Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Part 4

So far we’ve clearly identified areas that are bothering us at work.

We’ve also identified what it is about these areas that is bothering us, included digging a little deeper and looking for the ‘theme’ or core concern.

Which ‘theme’ or core concern came up the most frequently?
Which two core concerns, if addressed, or greatly reduce your angst?

Step 6 - let’s identify what we can do to ‘fix’ these concerns.

For example, if you’re concerned that you don’t have the knowledge/skills for your position and it has you feeling less than confident, what are some ways you can this knowledge and these skills? Perhaps sign up for seminars, go back to school at a junior college or to get an MBA. Who do you know who is proficient in this area? Would you like to ask him/her to be your mentor? Would a coach help you gain the confidence you need and help you stretch your comfort zone?

For ‘boundaries’ and ‘standards’ concerns, is there someone specific with whom you need to have a serious discussion? Perhaps your boss isn’t aware of the time and your need to pick up your child. Or is there an earlier time that you could drop by his/her office and initiate the ‘catch up’
conversation?

This week, step 7, write out an action plan you could implement to greatly improve your quality of life at work.

Which two actions will you take this week?

Specifically how and when will you take action?

~Gwyneth Anne~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 3)

So how did your observations go last week? What interesting observations did you make regarding ‘what you like’?

Did you have more, about the same or fewer items of frustration on your list than you had anticipated?

This week is Step 5 in the process and we’ll fill in column C. Take a look at column B. What themes did you find in column B? When you look below the surface, what was really the issue?

It’s common to find a few themes. One is insecurity. I see this frequently when people change jobs and/or get promoted up in an organization. We are still trying to figure out who’s responsible for what, how people tend to react, who the important players are, etc.

We also often discover that we need to increase our knowledge base and skills. For one client it was gaining broader knowledge as her responsibility wasn’t just a slice of marketing, but now marketing at large. Another client needed to learn supervisory skills.

The good news is these are things we can learn!

Other themes can be around what coaching calls ‘boundaries’ and ‘standards’. Do you feel that people are taking advantage of your time (such as the example of the boss who wants to ‘catch up’ at 5pm when you’re trying to leave to pick up your daughter)? Or you feel that the quality of work going out to a customer is sub-par because of the lack of planning or cost-cutting measures?

This week, look below the surface and identify the common themes that are causing you distress.

~Gwyneth~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 2)

Step 3

Let’s expand a bit on each item you don’t like (column B). What is it that gripes you? What is causing the frustration? For example, as one of my client’s recently complained “I hate it that my boss always comes in at noon. The day is half over!” OK, now why is it that this bothers you? Do you want support in the morning, and s/he is unavailable?

Do you have to take on more work because s/he’s not there to respond to urgent requests in a different time zone? Are you annoyed, because when you’re trying to go home, your boss is just getting rolling and wants to ‘bend your ear’ about what’s going on at 5pm instead of 10am?

You may be thinking “Wait a minute. I thought a coach would have me think about everything positive, not focus on the negative!” Until we put down on paper our frustrations, it’s some times hard to see and move beyond them.

Step 4

Simultaneously on the ‘What I like’ sheet of paper do this same exercise.

What is it about the flexible hours that you really like? That this gives you time to be with your son in the evening? That you can take time off to attend important events and make up the hours at another time during the week?

This week, objectively track in column A what causes you tension and column B look inside and describe why it is bothering you, as well as what you like and why you like it.

~ Gwyneth Anne~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 1)

Are you feeling frustrated in you career? Want to hand in your letter of resignation?
WAIT!

I often find when working with clients that things aren’t usually as bad as they think.

This month, let’s step back and take an objective look.

Take out a piece of paper (or do so ‘virtually’ on the computer), create three columns and write out these exercises this month. I really want you to write this all down, as the exercise of doing so often helps us to be more objectively wrap our arms around the situation. You may even be surprised at the results you discover!

Step 1 – list out all of your gripes/frustrations/annoyances (in column A).

Perhaps that your boss comes in late, the coffee is lousy, the cubicle environment is noisy, the politics, …

You may be thinking “Wait a minute. I thought a coach would have me think about everything positive, not focus on the negative!” Until we put down on paper our frustrations, it’s some times hard to see and move beyond them.

Step 2 – on a separate piece of paper list out everything you enjoy about your job/career.

Perhaps the short commute, flexible hours, vacation time that’s better than at most companies, an understanding boss, that you know how the organization and the politics work, that you’ve already proven yourself and have a well established and stellar reputation, …

This week, jot down on each respective sheet of paper what you enjoy and what you dislike.

~Gwyneth~

Maximize your Time - Planning

This week I’d like to review one more idea of how to plan out your day.
This approach comes from Eric Lofholm, Sales Master and Trainer.

First, every morning, spend 14 minutes (or 1% of 24 hours) to plan out your day *on paper*.

Eric suggests using questions you ask yourself as you plan to ensure that you get the best results.

First use Pre-Planning questions: Here I like to identify my values and long term goals.

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Second, ask Planning Questions For example:

- What’s key to accomplish today?

- What will give me the biggest result(s)/return for my time?

Be sure to include all areas of your life.

*

Third, after you’ve planned out your day, ask Post-Planning questions.

For example apply the Pareto principle:

- What is the 20% that will give you the 80% return?

- What are the top 2 things to accomplish today?

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Fourth, when specifically will you do them?

Wouldn’t you agree with Eric’s quote ‘if something doesn’t get scheduled, it doesn’t get done’?

So let’s go ahead and schedule them on your calendar. For maximum results you may want to use some of the tips covered in one of the last bloggs.

Gwynneth Anne