Finding the Joy at Work

My mastermind group had a discussion about what has given us the most joy in our work since the beginning of the year. For some, the answer was top of mind, while others needed more contemplation.

Some of the answers related to meeting and exceeding goals, and others recognized the ease with which new opportunities have emerged.

It’s a great question and one that cause you to think. The timing of this conversation was especially interesting to me as I have a few clients who aren’t experiencing joy. One new client has built a successful business over the past twenty years and has no joy or passion for what he does.

Wow.

Pause and Prioritize

I’m a believer that there isn’t one correct way to organize your priorities to meet your goals. Many great organizational systems are on the market, and it’s up to you to choose what works best for you.

One critical factor is that your system needs to align with your goals. Leaders who have specific departmental goals that link directly with profitability, for example, know that one major glitch can trigger a nasty ripple effect when one important deadline is missed.

Be mindful that the system that got you to where you are now isn’t necessarily the one that will serve you best as additional complexity seeps into your world. When this happens, it’s probably time to make modifications that will help you stay on top of your objectives.

Let Go to Grow

George hired a mid-level manager, Robert, a couple of months ago. Since that time he has does nothing to support Robert’s integration and growth in the company. The excuses range from “he’s not ready” to “the clients expect my level of expertise” to “he has to earn respect”.

All of these excuses are ridiculous.

You don’t make this type of a hire without a plan to integrate the person into your organization in a meaningful way. In this particular case, George has an inflated sense of himself and as a result, Robert’s future in the company is practically doomed.

Digital Mitzvah

I was about to get out of a taxi last week when I felt a faint vibration from the seat. My instinct was to look for my phone, concerned that it may have fallen out of my bag. What I discovered was not my phone, but someone else’s.

Rather than give the phone to the driver, I made the executive decision to find the owner. I knew that if it went into the Taxi and Limousine Commission’s lost and found, the owner would have had days of frustrating search ahead, and frankly, may have never seen the phone again.

I looked at the screen and there was a message saying that this phone was lost, and please call the number below (I found this very high tech and cool).