Tag: Finding purpose in work

Overcoming the Negative Effects of the “Myth of Good Work.”

Peter is a hardworking, dedicated, and devoted senior executive. He is perceived as always getting the job done. He works 7 days of week, at the sacrifice of time with his family and friends.

During a coaching session, Peter’s expression resembled someone who had just found out his dog died. He was forlorn and sad. When I asked him what happened, he replied “Susan was promoted, not me!  I work harder, accomplish more, and have made sacrifices for the company. I am being overlooked for a promotion I deserve.”

After a few minutes calming Peter down, I said, “You have experienced the deleterious effects of the “myth of good work.” The myth is that if you work hard and do good work you will be rewarded. Similar to education, the belief is that if you work hard and get good grades you are “promoted” to the next grade. In business the same principle does not apply.

During the next few months of coaching, Peter began to shift his thinking and actions to being more political and building political capital that was important. He realized that doing good work is not enough to get noticed and rewarded. As he began to think and behave politically, he acquired political stature and was ultimately promoted.

Here are a few of the suggestions to overcome the “myth of good work.”

Politics is not a zero-sum game – Continue to find opportunities to create “win-win” scenarios.

Think politically – When a situation occurs where a decision has to be made or people need to be influenced, ask yourself “what are the political dynamics involved in this situation?”

Create political constituents – As in national politics, having strong constituents behind you is imperative. Begin to build relationships with strategic individuals who have political capital and who you can help in some way.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer – There will always be people with whom you do not get along or you know don’t speak highly of you. Anyone who you think will speak negatively about you, begin to spend time with them. Get to know the person and find common ground.

Politics is a learned skill – Developing political skills can be learned. You can learn how to attune to the political signs and cues in any organization. Identify leaders who you believe are politically savvy. Observe their behavior, their way of speaking, how they “show up,” and what other leaders they regularly interact with.

Making Purpose Work

Last night I was in a coaching conversation with a client who was experiencing consternation. The consternation was the result of being hindered by a staid culture where the status quo eclipses any possibility of change. However, he made a poignant statement that the “the enemy of success is not changing.”

His obvious frustration led to a conversation about the broader realities of being an executive. He mentioned waking up in the middle of night worried about the well being of thousands of employees and their families. He was truly “mission motivated.” His purpose of providing for thousands of families transcended his paycheck and was his true purpose.

My client’s comments and the picture of waking up in the middle of night echoed in my head as I drove home. I realized that finding a sense of purpose is the secret to weathering any storm.

But finding purpose is not easy and requires some self reflection and discipline. Here are five pragmatic strategies you can employ to find your purpose:

  1. Seek out assignments that contribute socially – When a crisis occurs, don’t be afraid to volunteer. You will find that social missions provide fertile opportunities to learn what could be your purpose.
  2. Ask yourself “What part or activities of my job would I do for free”- When you take finances out, you can find the purpose beyond money.
  3. Communicate to others so they feel purpose – To help with college, I was a busboy in a restaurant. I was asked to join my fellow busboys one Saturday morning. Arriving at the restaurant we met with a group of executives. They told us we were the most important part of the restaurant. They explained that without us, customers would not sit at a clean table and the waitresses could not take the order of hungry customers. They sincerely expressed the “why” of our work. With that sense of purpose, I cleared tables quicker and with an extra touch of cleanliness.
  4. Relate tedious work with helping others – Think about the little tasks you do everyday. A client of mine cleans and refurbishes commercial drums. The CEO has communicated to employees that the drums they clean contain chemicals that are responsible for such products as perfumes and car oil. Their fastidiousness in cleaning each drum allows manufacturers to produce safe and valuable products.
  5. Create perspectives of purpose – There is the story of two brick layers working on a church building. When someone asked what they were doing, one bricklayer said, “Can’t you see, I am a brick layer.” When the other brick layer was asked the same question, he said, “I am building a great cathedral.” The second bricklayer carried a “perspective of purpose.”