This whole journey for me began with my job. I was in a place where I felt like I had hit a plateau. I wasn’t getting the training I was hoping for in other areas, but then again, I wasn’t particularly being a squeaky wheel about it either. I had just settled. Eventually, the monotony of my work was joined with an urge to move on—that urge to move outward and upward that has been ingrained in so many of us here in America, and in other countries that have attached, for better or worse, a sense of individual value to productivity. So, I began searching for another role within my organization to help satisfy that urge. I believe it is at this point, when management takes high performers for granted, that companies lose so many good employees. However, this is urgency also the point where, as an individual, shifting your frame of mind can be most beneficial.
A few weeks into my job search, I had a conversation with one of my managers about what their role looked like as I was also considering trying to promote as a means of “shaking things up.” In that conversation, what my manager did that was so profound, was that he showed me the “what else”. You know, the, ‘these are my roles and responsibilities, and HERE’S “WHAT ELSE” I’m working on’, “what else”.
To be completely honest, I hadn’t considered doing anything extra for the company. I guess I just had this mentality and expectation that my superiors would keep handing me things, and that those things alone would provide continued motivation in my role. I realize now how naive that was. But there was something in the way my manager spoke about his “what else”, the passion in his voice as he walked me through the intricacies of his overall project design, the ownership he was taking in the data collection and early analysis of potential trends, and the professionalism and drive he displayed while poring over it all that made me realize, right then and there, what was missing from my own role. It was my commitment.
I had been so focused on what my job was doing for me that I had forgotten all of that ambition I had when I first joined the team. I hadn’t plateaued, I had just stopped putting in the effort when things became routine enough to actually start influencing my work.
With this new epiphany resonating in my mind, I sought to become an opportunity seeker, rather than waiting for one to fall from the sky. It wasn’t long before I got my chance to seize an opportunity to grow. A colleague of mine had recently accepted a promotion out of his highly visible and impactful role to another team, and they were looking for a replacement. Taking over that role had been something I’d considered many times before, but always held off on thinking, “they’ll put me there when they think I’m ready.” —or at least that’s what I told myself. But now, I was ready. I volunteered to takeover the role, and was instantly rewarded with a new sense of purpose, motivation, and overall job satisfaction. Shortly after moving into the role, I was integrated into a new team of managers whose mission it is to innovate and improve upon existing processes to provide a positive impact on the business within our niche.
Since then, I have started using my skills to provide meaningful insights into my business, expanded my sphere of influence, and developed a more refined mental picture of my team’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats all the while increasing my own motivation and job satisfaction.
I recently read a post on LinkedIn that really stuck with me.
Great employees don’t complain—they just leave.
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And while there is certainly a lot of truth to that, perhaps, it isn’t the only option…
Be well my friends, and thank you for taking the time to read what I had to say! I look forward to your feedback and discussions.
A Poet’s Qualm 