I am easily distracted. Call me Magpie because I am irresistibly drawn to bright, shiny objects.
Here’s a video from our friends at Fast Company:
Ahhh, such good advice. From now on I am going to focus on one th—–whoa! What’s that? How cool!
Archive for the 'Create in the Cube' Category
Employee Engagement has become a buzzword in today’s organizations. What keeps people engaged in their work? How do we get employees to apply their ‘discretionary effort’ on behalf of the company? It’s got me thinking about Employee Disengagement as one way to heighten engagement.
I began my corporate career as an Employee Health Coordinator. It was the 80s and their was a lot of support for wellness and fitness programs. As it turned out most of my clients were those who were already well and fit but in receptive spots we had fun implementing new programs. 
One memorable program had an entire department committed to taking little stretch breaks three times a day. Once in the morning and twice in the afternoon they would all stand up and do some reaches and stretches together. They laughed and, goofy as it was, they enjoyed the break from their terminals.
Just last week I spent a few days in Marrakech. What a stimulating city! There was so much to take in and the very scent of the air was spicy. Most notable to me were the calls to prayer. Several times a shopkeeper or guide excused himself and said he’d return in 5 minutes. He would then slip off to the nearby mosque or join others in a central area to focus and pray. Lovely.
Whether you work from home or in a cube it is easy to stay tethered to your work. And I’m all for focus and concentration. But there is a diminishing return.
So, this week I am practicing DISENGAGEMENT.
Every two hours or less I am stepping away from the computer and doing some office stretches. Or lying on the grass and contemplating the clouds. Or petting my dog. Anything that resets my brain and gives me perspective. Because I can return to my tasks with oxygen in my brain and a little less cortisol in my system.
Employee Disengagement? I’m all for it.
Monday morning I’m waking to the drone of the radio news when my attention suddenly sharpened. I heard the name of one of my clients. On NPR. There had been many rumors but this twist to the story was a surprise. Shareholders are happy and there are hard times ahead for the employees. (Raise your hand if you’ve ever been subjected to a merger or acquisition). These are the times for all men and women to come to the aid of–themselves.Last week a dear one was talking to me about the economy and that she was bracing herself for cutbacks. Revenues are down in her company and she can see the writing on the wall. I encouraged her not to offer herself up for a furlough yet (as appealing as that was). Instead I encouraged her to think creatively.
Right now organizations, yes, are cutting back, but they are also desperate for CREATIVE ideas that can GENERATE revenue.
The question is this: Are you an Idea Generator? Are you a Creative Problem Solver? If you’re on this website I am guessing your answers are ‘Yes’.
Here are some places to look for inspiration:
* Shamelessly lift an idea from another company–that means you need to talk to others in your industry, talk to others in your profession and read magazines (in addition to People magazine)
* What bugs you about your workplace? Do you have an idea for how to fix it? Can you find a sponsor with some power?
* Become an internal mercenary. Sell yourself and your skills to a new manager or department where they need something that you know how to do. If things look shaky where you are, go broker yourself to another part of the company where things look a little better.
* Know what’s hot in your market or field. Green? Natch. Generosity and philanthropy? Good. Combine things that people care about in their hearts with the other thing that people care about: profit.
There is a lot to be concerned about right now. But we learned back in the 1980s that there was no such thing as a job for life. I remember my mentor, Darrell Beck, telling me, “The only security you have is your own ability, Maggie.”
NOW is the time for all of you with creative abilities to start showing off.
A newly minted architect I know is working at a restaurant to make money. An artist in my circle is working as a counter person at a printing company to pay her bills. These young people are not feeling very creative on the job. They dream of pursuing their creative work but meanwhile…well, ya gotta eat. “That’s why they call it work” advises my dear friend, Janet.Some of you may not be working at NameTag Jobs. Some of you may be working at perfectly respectable jobs. And you’re still not doing what you want. At 32 when I surrendered my life in the theater to a job at the utility company (groan) I felt like a complete creative failure. But you know what? That job led me to a whole new career and work that I LOVE.
So as we march grimly to the jobs we don’t love let us take a moment and note the positive things about a J-O-B.
- Paycheck. We all need money to pay our obligations. It is good to get a paycheck every two weeks or every month. And it you’ve ever gotten in trouble for not paying your estimated taxes it is very nice to have taxes paid automatically through your employer’s payroll system. Believe it or not, when you are 65 years old you will be happy that you have paid into the social security system (assuming anything is left).
- Benefits. Until health care reform happens (please) we heap blessings on employers who provide health insurance. I was talking with a restaurant owner who agonized over this recently. She and her husband own a noted and successful restaurant but they are feeling the pinch in the economy and they considered elimintating health insurance for their staff. But she couldn’t do it. She knows her waitstaff and bartenders (loyal, loyal people) need it.
- Peers. Human beings are social animals and a community is as vital as a paycheck. Among your fellow workers are some real tools but every now and then you’ll meet someone worth knowing. Someone you will keep in your life longer than the sub-optimal job.
- Formal Development. Large corporations invest in their employees (do I sound like an HR person?). While you work at BigCorp it is a good idea to take advantage of anything that is remotelyconnected to your future goals.
- Deadlines. Working inside can help you practice working to a deadline. You can learn lessons about the value of structure.
- Credibility. Occasionally entrepreneurs have that whiff of Eau-de-Desperation about them. I’ve attended networking events and conferences as Owner of my own consulting firm and as Position-of-Influence at BigCorp. Somehow I had better conversations when I was internal.
- Resume Building. Future clients or employers will want to know that you’ve been doing something of worth with your time. They like to see that you have a work ethic. They will appreciate a track record.
- Learning on the Job. You are going to learn a lot while you work. You will have to play well with others. You will learn about politics and influence. You will learn what you like to do and what you don’t like to do. This helps you refine your future work life. Most of all you will learn about the kind of managers you want to avoid. [As a beloved professor once told us, "Everyone is serves a purpose. At the very least you can serve as a non-example."]
- Resilience. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. You will be better for it and develop some excellent coping skills that will serve you well in life. Even when you are doing your dream work there will still be times when you’ll need to dip into the well of persistence.
- Humanity. I do believe that everyone ought to work in a job they hate at some point in life. The depths make the high points that much sweeter. You will become more empathetic to the barrista that delivers your coffee when you are living large. You will be kinder to those who need support if you’ve been in their shoes.
