Do you love your job and where you work? If so… CONGRATS and hats off to you! Unfortunately, that’s not everyone and you may be in this bigger slice of the pie where you either like your job, need your job, or flat out despise your job. The truth is… some of your concerns about your job are valid and an organizational change may greatly benefit you and the company. Another truth is… your attitude and how you manage not enjoying your job is what you have the most control over and what will define you moving forward. So, what to do?
The good news is… you have options. You can quit right now, walk out, or not show up to your next Zoom Meeting, put your feet up and enjoy the day! This is most likely not going to happen. Typically, it’s not the wisest decision to leave a job before you have another. The process of finding a job tends to be longer and more tedious than expected and there will be pros and cons to every job. So … you will be at the job you don’t like for at least a little while or a lot while longer… So, let’s make 3 little but powerful alterations and you may be surprised how your view of the job changes. Here are the 3 Steps to EVOLVING at work!
Smile
Yes… smiling helps. Smiling provides a two-fold effect. It makes our brain feel good to smile and think good thoughts. It makes us more inviting and approachable; allowing for more positive interactions with co-workers, employees, and bosses. Notice I included bosses, supervisors, and CEOs… they don’t like their job every day either. If you are a manager… more importantly, a leader in your company, smiling is even more important for you as it will make an impact and run laterally and vertically within your company! Remember… what you think (smiling) will impact how you feel, then your actions, finishing with your consequences either positive or negative.
Complain Under Control
This is an important rule and process I learned from a great movie, Saving Private Ryan… “Gripes go up, not down”. You are a person and allowed to have gripes, concerns, and complaints… but what you do with them has consequences! Complaints discussed over and over with your fellow co-workers and others throughout your job is merely gossip. Gossip can be defined as speaking to others about something negatively when that person has no power to fix it. Gossip is a cancer to any company or relationship and must be removed!
The process here is… complain once to the proper authority, provide reasonable solutions, ask “how does the company see YOU being able and useful in addressing the issue?”, and remaining positive in the face of change. Remember… it took time for things to get bad; it’s going to take time for things to get great!
Do Your Best & Be Your Best!
It’s hard to wake every day to do something you truly do not wish to do… or do what you like in a place you don’t enjoy. However, YOU chose to be there. You submitted your resume, YOU went to the interview, YOU accepted the job, and YOU accept the pay regularly. Therefore, you choose to be there… so do your best and be your best.
Doing your best means doing your job to the best of your ability… if you were the boss, what would you need from you? Being your best means being an intentional learner of your craft, being an intentional learner of your co-workers and people in your company, and taking care of yourself in all roles you play outside of work; making you able to attend work with a full spirit. People are watching and every day is a possibility for that promotion, that next job, that raise… you never know.
The worst decision you can make is to become a disgruntled cog in the system. Although everything negative you say or think about your job may be correct… your thoughts, words, and actions will only make it harder for you to return daily, enjoy your day, make an impact, and be seen as a valued member of a team.
Written by: Andre Young
“You are a person and allowed to have gripes, concerns, and complaints… but what you do with them have consequences! Complaints discussed over and over with your fellow co-workers and others throughout your job is merely gossip”
– Andre Young
Ready for a better work culture, improved interactions between leaders and employees, and fewer headaches professionally and personally? Take the pain out of your company by enhancing Leadership and Work/Life Harmony in your Company, your Teams, and Employees with Andre Young’s Speaking Engagements and Leadership Training Programs (on-site, online, or virtual)! Download Andre Young’s Free App, YEN Push, allow notifications, and enjoy a professional and personal evolution with his Question of the Week, Thought of the Week, and More! Enjoy your EVOLUTION!!!