I see you.

This is one of those lines from a movie that sticks. It’s from the James Cameron 2009 sci-fi film, Avatar. Simply said, this movie has many layers of allegory.  One hidden in plain sight is that its indigenous inhabitants, the Na’vi, have a saying, “I see you”. It’s more than just the physical seeing-ness. It’s deeper. A sign of respect, and conveys that the one sharing the greeting values the one receiving it.

I have seen a version of this in the workplace. One of my peers uses the phrase, “I appreciate you”. When I first experienced her using this, I have to say, I heard it and lifted an eyebrow. It sounded a little cheesy. And then I saw her face, and how she delivered it. She offered it with absolute regard, respect, intention, and wholeheartedness. It floored me. What a tremendous way to share value with the people we work with. Every day I do my best to use it the same way as my peer: to genuinely share appreciation for others.

Employers need to see their employees. They need to appreciate the value they bring to the health and well-being of the organization and the day-to-day performance. And the employees need to do the same. We are not higher or lower; at least, we shouldn’t be. Instead, we are alongside one another. We need to see and appreciate each other and lift up the value we provide both ways.

This series has been a follow-up to the series that came before it. The Great Realization series elevated the employee’s point of view and looked at the job along the path of the employee’s life cycle. The Why People Stay series was the perspective of the employer and what leadership can do to engage and invest in making the employee experience matter.

At this point, the two perspectives converge. The job, and how each of them has influence. Here are five places where convergence matters.

1. Cause

Purpose should never be one-sided. The argument may be that it’s up to the organization to establish the mission of the business. I contend when the mission is fully shared, and everyone has a stake in the value proposition, that’s when performance takes off. I have always said if the goal identifies profitability as the only measurable, then the business suffers. The job has to have purpose, and every team member has to feel like they are contributing to the greater good. Beyond the business and into the communities they serve, the teams must feel like they are all striving to somehow make a difference. This isn’t anti-capitalism, or that paying attention to the bottom line is bad. Profit is still a goal. Just not the only goal.

2. Clarity

One of the most effective ways to ensure people are thriving in their job is to ensure that the expectations given are clearly defined and communicated. Ever been told to do something and not told how, or maybe even more importantly, why? How’d the success go? How successful was the business when everyone tried their best to figure it out inconsistently as they worked through the day? The simple approach here…when something needs to be done…state clearly, what, why, especially how, and to what extent. If I’m the leader, what’s the gap? If I’m the team member, same question.

3. Coaching

Feedback, insight, advice, and correction are all gifts. And when there is a defined and regular time when all leaders and team members can talk about the job, people get better. Relationships get better, and that impacts the business. If I know I get to talk regularly about what’s happening, why, and how, then we move forward together toward success, and control is elevated. Even if the conversations are about failure, as well as success and keeping things real, then I feel like I’m growing with others. Not just trying to do my best, isolated, and on an island doing my own thing.

4. Connection

What are the ways we all come together? Is it team meetings? Is it the platform where everyone communicates? How are we plugging everyone into the flow and direction of the organization? Live streams, summits, virtual platforms, collaboration sessions, and team-building opportunities? Leaders and team members thrive when they get to connect. It’s not just the information or nature of the business, it’s the power of community. Peer-to-peer engagement makes everyone better.

5. Culture

The bottom line, everything flows downstream from culture. Belief, especially collective belief, is a fuel for organizational health and well-being. It stimulates drive, innovation, ownership, empowerment, and a sense of belonging. We are all walking the same path together doing what we do in our jobs, or we’re in silos doing our own thing. Call it family. Call it being part of a clan or tribe. Are we better together or just doing the best we can, as we can, separately?

The constant will always be the job. Selling the product. Managing the inventory. Taking care of the billing and cash receivables. Ensuring the technology is working. Each job with a specific function. It’s the variables, though, that make the job worth doing or can make it feel like a day-to-day grind. All the things put into place to support the leaders guiding it and the team members getting it done. It’s the value we place on it being done, and being seen as valuable doing it.

Why People Stay and the Great Realization are saying the same thing, albeit from two different perspectives. The job is important, but it’s not the main thing. It’s how we apply meaning to what we do and how we do it…as a leader and as a team member. And the greatest part of the journey, whether it’s getting an employee to stick around or realizing what’s important in our career, is ultimately how we get closer to figuring out who we are and who we are becoming.

#greatrealization #greatresignation #greatregret #selfdiscovery #employeelifecycle #russellcellular

Check out my article on LinkedIn.

Check out our other blogs here: Blog – Russell Cellular.

Visualize the Future

After so much has gone into establishing our job and all of the efforts along the way in our employee life cycle, we do reach a place where we start to see something take shape in our future steps. Maybe it’s a snapshot into the future about how we plan to grow into the organization. Maybe it’s feeling like, “Now that I know what I know, I am ready to take a step into a new direction, doing something completely different.” Or maybe, the future looks like exactly where you are, developing your influence, and investing in the job culture and the people around you. If and when you realize it’s not a job, but start envisioning it as a career path, you start to treat the job a little differently.

Let’s go back a bit. Have you ever been asked, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” I have never been a fan of that question. Not about its intention; I understand that. It’s more so about how hard it is to answer. We live in an immediate gratification current scene, and seeing what we may want to be doing in one year, let alone five, can seem daunting.

If we have started the job, fully engaged in it, and leveraged to grow ourselves in our position, it stands to reason our confidence in the future elevates. And when that elevates, so does our ability to see, even a little bit more clearly, what we see ourselves doing.  This job, maybe another job, creating a new job, tapping into our passion, being entrepreneurial, or encouraging others in their path…it’s all possible.

Asking the Question

Two types of questions; internal and external. One that challenges what we need to do next or what we want to evolve in ourselves and the job. In a way, it’s unpacking the five-year question of where we are. The next is the one we ask our boss about how they see us evolving. This might be a tough question to ask; either there’s nothing obvious or maybe you don’t want to seem pushy or ungrateful. It’s about growth and pushing your capabilities…they need to know your interest and drive.

Crafting Your Brand 

How do you see yourself and how do you want to be seen? When time, tenure, and confidence elevate, I contend, this is when you start to stretch. You need to stretch and begin defining who you are, who you are becoming, and what gifts and value propositions you offer. Personally speaking, after doing the consulting and facilitation thing for a while, I began to see my niche. I began to craft the best things and greatest attributes I could offer others focused on that. Turned “I can deliver anything and everything you want” into “I deliver this and will provide value here”. I branded my strengths.

Mentoring Others 

I believe the true test of competency and confidence is when it is seen by others, and they ask, “How would you handle this?” Or “I’d like to pick your brain about how you have done ‘x’…tell me about your story.” I also believe there is time in your job when it’s time to develop others; either out of necessity (succession planning for the next-gen) or out of a heart to help others and lift them up (servant leadership, even if you’re not a leader by title). Either way, our future may be about others so they also can begin to envision the future.

Taking a Small Step

We’ve tagged taking risks in an earlier share. Well, that is also a prominent aspect of envisioning forward. To see yourself doing something – maybe something untried, unexpected, or unbelievable, and then taking a small step of action to start doing it. Maybe it’s something you are passionate about, and then aligning it with your job. Or maybe it’s taking some research of interest and applying it to your day-to-day. It could be presenting a case study to expand what you do. Just to see what happens next.

Painful Realization

The reality is, we may very well come to the belief and understanding that it’s time to move on. While yes, the impression is, if we do all these things in the employee life cycle, we will become one with our current job, that is not always the case. We may conclude, it is time to move on to the next chapter of our professional journey. And, by the way, it may not be such a bad thing for all parties, just a necessary one.

You know, I wasn’t sure what to call this episode. What comes after leveraging and expanding our job? Then a colleague shared a word: envision. The definition…to imagine a future possibility. To visualize or expect something to happen, appear, etc. in a particular way. Envisioning the job, more specifically, seeing the future seemed to make sense.

Five years seems like such a long time. And yet, think about the last two years, and all that has happened. What might we have said about our job before COVID and all the ripples it created? Is it conceivable that all of that changed our trajectory and did it force us to realize what we really wanted and why? I am not sure if my five-year vision for the future changed, but how I engage in it has. At least, that’s how I see it.

#greatrealization #greatresignation #greatregret #selfdiscovery #employeelifecycle #russellcellular 

Then check out my article on LinkedIn.

We grow or die.

Sound harsh? This is not literal sense, although, for some, it can seem that way. We either grow in what we do and how we do it each day, or we can become stagnant and apathetic. We can feel stuck if we are not intentionally looking at ways to improve, work more efficiently, skill up, and become better at leveraging our job.

Once we establish our rhythm and routine, the risk becomes settling into a job. While being comfortable when we do what we do is not an unacceptable posture, it’s more how we can acquiesce and become complacent. We need to keep challenging our mindset and skillset. In a way, we need to infuse some disruption and discomfort to stimulate growth. Like pruning a tree to support future growth.

I have seen employees become so settled that when change comes, and change is definitely inevitable, they fight it. They wrap their arms around the comfort, dig in their heals, and miss the opportunities to grow into and through the change. They may very well lack the willingness, honesty and openness to be uncomfortable and grow forward. Resulting in not leveraging their job.

Employees need to learn to be okay with the unknown, and often, the unexpected. They need to leverage where they are by testing their boundaries, challenging the impossible, and questioning everything. They need to learn to capitalize on challenges rather than be defeated by them, and maximize the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead rather than letting the potential slip by in favor of being comfortably settled in.

 

Be Curious and Take Risks

Just because we have the knowledge to stay busy does not mean we shouldn’t continue to broaden what we know and learn new things. Once we have the foundation established, it’s a reasonable time to take some risks. What’s the old saying, “better to beg forgiveness than ask for permission.” Not necessarily all scenarios; ones within reason. Connect with our boss and peers, share our vision and give it go. Explore and be curious.

Seek Growth Opportunities

Maybe there is a company succession plan to follow for leveraging your job. Some type of strategic process for identifying high-potential employees with specific steps to prepare them for future positions. Could be inter-departmental, leadership or educational development opportunities. And if there isn’t a pathway, it’s on us to look for ways to develop and improve our skills. Workshops, books, videos, research, blogs, mentorship – each of these are available if we put in the time and energy. Also, check with the employer, there may be ways to encourage and subsidize these opportunities.

 

Relationship Building

Relationships are essential in any job, whether we’re on a team or have to work alone. As we grow into our job, the goal is about enlarging our sphere of influence through networking, collaboration and simply getting to know the people around us. Sometimes we must be wary of select relationships, and ever mindful of the extent we relate to one another. I often tell my mentees that working within a company is similar to playing chess. Calculating moves and counter moves. Be aware, pay attention, and remember, it is better to remain silent and thought a fool, than speaking and remove all doubt.

Ignite and Amplify Your Passion

Just because we may not be doing what we thought we’d be doing; doesn’t mean we can’t do what we are doing in a way that aligns with our calling. My cancer story highlights a realization of how I saw my passion and purpose become transformed. I took what I was doing, and crafted ways that purpose could work in tandem with my day-to-day. Each day, we decide…are we constrained by a job or committed to live out our passion in any and every way possible?

It’s the Little Things

This last call-out is subtle. It is challenging each of us in two ways. One, always look at the details. Take the time to pay attention to even the slightest of things that make us better…for each of us and the people we serve. People notice details. Two, it won’t necessarily be big things that help us get the most out of leveraging our job, it will be little things, done each day consistently. We leverage the most of our job when we can show the same amount of energy for the mundane than we do the extraordinary.

Let’s be real, jobs come and go. Paraphrasing from an old study, the average number of jobs a person would have in their professional life changed in each generation. For the Greatest Generation, it was 1 job. Boomers were at 2, Gen X at 6 to 7, and Millennials averaged at about 13 jobs. Accuracy of this data aside, it does show, people are presently more likely to job hop. This became a very real aspect of the business reality in the past two years with the Great Resignation.

I am finding the realization is we are now more mindful of the job we have. We want meaning and purpose in our nine-to-five, and are more intentional about how our purpose intertwines with our day-to-day. Leveraging what we do and how we do it can lead us to the difference between a job or a career. Because, me, I don’t have a job, I have a joy. Our choice.

This is the fifth episode in the series, The Great Realization. If you are new to The Great Realization, check out our other posts in this series here.

We are what we repeatedly do. That is from Aristotle, and a very clear way to describe what takes shape after we start the job. We begin to establish some type of rhythm. Call it a routine of sorts. We take what we were taught and bundle it with what reality gives us, common sense dictates, and experience provides. It becomes best practice. Before long, we are finding our balance in what, why, how and to what extent of our job.

As a consultant, I have worked with organizations implementing significant management development programs. I have found significant change takes time. In addition, when there is some type of cultural reformation, like new expectations regarding guiding principles, core values and company mission, it can take longer. I learned the lesson of time, and found for individuals as well as teams, it can take as long as two years before select behaviors become somewhat second nature.

Also, I have often seen new sales reps and their understanding of pretty much any standardized selling process, that the time for them to get up to speed selling and be making money (a.k.a. enjoying commission success) can be about six months. Six months whereby they execute the targeted behaviors without prompting, shadowing, and begin having successful sales interactions.

Time And Success Are Job Relative

Time does not determine competency, and competency does not guarantee success. After we start a job, I believe what we look for is simply understanding what we need to get done in the day. So, we need to give our self some time and space to build up the proficiencies, define how we see success.

Always Be Learning

Typically, in organizations, training is in place to help team members get what they need to do their job well. The challenge is two-fold. One, it is also typically seen as an event. One and done. Box checked. The other is training can be viewed as ‘aspirin’. Something’s not right in the business, throw people in training – that will solve it. What if we focus on a mindset of always learning in our job. What if the onboarding element was just that. An element of a blended, multi-faceted, ongoing learning strategy. How might we reach out for new experiences and points of view?

Peer-To-Peer Relationships

OK, this can be a critical element to our job – we are not alone. Even if the tasks and the function of our job separates us from others, we must not isolate ourselves. I have been a remote worker most of my career. My home has been my office for decades. I need to actively involve people in my “doing-ness”. To receive feedback, insight, correction, and challenges from others. I am not just talking about my boss or clients at my job. I am talking about colleagues, peers in the business, industry cohorts, and the like, I need their input to influence my output.

Don’t Lose The Lesson

Let’s be real, failure has got to be an accepted, appreciated, and allowed aspect of our job. Especially at the beginning. I have found failure to be more valuable than success as it provides a broader perspective, creates time to pause, reflect, pivot, and then re-engage. Here’s a two-part tip, no matter what, own the outcome. Process the lesson and keep moving forward.

Define What You Do In Your Job

Maybe the first, only, and most important thing to do at this stage of our journey is to embrace what we get to do. Fully vet our understanding of this job. And more than just the day-to-day stuff, go deeper than that. How are we seeing this as part of our professional journey? One that aligns with our purpose, or, at least, one that allows what we do to contribute to, hone, and craft our purpose.

I love what James Clear, author of Atomic Habits shared. “Some things are a job, others are a craft. The primary difference is not the task, but the enthusiasm and curiosity put into the task. The more engaged and interested you are, the more it becomes a craft.”

Yes, getting started can be the most challenging part of the job in the employee life cycle. Its like riding a bike. A lot of energy and effort is in play to get the peddles going. We work hard at first to start the movement forward. Then, we rely on balance and timely reapplication of action to keep moving. It’s not as hard as starting, but it takes constant attention and consistent follow through. Sometimes we coast, sometimes we have to pedal harder. It depends. Just like getting into a job.

Well, we’ve onboarded, and oriented our self into the company, team, and job, now what? It’s a day-by-day, one step at a time process. Of establishing rhythm and routine. It’s the next part of the employee life cycle. It’s the time dedicated to what, why, how, and to what extent. As well as the who, where, and when. It’s a realization that we are syncing who we are with what we do, and how we do it best.

The Great Realization

This is the fourth episode in the series, The Great Realization. If you are new to The Great Realization, check out our other posts in this series here.

 

The hard part is getting started. You’ve evaluated what’s important in a job, you’ve looked for it, and you’ve found it. You’ve stepped into the opportunity because you wanted it, you had to, or, maybe by chance, it just seemed like the right thing to do – so, you said “yes”. So, what is it really like starting at the job?

I’m not going to explore the application process, or the layers of reference checks, multiple interviews and hiring practices. That would have far too many elements specific to the job, market, organization and/or industry. No, let’s say, that was what it was. You said “yes” and so did the company.

As the voice from the old GPS device says, “You have arrived.” Now what?

Let’s be real, emotionally speaking, being new to something is probably one of the most exciting times in our lives. The “yes” both parties offered, ushers in additional “yeses.” Yes, that excitement, energy and enthusiasm is laced with degrees of fear, uncertainty, and maybe even a little anxiety. Yes, what lies ahead is unknown, or maybe instead, the job is familiar but the leadership, team dynamic and company culture are what is unfamiliar. And yes, an important curiosity sets in – how will we be seen and will our needs balance with the needs of the job? That first day can be a mix of feelings and expectations.

Dive Into Your Onboarding Experience

My advice, first off, get started by consuming the onboarding experience like you are filling in a blank slate. All organizations have some type of onboarding pathway. From some type of orientation to general company requirements and guidelines, to job specific task review. It’s a first look at the job and the working environment; how will you embrace the information?

Replace Training with Learning

While I am not fan of the word ‘training’, this will undoubtedly represent the first stage of your job, so next, I advocate the word ‘learning’, and an always learning mindset. Develop a hunger to learn and keep learning. Ask questions and foster a posture of self-discovery. I even recommend keeping some type of journal or note-taking resource to capture all the insight, ideas, and best practices. And keep adding to it as your move further into the job. How will you absorb what you need to know?

Explore How the Organization Defines the Job

Look at how the organization defines certain aspects of the job. Look at how they define things like standards, accountability, communication, development, time and task management, follow up, follow through and success. Ask how expectations and performance are measured and coached. own the opportunities to grow. How will value be seen and appreciated?

Connect With People

Seek out people who represent success within the organization. Create some ‘mentoring’ relationships with individuals who are successful and pick their brain about what they do and how they do it. While there is no guarantee that what they do will be what you do, it can provide a deeper insight into what can help provide best practices in what you get to do each day. How will you establish relationships as you begin your new job?

Stay Authentic When Starting a Job

As with anything you do in life, bring who you are into that first stage of the journey. Be willing, honest, and open. Be authentic. You were hired because of who you are and what you bring to the organization. Yes, there are certain things all employees do – whether it is the company mission, core values, and specific job expectations – we each bring a unique contribution to the overall organizational experience and outcome. How will you bring your purpose and passion into your new position?

I have two daughters and they are wired very differently. One will over-think and contemplate everything before starting. The other is more like me. Jump in and learn as you go. One is not necessarily better than the other, just different. There is no perfect way to get started. The thing is, you have to get started, and even though the job may not the job you see yourself in for the long haul, you are here now. How will you step into the next part of your journey?

Today, if you are new and onboarding, go in full steam. Figure things out. Allow others to help you square away. Be a sponge. If you already in the organization and you are engaging in a new job, maybe you need to re-invigorate that curiosity. In a way, it represents our realization that we can benefit by being new every day and embrace the possibilities.

New day, new opportunities y’all!