My viewpoint keeps changing on this. Is it realistic to expect a job to give us all those things that we crave for? Praise, rewards, recognition, career progression, fulfilment etc. I was talking to a coaching colleague a while back. Her background was in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Her take on it is that we all expect too much from work. It was not that long ago that work was a job that gave us money. She thinks it has gone too far with us feeling cheated if our manager isn't nice to us! Where does it say in our contract of work that we should feel nurtured, challenged, cared for, praised...
I am not sure still. Maybe it is unrealistic to expect a 'job' to meet all our needs. If you have been lucky enough to get a good manager (I have actually) it can make 'work' feel like a very different experience. Maybe, even a positive experience ...
One area to coach around that is helpful could be this. To what extent the job meets a good proportion of your areas of preference/interest. If you ask someone to draw how they see their job and them. They draw themselves as a circle and then draw 'the job' onto their own circle, it might look like these pictures below. What is the overlap here?
In the first picture below, there is not much of the job that fits them. This is too large an area and will feel very uncomfortable. A = person; B = Job.
The second picture shows a good crossover. the circles overlap quite well so that it might show that the job suits them? C = Person; D = Job.
The third picture, the job is either a perfect fit or it is too easy??
Anyway, there are no hard and fast rules. Just an easy tip to use a visual for people to explain the 'fit' between them and their jobs.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteI find it very helpful to consider the four very different roles that "work" can play in people's lives:
* For some people their work is merely "a job" -they do it on a "needs must" basis (ie: for the money) and don't expect to get much else from it. They look outside for their satisfaction (to their family, home, hobbies...etc...)
* For some people, they like their work to be "their career". They recognise that it isn't necessarily fun all (or much of) the time, and they have to pay a big price in terms of hours spent in the office, but they pursue it for a host of benefits - status, perceived security/stability, better money, well defined path...etc....
* For some their work is a means of significant "personal fulfillment" - so whilst they need to be paid, and they would like to be "successful" (whatever that means), the over-riding desire is to be fulfilled by and interested in what they do, and to feel that what they do "matters".
* Finally, for a few people, their work is "a calling" - they are "called upon" (by their God, or their community, or their gift/talent) to pursue a particular path, usually one full of obstacles. Some obvious examples might be artists (musicians, actors, painters), and people in the caring professions (overseas aid workers in war zones).
The most important point here is that these types are NOT a hierarchy. None are better/worse than any other. But right at the start of career coaching it is very important for someone to reflect on what work means for them. I have found many people who have drifted into following a "career" (because of parental expectations/school/getting married....etc....)when actually what they really need from their work is "fulfillment". When they shifted their perspective they became a lot happier.
Thanks Charles. A very good reply:)
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