Southeastern Michigan has been swept with an unseasonable heat wave which has caused nature to bloom prematurely. Many trees, flowers and plants won’t weather the shift from odd eighty-degree days to below-freezing familiar March nights next week.
As humans, we have the power to weather any storm and make the best of any situation; however it’s often easier said than done. This is especially true for people who are unsatisfied with their jobs. Whether they’ve been promised a promotion or are overwhelmed with a ton of new responsibilities resulting from the aftermath of another round of lay-offs; THERE IS HOPE.
Robert H. Schuller once said, “It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.” Instead of dwelling on the negative and wallowing in bad situation, here are a few steps you can take to improve your level of job satisfaction:
DELEGATE– Many individuals who have risen to the upper ranks of an organization can attribute some, if not most, of their success to people who delegated responsibilities to them because they learned new skills and became trustworthy. The goal of delegation is not to ‘dump’ on a co-worker or employee, rather to determine the ultimate objectives to be met with which resources and assign tasks accordingly.
First, you must determine to whom to delegate and make then make yourself available for questions or feedback so that the person to whom the tasks have been assigned does not become discouraged or lose self confidence as challenges arise. Equally important is the communication of clear performance standards for follow-up and in order to hold the person responsible.
LEARN– If the organization has a training dept., take advantage of it. First, review the courses available and discuss the time and/or resource commitment with your boss and Human Resources manager before enrolling. If a formal program is not available, inquire about mentorship opportunities. Better yet, consider enrolling in a Dale Carnegie course. Whether you need help improving self-confidence, presentation style or honing your leadership or sales skills, there is a Dale Carnegie course available to help take your career to the next level.
ASK– If you would like to move into a new role, perhaps in a new department or perhaps within your own, ask questions. Employees are often aware of new opportunities long before positions are posted internally. Start a conversation with someone you know or who seems approachable and ask how things are going on your target team or target department. It is completely normal to have a strong desire for interesting and challenging work. Many organizations value employees with a passion to learn and grow. Don’t be embarrassed; just ask.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Michigan, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook or Twitter!
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