How to Make the Work in Our Life Rewarding

Do you want the work in your life to be rich and rewarding?

I believe most of us want this more than we are willing to admit, but fail to do what it takes to make it a reality.  I think most regular people have all but given up on finding true satisfaction in their jobs.  In fact, I’d say that we’ve sort of resigned ourselves to just being cogs in the machine.

Is this you?  If so, I want to encourage you.  I believe there is more.  I believe it is possible to transform your work no matter what you do into something more meaningful and rewarding.

Of course, this means you are going to have to make some changes and change can be uncomfortable.  It can even be a little scary.  Are you up for it? 

What alternative do you have?  The other option is to stay stuck where you are and just go through the motions every day.  Is that really the life you want?  I didn’t think so.

Two Work Scenarios for You to Consider

Let’s delve into this a little deeper.  I want you to see the options you have available more clearly.  Again, I understand that change is difficult so I want to help you make the choice necessary to transform your work life into something more rich and rewarding.  I want to give you some food for thought.  Let me paint a couple of pictures for you.

Work Scenario One

Tim works in the IT department at his company.  He shows up every day at exactly 8:00 and leaves at exactly 5:00 or maybe a few minutes before because he thinks no one really notices.  He does what he has to do, very seldom does he do more.  In his mind, work is work.  He gets it done and then goes home.  He doesn’t get into any trouble and he keeps to himself.

Tim’s role is help desk analyst.  He takes calls and fixes what’s broken.  To Tim, his job is boring, mundane and he feels like the people that call him are stupid severely technically challenged.  He knows this attitude spills over in the tone of his voice from time-to-time when talking to users, but he just can’t help it.  He’s fixed the same problem for the same people over and over again.  He wonders why they can’t just figure it out for themselves.

Tim dreads going into work each day.  He grumbles a lot while he’s there.  It is always the same old crap.  Yes, once in awhile, management tries to put a pretty new wrapper on the crap, but in the end it is still the same stuff. 

Tim does the minimum possible to comply with the wishes of management and the policies put forth, but that’s it.  He believes that if he keeps his nose clean he can just keep trudging along.

However, he feels like he’s underpaid and that his boss doesn’t appreciate all the potential he has to offer.  Tim feels stuck in a job that is repetitive and lacks challenge.  He can’t understand why his boss and the company leadership can’t see all he has to offer.  He feels certain he could do a much better job than his boss at running the department.  As far as Tim’s concerned, the guy’s pretty much a dweeb.

He’d look for another job somewhere else, but he has a family to feed and bills to pay.  He needs this job.  It is drudgery, but at least it is stable.

Work Scenario Two

Stephanie works for the same company as Tim.  She is also a help desk analyst.  However, Stephanie sees things a little differently.  She embraces this position as a jumping off platform for her career.

Stephanie typically puts in about the same number of hours as Tim, but she really cares about the users she serves.  She always has a smile on her face and seems happy to help. 

Stephanie likes to understand the projects the users are working on.  If a user is building a PowerPoint presentation for an important meeting, she will go the extra mile to help the user.  Stephanie even read some books about how to make presentations more persuasive and she shares what she’s learned with her colleagues as she’s answering their other questions.

Stephanie has stayed late more than once to make sure everything was ready for the next day.  She even calls the user after their meeting to follow-up and find out how everything turned out.

As a result, Stephanie has built many great relationships throughout the company.  People, including several executives, often call her direct line so they can specifically speak with her because they know she won’t make them feel stupid and that she really knows her stuff.  They feel Stephanie really helps them get their job done in a more timely fashion.

The help desk policy and procedures manual states that analysts shouldn’t accept calls for assistance on their direct line.  It also defines goals for keeping the duration of calls to a minimum.  Stephanie’s boss makes exceptions for Stephanie because she gets a lot of kudos from the higher ups which makes him look good.

Because of her positive attitude and approach to the job, Stephanie gets asked to be involved in a lot of special projects.  These projects add diversity to her work day and increase her job satisfaction.  Overall, Stephanie doesn’t want to remain a help desk analyst forever, but she’s happy and feels her efforts will pay off down the road.

Some Things to Ponder About These Work Scenarios

In every case, the linchpins among us are not the ones born with a magical talent.  No, they are people who have decided that a new kind of work is important, and trained themselves to do it.
~ Seth Godin, author of Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

Here are a few questions to think about regarding the two work scenarios above:

- Who gets more enjoyment and satisfaction from the same exact job?

- Who is more secure in their position?

- Who is going to get promoted sooner regardless of seniority?

- Who is more likely to get a raise?

- Who is more likely to get offered a better job somewhere else?

- Who are you more like, Tim or Stephanie?  (think about this and be honest!)

- What’s holding you back from being more like Stephanie?

Tim and Stephanie’s role at work right now might not be their dream job.  Their employer might not offer one of the best places to work.  Their boss might not be the best leader or career coach.  Still, Stephanie’s approach to the position is the most beneficial to Stephanie.  It makes the most of the situation for Stephanie and her employer.

- When will you start bringing your whole self to work?

I doubt Stephanie will remain in her current position for long.  She is going to get snatched up by somebody for a better position with more pay, perks and prizes.  Tim on the other hand is living a self-fulfilling prophecy.  His situation is likely going to get worse before it ever gets better.

If you want to improve your situation, then I’d recommend reading Seth Godin’s Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?  It will help you see your job in a whole new light.

Photo by akeg

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