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March 2022

VZ - 2022 Quotes (19)

83,000 Hours Is a Long Time to Spend in a “Job”

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I wonder sometimes if we are becoming increasingly cynical about work.  I can certainly understand why this might be the case; people are working harder than ever, and the demands keep piling up.  In many cases, people feel like the end of the tunnel keeps getting moved so that the end is never in sight.  I get it.

I will never believe that work can’t be a source of joy regardless of where you sit in the organization.  I know that to some people this sounds a little pollyannaish, but I’ll go to my grave believing that we all deserve joy in work, and we all play a role in creating it for ourselves.

It hurts my heart to think that people can accept that a huge part of their waking lives (and a good part of your subconscious as well) can be devoted to just a means to an end.  I’ve seen posts on LinkedIn suggesting that trying to find your purpose or feeling joy at work is unnecessary because “it’s just a job.”

For me personally, I’ve had “jobs” that weren’t particularly fulfilling.  I started out working for a small food company and my job was to sit in a smoke-filled office and take phone orders for soup base.  Most people don’t even know what that is, but I can tell you that if you go to restaurants, you’re eating it more times than not.  So how did I find “joy” in a job like that?  Here are a few things I did to see it for something other than just a job:

I Rewarded Myself for Learning:

I mentally rewarded myself for learning new things and for getting more responsibility. Sometimes this was nothing more than a thought (“you go girl!”).  Unfortunately, in my case, I learned things by getting yelled at by the office manager or by a chef at a Chicago Restaurant for doing something wrong.  Nonetheless, I made it a point to not repeat mistakes and to chalk it up to learning.

Advice:  Keep learning and know that mistakes happen.  You don’t have to beat yourself up when they happen, just learn from them, don’t repeat them, and move on.

I Took Time to Know People:

I was only eighteen when I started my first full-time job.  I’ve always been fascinated by people so learning about them through small talk has always been fun for me.  I won’t say it’s been easy because I am quite an introvert, but once I started seeing people as just people, I became less intimidated by them and learned to appreciate that all of us have had challenges in life and we all want to have less of them going forward.

Advice:  Take time to know the people with whom you work and let them know you a bit as well.  You spend most of your waking days with these people and it’s truly possible that one day you will look back and say that some of them are your very dearest friends.

I Kept My Dreams Alive:

While I’ve never aspired to hold a certain position or level, I have always known when it was time to try something else and when that time came, I would have the guts to move on.  I could never have planned the career I had; it was better than my dreams but looking back I can tell you that all of the “jobs” I had led me to the job of my dreams.

Advice:  Listen to your heart when it tells you that you deserve better, can do more or that you’re not fulfilled.  I know that your heart speaks to you, but sadly when we get really busy, we often don’t listen.

I Wanted To Excel:

Whatever you do, do your work with pride and excellence.  It doesn’t matter if no one else knows all the mountains you moved to get something done, but it will always matter to you.  There’s nothing better than being able to look back at your career and say with certainty that you’re proud of your work.

Advice:  Do your best every day.  Some days you might bat 1000 and some days you might bat 400 or less.  Just do your best; no one can ask more of you.  And know that good enough is indeed good enough more times than not.  If you can turn around something in 24 hours that’s an A, but it’ll take you three weeks to get an A+ but delay everyone else, let it go, and be proud of the A!

I Had to Laugh:

Laughter is important to me and it’s a requirement at work.  I believe that work can and should be fun and if you’re working with great people, laughter will get you through some very challenging times.

Advice:  Work with people who you get and who get you.  You have choices where you work.

I Created Joy:

You create joy in your life and work and you can do the same for others.

Advice:  If you want joy, define it for yourself and then bring it to life at work.  If you can’t, you’re not working where you should be.  Know that you can change someone else’s experience at work by being a trusting and caring colleague.

You deserve joy and fulfillment at work.  I hope you demand it for yourself and for your 83,000 hours.

VZ - 2022 Quotes (15)

REWIND: Do You Know What You Want?

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Here are the two questions to consider when things aren’t going as well as you’d like:

What do I want?

When things aren’t going well in some aspect of your life and work, ask yourself “what do I want?”  As an example, let’s assume that you don’t feel appreciated at work and you feel stuck.  It helps to vent, but what do you really want?

When you ask yourself what you want, maybe your answer would sound like this:  I want a chance to move up, but I don’t know what’s possible.  If I can’t move up here, I’m going to find a job where I’m doing work that’s more challenging and I’m getting paid what I’m worth.

Once you know what you want, you can put a plan together to move forward.  In this case, it would be helpful to discuss how you’re doing with your manager.  Assuming your performance is good, ask your manager what it would take to gain more responsibility and/or compensation.   Of course, once you know what you need to do, then it’s a matter of taking the necessary steps.

In situations where someone has hurt or negatively impacted you or you’ve hurt someone else, ask “what would make it right?”

I’m surprised that sometimes we focus so intently on the conflict itself that we don’t focus on resolving the conflict.

Once you can discuss what it’ll take to make something better, you can agree upon some steps that you can take to improve the situation.

I hope you’ll consider these questions.  My book has tools to help you resolve conflict and to speak up for what’s important.

Once you know what you want, my hope is that you’ll make a plan and go for it – at your own pace and on your own terms.  Be well.

VZ - 2022 Quotes (11)

Time to Spring Ahead

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One of the first signs of Spring in the Midwest is the process of setting our clocks an hour ahead.  My mom would always say “it’s time to spring ahead” and that’s the way I remember to skip an hour when I’m resetting the clocks.  Just as an aside, it’s also the time of year when I realize how many clocks I own.

This concept of springing ahead is a gentle reminder to do just that, not only with the clocks but with life.  Here are some questions you might consider in determining how to move forward:

  • What’s one thing I want to finish this year? Why does it matter?  Note that this can include eliminating something that no longer serves you, including other people’s opinions.
  • What are the steps I must take?
  • Who can I rely on to help me move forward?
  • How will I celebrate when I meet my goal?

Over the years I’ve seen people talk excitedly about goals and then never make any progress.  Often the reason they don’t even begin is that they become overwhelmed by all that’s needed to achieve the goal.  That’s not springing ahead; that’s staying stuck.  I’m not saying the big goals aren’t important, but often breaking the big goals into smaller, more manageable goals leads to significantly more progress over time.

How might your life change if you focused on just one of the goals below?

  • Stop allowing (you can name the person)’s opinions to crush my spirit. To do this, I need to set boundaries with them so they know that their thoughts aren’t helpful or appreciated.
  • I’m going to push myself a little harder to speak up at meetings on the topics that matter to me.
  • I’m going to take the certification exam I’ve been delaying. I will prepare for the exam and get it over with.
  • I’m going to stop speaking to myself in a way that I’d never speak to someone else.  I’m going to create some supportive thoughts I can repeat to myself and treat myself like a friend.
  • I’m going to schedule all my medical checkups and keep the appointments.
  • I’m going to apply for the job that I want.
  • I’m going to be more present in all my interactions.
  • I’m going to read at least one book a month on a topic that interests me.

Whatever it is that you want to focus on to spring you forward, make note of it and do it.  Ask for the support you need and know that people are honored to help others.

Confession:  There are at least a few things in the list above that are my “spring forward’ actions.

Hope you have a wonderful week friends!

VZ - 2022 Quotes (9)

When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes

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I love the following quote by Judith Campbell, “When your heart speaks, take good notes” because it’s true in every aspect of life, including work.

Before I knew how to make well-informed decisions, I made them with my heart. 

I imagine that’s what most of us do before we learn to ponder decisions using more sophisticated tools.  I’m all for thoughtful decision-making, but that doesn’t mean that one’s heart isn’t an important barometer which should be trusted.

After working for over four decades, I know that my heart steered me right far more often than it steered me wrong.  In fact, I can’t think of a single time when it led me astray.  I’ll share some examples below that I hope will help clarify what I mean.

Early in my career, I worked with an amazing group of people.  Over time, my heart told me that I should move on to something else; I had outgrown my current role.  At the time, I didn’t want to listen to my heart because it was comfortable staying put.  Eventually, I realized it was time to move on and that if they were friends, they’d always be friends.  I just recently sent a thank you to one of those colleagues – he’s been a terrific friend for forty years now.

When I had an opportunity to relocate with my job and finally get the opportunity that I felt that I had earned, my heart told me that I’d inadvertently hurt my family if I accepted the job.  Saying “no” defied logic at work, but I was happy with the decision.  I never regretted that decision.

Nothing better than having a heartfelt conversation with someone else

Over the years, whenever I spoke with people at work, I wanted to let them see a bit of my heart.  This was especially important to me as I moved up in the organization.  I hoped that I would see theirs as well.  Nothing better than having a heartfelt conversation with someone else.  Those are the chats that you cherish, aren’t they?

When I had an interaction with someone who would later become my manager that revealed that this person was rude, unprofessional, and mean-spirited, my heart told me that it was just a matter of time before this behavior showed up again.  My heart was right.  When it was clear that I wouldn’t ever be happy or fulfilled working for this person, I knew I had to plan an exit.  I wasn’t interested in engaging in a battle that I had zero chance of winning.  As soon as a chance presented itself for me to leave, I left.  My heart was absolutely right.

My friends, especially those of you who are just getting started in your careers.  Pay attention to your heart; it really does know what’s best for you.  Take note when it speaks to you; it has something important to reveal to you if you’ll listen.  Learn how to incorporate your heart into your work because it matters – just watch someone work at something that doesn’t speak to their heart and then watch someone whose heart is evident in their work.  I’ll always believe that there’s no better look than the face of someone who allows their heart to show through their work.  I hope that person is you.

VZ - 2022 Quotes (4)

Leadership Isn’t a Title

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First, I want to say that as I write this blog, I’m heartbroken about what’s happening in Ukraine.  I feel so helpless.  I haven’t known what to say or do, but I am thinking about it and praying a lot. The magnitude of this situation is beyond comprehension.

One bright light in all of it is the brave leadership of President Zelenskyy.  There aren’t too many modern-day presidents who would do what he’s doing.  And the people who have committed to staying and defending their country are awe-inspiring.  I hold them all in my thoughts and prayers.

This leads me to today’s topic.  Leadership isn’t a title.  There are countless people who have titles that reflect status and all that goes with it, but they’re not leaders.  No one follows them because they’re inspired to do so.  I’ve seen several people in leadership seats who don’t deserve them.  Some got the chair too soon without having the experience needed to lead.  Others may have had some important experiences, but they lack empathy, confidence and competence.  They usually know, but won’t admit, that they aren’t true leaders, but they may be of the mind to fake it until they make it.  True leaders don’t need to fake anything.

All that aside, I’ve been incredibly impressed and inspired by people who demonstrate true leadership, yet their title and/or position in the company doesn’t reflect their leadership ability.  Let me share am example:

In my book, I wrote about a young woman named Anna.  When I first met Anna, she was in a manager-level position in a role that she studied for in school but it didn’t fulfill her.  She and I talked often, and I quickly saw that she was a true leader.  I added her to my team, and I’m overjoyed at what she’s done in a role that fulfills her and allows her leadership abilities to shine.  She will get the title and all that goes with it because it’s what she deserves.  And, more importantly, she is going to help others do the same.  People want to follow her.

What’s important about Anna is that she didn’t wait to move into a leadership role before she started acting like a leader.  She started acting like a leader first.

Sometimes acting like a leader is speaking up about something that really matters to you at a meeting.  Maybe it’s volunteering in your company’s business resource council and helping your company advance inclusion.  Maybe it’s politely disagreeing with a person in power or putting forth an idea that you know will make a difference.

Leadership isn’t a title.  You will know it when you see it and all of you have an opportunity to exhibit it in your work.  Don’t wait for someone else to be the leader you want; become the leader you want.