Our working life operates in rhythmic cycles, no different from the physical, emotional and mental cycles that we experience. You know those times in life when everything is just hard work, when you're tired and every action is a battle? Other times life flows so smoothly that you aren't even aware of living as things just happen seemingly without effort.
As with life, our career also has these rhythms. Sometimes work is just hard and it is difficult to find daily motivation. It is easy to confuse these short term dips with full blown career dis-satisfaction. More often than not, these are not the times to make spontaneous decisions. Make sure you give this challenging period the time it needs so that you can learn and grow from the experience and successfully ride into the next peak.
Sunday, 8 June 2008
Friday, 30 May 2008
The end of the generation debate?
There are few topics that generate more corridor conversations and opinions than the impact of the different generations in the workplace. Silent Generation, Baby boomer, X, Y, Z etc have stereotyped people of different ages to behave in a particular way. I'm not a convert to the generational debate. Here are two of the main reasons why I'm a sceptic:
"it involves immediate and constructive feedback; leaders who are caring and aware; inclusive, engaging, non-passive behaviour; being continually informed about the business; having personal goals linked to business goals; new experience; being coached; and sharing the less interesting tasks".
Food for thought.
- It oversimplifies people dynamics by ignoring the role of individual differences on people's behaviour in the workplace, and
- It's a red herring as I see people use the generational definitions as a scapegoat to explain and accept trouble in the workplace...rather than directly addressing the interpersonal issues themselves.
"it involves immediate and constructive feedback; leaders who are caring and aware; inclusive, engaging, non-passive behaviour; being continually informed about the business; having personal goals linked to business goals; new experience; being coached; and sharing the less interesting tasks".
Food for thought.
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Rejuvenate
Apologies for being a bit quiet over the past few weeks. I spent just over a week in Tasmania on holiday and attending the Career Development Association of Australia's annual conference. Having 4 days in a cabin at Cradle Mountain was a time to slow down and rejuvenate. This time in the fresh air led to many ideas particularly about the necessity of slowing down.
Our day-to-day life operates at a such a fast pace as we race from activity to activity in the vein hope of actually crossing off all our to-do's in our diary.
We view this as normal.
Yet those mere 4 days at Cradle Mountain of unscheduled time was like plugging into a power socket and being recharged. Feeling refreshed like that, is that not normal? Are we so used to our frantic pace that we see fatigue as an unfortunate but necessary part of life, rather than an indicator of going too fast?
So consider this post as a gentle reminder to slow down. In the next 24 hours do one thing you enjoy doing...read a book...go for a long stroll...play a game of scrabble...
I will share some insights from the conference, but not now. I'm off to do one of my favourite things...a run in the forest....
Our day-to-day life operates at a such a fast pace as we race from activity to activity in the vein hope of actually crossing off all our to-do's in our diary.
We view this as normal.
Yet those mere 4 days at Cradle Mountain of unscheduled time was like plugging into a power socket and being recharged. Feeling refreshed like that, is that not normal? Are we so used to our frantic pace that we see fatigue as an unfortunate but necessary part of life, rather than an indicator of going too fast?
So consider this post as a gentle reminder to slow down. In the next 24 hours do one thing you enjoy doing...read a book...go for a long stroll...play a game of scrabble...
I will share some insights from the conference, but not now. I'm off to do one of my favourite things...a run in the forest....
Monday, 10 March 2008
Will 'Free Agent Nation' stand the test of time?
I recently responded to a question on linkedin.com about the future of Daniel Pink's book "Free Agent Nation" written in 2002. Here are my thoughts:
Daniel Pink has certainly popularised the notion of working for oneself and if all of his ideas are taken at face value then I wouldn't want to be head of a large organisation! I do, however, feel that Pink is somewhat extreme in his predictions. Having been in the career field for almost a decade and seeing thousands of people experience career challenges I don't think that Free Agent Nation will live up to the hype.
Rather, I see a bifurcation appearing in the labour market between:
(1) those who prefer working in a large corporate, whether it be for perceived stability, access to resources, esteem needs etc; and
(2) those who pursue a more portfolio career (including Free Agent notion).
The internet is an enabling factor in pursuing a portfolio career. Sites such as elance.com and mturk.com are allowing people who otherwise would not have had the social drive to setup themselves up as a Free Agent can do so from the safe anonymity of their computer.
Daniel Pink has certainly popularised the notion of working for oneself and if all of his ideas are taken at face value then I wouldn't want to be head of a large organisation! I do, however, feel that Pink is somewhat extreme in his predictions. Having been in the career field for almost a decade and seeing thousands of people experience career challenges I don't think that Free Agent Nation will live up to the hype.
Rather, I see a bifurcation appearing in the labour market between:
(1) those who prefer working in a large corporate, whether it be for perceived stability, access to resources, esteem needs etc; and
(2) those who pursue a more portfolio career (including Free Agent notion).
The internet is an enabling factor in pursuing a portfolio career. Sites such as elance.com and mturk.com are allowing people who otherwise would not have had the social drive to setup themselves up as a Free Agent can do so from the safe anonymity of their computer.
Monday, 4 February 2008
Go Green with your Career
I'm sure that 'carbon' has to be in the running for the word of the year for 2007. It really came from nowhere to be one of the biggest buzz words of the year with most TV ad breaks having at least one ad that mentions 'carbon neutral' or 'environment' or 'green'.
This environmental movement has some key principles which are quite thought provoking when applied to your career:
1. Sustainability
No point being highly efficient in your career if you burn out. The rates of stress leave and illness in our society are testament to the difficulty that people have in operating at a sustainable pace in their career.
2. Leave the world a better place
The emotional cry of environmentalists is that we are only custodians of the planet for our children's generation. In other words, leave the world a better place then when you arrived. What a great goal to have. What difference will you be remembered for?
3. Renew, Reuse, Recycle
The three R's. We have to renew ourselves several times throughout our career. I was only talking with someone yesterday who had built up her business over the last 8 years and was excited about the prospect of selling so that she could do something else. She felt a career renewal was in the air.
Our career also involves reusing the skills and knowledge that we have to propel us on to other things. Our skill set is our foundation but it needs to be looked after so that it remains current and can be enhanced.
Experience is the best teacher so learn from your past and recycle what worked well. Build on your strengths. Recycle out what didn't work so well.
4. Innovate
I believe that the power of big hairy audacious goals such as the Kyoto Protocol is that it forces us to innovate to achieve the goal.
Take time to create a picture in your mind of your ideal future. Be bold with this picture. Once you have it in focus your subconscious will slowly move you toward this place. It will require some innovative thought and action. It will be exciting and confronting. You'll be scared and exhilarated.
It's called life.
Enjoy the ride.
This environmental movement has some key principles which are quite thought provoking when applied to your career:
1. Sustainability
No point being highly efficient in your career if you burn out. The rates of stress leave and illness in our society are testament to the difficulty that people have in operating at a sustainable pace in their career.
2. Leave the world a better place
The emotional cry of environmentalists is that we are only custodians of the planet for our children's generation. In other words, leave the world a better place then when you arrived. What a great goal to have. What difference will you be remembered for?
3. Renew, Reuse, Recycle
The three R's. We have to renew ourselves several times throughout our career. I was only talking with someone yesterday who had built up her business over the last 8 years and was excited about the prospect of selling so that she could do something else. She felt a career renewal was in the air.
Our career also involves reusing the skills and knowledge that we have to propel us on to other things. Our skill set is our foundation but it needs to be looked after so that it remains current and can be enhanced.
Experience is the best teacher so learn from your past and recycle what worked well. Build on your strengths. Recycle out what didn't work so well.
4. Innovate
I believe that the power of big hairy audacious goals such as the Kyoto Protocol is that it forces us to innovate to achieve the goal.
Take time to create a picture in your mind of your ideal future. Be bold with this picture. Once you have it in focus your subconscious will slowly move you toward this place. It will require some innovative thought and action. It will be exciting and confronting. You'll be scared and exhilarated.
It's called life.
Enjoy the ride.
Friday, 11 January 2008
Redefining retirement: the best is yet to be
As we begin the new year, some of we baby boomers may be turning our minds to the “R” word (retirement) when we can have a rather more permanent break from the routine of work.
This more traditional notion of retirement may conjure up images of rest and leisure activities, more time with family, travel, adventure, getting around to that list of home tasks that have been under the fridge magnet for many years, and access to that pot of gold called Superannuation.
This perspective on retirement as a destination does, however, strike fear into the hearts of many – the thought of leaving behind a lifetime of what defines us can be daunting and this fear can often result in workers staying in roles they don’t enjoy as a way of preserving their identity, at the expense of their own fulfillment.
The prospect of a leisure based retirement can also be challenging for some life partners who have been known to belatedly modify their nuptial vows to:
….. for better or worse - but not for lunch!
The good news is that the changing world of work over the past 10-15 years and the abolition of a mandatory retirement age have created limitless possibilities for the modern retirement experience, including:
This more traditional notion of retirement may conjure up images of rest and leisure activities, more time with family, travel, adventure, getting around to that list of home tasks that have been under the fridge magnet for many years, and access to that pot of gold called Superannuation.
This perspective on retirement as a destination does, however, strike fear into the hearts of many – the thought of leaving behind a lifetime of what defines us can be daunting and this fear can often result in workers staying in roles they don’t enjoy as a way of preserving their identity, at the expense of their own fulfillment.
The prospect of a leisure based retirement can also be challenging for some life partners who have been known to belatedly modify their nuptial vows to:
….. for better or worse - but not for lunch!
The good news is that the changing world of work over the past 10-15 years and the abolition of a mandatory retirement age have created limitless possibilities for the modern retirement experience, including:
- 3rd age careers
- Seachange/treechange
- New business
- Part-time and/or portfolio careers
- Tailor-made leisure and holiday opportunities, e.g. s.k.i. holidays
- Lifelong learning, work, leisure and volunteer activities
In fact, the word retirement as a concept is also up for grabs – we can create our own definition. The experience will be as unique as each of our circumstances.
Henry Thoreau invites us to “live the life we imagined”.
How we achieve that may be food for thought as we start the new year with fresh reflections our Christmas break when we can reflect on our achievements and our preferred way ahead.
“Do not go gentle into that good night
Old age should burn and rage at the close
of day
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Dylan Thomas
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Creating an inspirational workplace
One of the most innovative networks I've seen established was setup by the local church in the city-fringe business community of Toowong where our head office is located. The Reverend Marian Free wanted to connect with the extensive business community in her parish so she established St Thomas' Business Community with the purpose to 'make the connection between faith, work and the living of life'.
At the final breakfast event of the year, Dr Robert Hendy from Med-E-Serv facilitated an open discussion on the year's theme: Creating Inspirational Workplaces. Here are some of the ideas that arose:
What is an inspirational workplace?
At the final breakfast event of the year, Dr Robert Hendy from Med-E-Serv facilitated an open discussion on the year's theme: Creating Inspirational Workplaces. Here are some of the ideas that arose:
What is an inspirational workplace?
- There is a vision or purpose that people can connect to
- People are encouraged and affirmed
- Ethics are upheld
- Leaders have integrity
- Life outside work is valued
- Genuine communication at both the organisational and individual level
- Use a powerful story to make the vision of the organisation tangible
- Support staff to find meaning in their working life
- Make people feel valued through "connectedness, relatedness; and meaningfulness".
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