By Daniel Robin
In the early 1980’s I worked for a company that had begun to noticeably mutate. It had been growing like a weed – 400% in one year – but had yet to evolve (growing large isn’t the same as growing up). Those of us holding out for the company’s metamorphosis realized that it would take perhaps 20 or 30 years to materialize, so instead, we dematerialized; I’ve been consulting ever since.
Our livelihood is the sum total of our choices in three aspects:
- The workplace itself – where we work, physically, as well as the cultural expectations, standards, and people
- Career or profession– what we do, our specialty, and
- Purpose — why we do it, what purpose the work serves.
This article invites you to assess your present workplace, and check that it fits with your chosen profession and purpose.
When there’s a mismatch between you and your employer – either you expect the company to better fit who you are, or the company expects you to be someone you are not – it can be distracting or even quite stressful. Under these circumstances, at best you’ll acquire improved coping skills.
But when there’s true alignment, amazing things can happen for you and for the organization.
The immediate aim is to clarify what you want from your workplace … to develop a practical vision for your desired future – and in so doing, perhaps influence the future of your company.
Dare to Dream
Setting aside perceived limitations, or difficulties in your current work situation, … take a breath or two (or as much time as you need to rise above the tension you’ve been feeling … find a tranquil moment), then describe your dream workplace.
In other words, what would have you getting out of bed in the morning passionately wanting to get to work – besides the fact that your cat is driving you crazy? (No cat? Want one? [Or substitute whatever home life challenges happen to exist for you].)
When asked to describe their ideal workplace, people blurt out qualities like “honesty and integrity,” “mutual respect and compassion,” “a smart team committed to a shared purpose,” or occasionally we also hear “fair treatment.” For some, that’s just the baseline. There’s lots more upside and possibility than this. Their ultimate workplace sanctions creativity, is fun and professional at the same time, and doesn’t hold people to rigid job descriptions or typecast them into narrow roles.
If your workplace consistently disappoints or frustrates you, that could be a sign that your values are being trashed.
Looking Differently at Work
Your workplace is where your values meet the company’s. Using a technique called “gap analysis,” you can observe the current degree of compatibility – how well does your present workplace fit with your interests and expectations?
For each aspect of your workplace, rate its relative importance on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 means “completely unimportant;” 10 means “essential”). Then pick another number from 1 to 10 to indicate your present degree of satisfaction in that same area. The difference between these two scores represents a gap.
For example, if being treated with respect is an “8” in importance, and your current satisfaction is at a “5,” there’s a respect gap of 3. The smaller the gap, the better the fit.
For each sample statement below, give your opinion about (a) its relative IMPORTANCE and (b) your current SATISFACTION, using a 1-10 scale:
- I’m directly involved in the decisions that affect my job.
- Employees at all levels in the company work together as a team.
- Mistakes are seen as feedback and learning, not as a sign of failure.
- I feel a strong commitment to the goals and purpose of this organization.
- As I achieve the goals of the company, I am also achieving my own goals.
What’s even more important to you than the above? Make up your own statements … then rate them. You can also use our tool based on 16 factors we hear employees value in their work.
For a comprehensive workplace assessment tool, use our self-assessment. Feel free to download and share this survey with colleagues, then compare your answers and discuss next steps.
To increase the chances that we can evolve our workplaces into the “future we want” rather than being forced to live with the “future we get,” take action now to build the foundation. With the ability to highlight and increase alignment, you can build a workplace where you can do your best work, express more of your talents, and help your organization live up to its full potential.
