When anyone asks you “What do you do?” does your answer start with “I work for Organisation X” and you then explain the nature of the business or does your answer describe a role i.e. what you actually do. It really ought to be the latter and more than that, I hope that what you describe is also what you love to do. The organisation should be secondary in your description. You are a people manager, or a poet, or an architect or whatever. Where you do it is largely irrelevant because they should be lucky to have you and if your contribution isn’t recognised or valued then it isn’t a two-way relationship and maybe you should be seeing someone else.
My role, and my answer, is that I am a consultant, facilitator and coach. For all the fans of the Godfather, I’m a Consigliere at heart, an advisor or counsellor - albeit in a non-mafia kind of way (!) - and love to work with individuals and teams to help them interact more effectively and improve performance. I get a chance to do that every day using the amazing Insights Discovery colour model. More of that later. Author and Speaker Simon Sinek says that “True love exists in business. It’s when employee and employer are amazingly grateful to have each other” and I think he has a point. I have a friend who is a technical specialist and he is about to change jobs because his manager is disorganised and disrespectful and the wider organisation is not listening to his advice. There’s clearly no love there and in truth it looks like they don’t even like each other. It’s time to move on.
I’m not trying to encourage a mass exodus or widespread unhappiness but I think that everyone has the right to be fulfilled at work. I would ask you this: Are you doing what you love or, at the very least, do you enjoy what you do? Are you an employer that wants to develop a culture where the nurturing of employees is the norm and good behaviours, and interactions are important?
If you’d like some help with this then please get in touch. I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse!!
For me, the Insights Discovery colour model set me on the path to finding true love at work. Initially it helped explain my working style and those who worked with me. It nurtured a growing understanding of the importance of diverse perspectives. It made me/us more effective communicators and collaborators.
The next part of the journey led me to reflect on my leadership style and then the style of those around me (some more enlightened and self-aware than others!) and then the culture and environment. It lit a fire under my desire to coach and mentor others. It led me to change jobs a few times until I found my ‘tribe’ at The Colour Works and a role where there was give and take on both sides, mutual respect and opportunities to grow and learn together and to share the group’s experience and know-how with others.
Lucky in love? You bet!
