who you are, what matters to you, and where you may be getting in your own way is critical to your success. When redesigning your work life you have to know what it is that gives you the greatest pleasure, and what may be getting in the way. I’ve been doing behavioral assessments for many years, and I can tell you, behind every aspect of negative behavior lies insecurity, and the fear of not being good enough, and most of the time it’s the B.S. we tell ourselves. Learn to identify what really matters to you and you are closer to knowing what it is you want out of your work life.
Ready to make adjustments in your career and want a roadmap on how to get the most from your changes?