|
Challenge and the bigger picture
Now that you've
identified what challenges you, find a way to incorporate more of
it into your life. If this requires a job change that is not feasible
right away, than make it a part of your long-term vision. In the
meantime, find out what it takes to have these elements in your
job and decide how you will keep challenged. Write a three-year
timeline. Consider involving your manager so she can help you build
your timeline.
What
do you need to do to get there? As you take these steps you are
crystallizing your vision and making it real. Now deepen
your understanding of the big picture. Draw out your own company
flow chart to trace where you fit in the organization. Then diagram
where your service affects others in the company, including customers
and suppliers. The more you understand how your role affects others
and the bigger picture, the more naturally motivated and challenged
you will be.
Next,
ask yourself how you help customers or colleagues to be more successful.
Make this a core part of what you do. Are you really serving others?
Can you serve them more? Connect your role to others in the company,
customers and the community. This is critical to building more challenging
work. It gives you something meaningful to aim for and adds challenge.
Challenge and meaning.
When I speak at conventions about creating meaning in work, I start
off by asking a rhetorical question: "What gives something meaning,
besides the meaning we give it?" People usually immediately nod
their head in recognition. The neat thing about understanding this
is it gives license to make anything meaningful, from apparently
mundane tasks to the important ones. Meaning is created by each
of us, whether we know it or not. Add meaning and challenge to your
work by re-assessing what you think and feel about the job. Take
stock of what you do in a week. Find ways to challenge yourself
more with regular tasks:
- Do them faster.
- Do them with a certain intention in mind (e.g.,
doing paperwork with the intention of accuracy.)
- Talk with others in the office and decide how
they add challenge to specific tasks.
- Reframe your perspective. For example, a real-estate
agent isn't just selling houses but helping clients build a better
future.
- Act as if every task you do, big or small, is
really important. How can you put everything into it?
- What are you most passionate about in your job?
How can you find ways to do more of this?
- How can you have a child-like curiosity about
your work?
Actively thinking about what is challenging and
meaningful to you will inspire purpose in your work. Remember: The
only person who can really give your job challenge is you. The challenge
is up to you!
Jody Urquhart is a popular speaker and author
of "All Work & No SAY Takes the PASSION Away: Create a Passionate
& Committed Workplace." To order your copy or to discuss having
Jody speak at your next meeting, contact her at ido@idoinspire.com.
|
|
This article was furnished by HRnext.com,
Your Source for for practical answers to HR questions. |
Back to Article >>
printer-friendly
version
|
