Before I share a few thoughts on how you can improve your position in the workplace and identify some hidden opportunities you can take advantage of I want to thank you.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of my weekly “Monday Morning Thoughts.” I initially started with a weekly email to my staff. They began sharing my posts with friends and family.
Before I knew it, I had recipients in over nine countries. My distribution list became too large to send out through traditional emails. I began utilizing an email campaign distributor. Over time, I began to post on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. My posts are now available on ThriveGlobal.com. All of the reach is a result of you. Whether you’ve been with me for ten years, ten months, ten days, or this is your first read, I thank you. Whether someone has led you to me or you are leading me to others, I appreciate and value each connection.
I hope that you find value in my perspectives. My hope is not that you always agree with me. My hope is that each post gets you thinking about the way you think. When you change the way you think about things, the things you think about change. I ask that you take my perspective, compare it with others, as well as your own, and decide for yourself, what works best for you.
When you think about the workplace, today people are more disengaged than ever before. Studies show 85% of workers worldwide are disengaged at work. Here in the U.S., they show 70% of workers are disengaged.
Being engaged doesn’t mean being happy. You can like your employee benefits and still not care about the company you work for. Being engaged means caring about the company you work for.
Disengaged employees usually list not feeling appreciated as a major reason for the disengagement. Quite often employees feel disrespected or undervalued. At the same time, employers feel employees aren’t trying hard enough. They feel their employees only do the bare minimum.
Unfortunately, both sides are close to being accurate. At times it seems like employers are paying just enough so employees don’t quit, while employees are doing just enough not to get fired. This equates to a lose-lose situation!
The key is not to fall into this “normal” view of your workplace. The disengagement of others creates hidden opportunities for you!
While others are complaining “they don’t pay me enough to do that”, it’s an opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills and stand out. Waiting for a raise before doing extra work is like waiting for a fire to make you warm before putting on a log.
If you are asked to train a new employee, instead of looking at it as extra work, look at it as an opportunity to show how well you know your job. Look at it as being recognized for your skills and abilities. Look at it as helping someone else to learn, improve their skills, and support their families.
When you hear others complaining about a situation at work instead of joining in the misery, look at the complaining as an indicator of a problem that needs solving. Focus on solving the problem. The bigger the problems are that you can solve, the more value you bring to your company. Solve little problems, receive little compensation. Solve big problems, receive big compensation.
A perfect example of this is a mechanic. If you can fix the flat tire on a bicycle, you can make a few dollars. If you can fix a car to prevent it from breaking down on the road, you can make even more money. If you can fix a jet to prevent it from falling out of the sky, you can make a lot of money.
Businesses everywhere have problem identifiers. Everyone can spot a problem and tell you all about it. Don’t be part of this crowd. Become a problem solver. Instead of identifying a problem, bring the problem with 2-3 potential solutions to your supervisor and see if you don’t stand out.
When you see something work in one environment, see if it can work in your environment. Recently employees were identifying problems with constant phone calls. The never ending ringing was causing constant interruptions in the office. Employees and customers alike were frustrated with phone tag messages and voice recordings that voice mail boxes were full and could not accept messages. Once I noticed that my bank was texting me to ensure ATM purchases were authorized and my cell phone provider was texting me reminders my autopayment was coming up, I began to think of how text messaging could solve our call center problems.
The more time you spend on seeking solutions to problems, the more your employer will value you. In turn, the more you will value your employer. Before long, you’ll feel engaged. You will care because you know you are making a difference.
You will also discover the more time you spend solving problems, the better you will become at solving them. You’ll begin taking on bigger problems. Your ability to make a difference will continue to grow.
Finally, become the go-to-person. Become the expert on software your company uses. When new tools are presented, be the first one to master the tool. Become an explorer! Learn things you can teach others, things that will improve their performance, shorten their time, increase their productivity.
Remember, there is greatness within you. You must choose greatness. It won’t develop on its own. I believe in you!
“When you help others get what they want first, you always get what you want.”
Take Action Today!
If you found value in this article, please like and share. You never know who else in your network may find it valuable. Thank you!
I appreciate you. I know your time is limited and I hope you receive value in reading my posts.
I also invite you to connect with me. You can connect with me on LinkedIn, by email at [email protected] or through my website at www.bryanbalch.com. Thank you!
I always look forward to your thoughts and replies.
Published by Bryan M. Balch, Results Coach
Helping Individuals and Businesses Achieve Desired Results
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