While peering through my business library book collection, I ran into a book by Dr. Price Pritchett titled, “New Work Habits for a Radically Challenged World.” Not only is it insightful, it is short at just 52 pages. Now, you might think it is a broad brush perspective, and you would be right. But it is also reflective of the changing times we live in. He adds humor along the way and due to the short length of the book it allows you to feel good about reading the “whole” book. He outlines 13 guidelines for managing your job during radically changing times. Here they are;
Become a quick changed artist; manage perpetual
motion. As your company reshapes itself to a rapidly changing world, so should you change.
Commit fully to your job.
Expect your employer to expect more from you; work from the heart, make your work a passion. Commitment is a gift you should give yourself.
Speed up. A slow pace
over the last decade has been the death knell for many companies. Your company must travel light to cover ground quicker. Don't create delays; be known as the one who pushes the change process along; it makes you more valuable.
Accept ambiguity and uncertainty. Pinning down your job during change can be like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall. It's like driving at night in the fog, you can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
Behave like you are in business for yourself. Your employer wants more than your body, more than just your arms and back and brain. Your employer wants you to act like an owner. How can you personally control costs, serve the customer better, improve productivity and innovate. Remember, as Lily Tomlin said, “We are all in this alone.”
Stay in school. The economy today has no pity for a person who gets lazy about learning. Either you take the responsibility to educate yourself or you end up with out the knowledge to protect your career. It only takes a short time to be out of touch with your industry. The more you know how to do, the better you do it, the more valuable you become.
Hold yourself accountable for the outcomes. Responsibility, power and authority are being pushed to the lowest levels. For this to work you have to stand accountable for results.
Add value. Make sure that you contribute more than you cost. Employees often mislead themselves into thinking that they should get to keep their jobs if they are responsible and do well. Prove your worth to the organization. Make a difference. Add enough value so everyone can se that something very important would be missed if you left.
See yourself as a service center. Your job security depends an how valuable you are to your customers; seek regular, direct contact with them. They are your only source of job security.
Manage your own morale, you disempower yourself. If you wait around for higher management to heal your wounded spirit, you'll end up hurting longer then necessary. Everyone is going to carry battle scars, so you're better off getting over the issue that brings your morale to a low point. You can carry a grudge to the grave, or you can get over it.
Practice “Kaizen.” You are in the best position by working for a strong company. But a company can't grow unless its people do. Continuous improvement, the Japanese call it “Kaizen” (pronounced ky-zen) is the relentless quest for a better way. Think about it as the daily pursuit for perfection.
Be a fixer, not a finger pointer. Problems are a natural offspring of change, so you will see plenty of them in the years to come. Build a name for yourself as a problem solver, and you will be a valuable person to have around. The boss needs people to bring solutions to the table. Assume ownership of the problem instead of pointing at others.
Alter your expectations. Organizations can't stop the world from changing. The best thing they can do is adapt. The smart ones change before they have to. Too often, employees rest on their past achievements instead of requiring themselves to constantly upgrade their skills.
Pritchett is a psychologist who has written many books on employee or employer relationships. He points out the careers come and go. He reposts that, in 1950, 73 percent of U.S. employees worked in production or manufacturing. Now, fewer than 15 percent do.
Become a quick changed artist; manage perpetual
motion. As your company reshapes itself to a rapidly changing world, so should you change.
Commit fully to your job.
Expect your employer to expect more from you; work from the heart, make your work a passion. Commitment is a gift you should give yourself.
Speed up. A slow pace
over the last decade has been the death knell for many companies. Your company must travel light to cover ground quicker. Don't create delays; be known as the one who pushes the change process along; it makes you more valuable.
Accept ambiguity and uncertainty. Pinning down your job during change can be like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall. It's like driving at night in the fog, you can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
Behave like you are in business for yourself. Your employer wants more than your body, more than just your arms and back and brain. Your employer wants you to act like an owner. How can you personally control costs, serve the customer better, improve productivity and innovate. Remember, as Lily Tomlin said, “We are all in this alone.”
Stay in school. The economy today has no pity for a person who gets lazy about learning. Either you take the responsibility to educate yourself or you end up with out the knowledge to protect your career. It only takes a short time to be out of touch with your industry. The more you know how to do, the better you do it, the more valuable you become.
Hold yourself accountable for the outcomes. Responsibility, power and authority are being pushed to the lowest levels. For this to work you have to stand accountable for results.
Add value. Make sure that you contribute more than you cost. Employees often mislead themselves into thinking that they should get to keep their jobs if they are responsible and do well. Prove your worth to the organization. Make a difference. Add enough value so everyone can se that something very important would be missed if you left.
See yourself as a service center. Your job security depends an how valuable you are to your customers; seek regular, direct contact with them. They are your only source of job security.
Manage your own morale, you disempower yourself. If you wait around for higher management to heal your wounded spirit, you'll end up hurting longer then necessary. Everyone is going to carry battle scars, so you're better off getting over the issue that brings your morale to a low point. You can carry a grudge to the grave, or you can get over it.
Practice “Kaizen.” You are in the best position by working for a strong company. But a company can't grow unless its people do. Continuous improvement, the Japanese call it “Kaizen” (pronounced ky-zen) is the relentless quest for a better way. Think about it as the daily pursuit for perfection.
Be a fixer, not a finger pointer. Problems are a natural offspring of change, so you will see plenty of them in the years to come. Build a name for yourself as a problem solver, and you will be a valuable person to have around. The boss needs people to bring solutions to the table. Assume ownership of the problem instead of pointing at others.
Alter your expectations. Organizations can't stop the world from changing. The best thing they can do is adapt. The smart ones change before they have to. Too often, employees rest on their past achievements instead of requiring themselves to constantly upgrade their skills.
Pritchett is a psychologist who has written many books on employee or employer relationships. He points out the careers come and go. He reposts that, in 1950, 73 percent of U.S. employees worked in production or manufacturing. Now, fewer than 15 percent do.