“There are not great companies, only great teams.”
What do you think of that statement? Marcus Buckingham, author of First Break All the Rules, Now Discover Your Strengths, and most recently, Go Put Your Strengths to Work, is adamant about this.
His work over the years studying teams within companies shows that there is a “range in performance” where there shouldn’t be. Same company, same resources and tools, products, training, pay, benefits, etc. The difference, he says, revolves around the team members’ answer to this one question:
“At work do you have an opportunity to do what you do best everyday?”
Employees and their teammates who get to play to their strengths outperform those who do not, even when everything in the work environment is exactly the same. Unfortunately, organizations today are inefficient in capitalizing on their peoples’ strengths.
We live in a “remedial” world, he says, where we focus on what needs to be fixed and study the opposite of the good or positive we desire. For instance, over 40,000 studies on Depression have been conducted and only 400 on Joy. Remember those early jobs in your career where no matter how many training sessions or classes you attended, you just couldn’t get it? Or those performance reviews where you were briefly congratulated on your achievements and then spent more time focusing on where you fell down on the job and what you should do to improve?
The change we need to make, according to Buckingham and his research, is First to identify the activities in our jobs that most invigorate us vs. those which do not. Secondly, take charge of our time and build up on those invigorating ones by adjusting our activities and routines; and thirdly, let people know about our strengths and what we’re doing so that they will help and support us in this endeavor. (And maybe the word will spread and they will do this same exercise.)
Mr. Buckingham is at the helm of what he calls “The Strengths Revolution”. His vision is to continue to encourage strengths-based teams and organizations and now add focus to strengths-based education systems. Imagine a child spending more time at and being encouraged to do more of what they do best in school, rather than having to meet requirements that don’t make sense and thus failing miserably at them.
I’m on board with this revolution. How about you? It happens one person at a time. This week, try the 3 steps mentioned above – Identify the activities you are most energized by, Adjust your time so you can do more of them, and Let people know you are now playing to your strengths to gain their support. See what kinds of shifts take place. More on this fascinating topic in weeks to come…
Please post your thoughts about this topic. Visit my website at www.LousbergUnlimited.com for more information on my career development services.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Influencing our Children's Careers by Setting an Example
Good Morning!
I had the pleasure and opportunity to present closing remarks to parents of girls attending the 5th Annual Expand Your Horizons conference this weekend at University of San Diego. The conference is for middle and high school girls and offers hands-on explorations in science, engineering, math and technology designed to spark curiosity and interest in the sciences.
In the parents’ closing session, I described today’s workplace with the latest statistics and trends and how quickly it’s all changing. I recommended steps they take with their daughters to prepare for it. As you might guess, Step #1 is helping her find out who she is and where her talents and strengths lie so she can build a career she’ll be successful and deeply satisfied with. I also emphasized the importance of having goals and writing them down and taking action steps toward achieving them.
The next topic I broached was about setting an example with their own careers. I asked if they were in the 6% who “love” their jobs, or the 50%+ who “hate” their jobs; if they dread Monday mornings and say so; and what their other thoughts and behaviors about work tell their daughters. By managing their own careers and making it into something they are proud of and find meaningful, they in turn improve their overall lives and share something wonderful with their kids.
How about you? What are you telling and showing the young people in your life about the work world? Non-verbal messages can speak volumes. It’s never too late to make a not-so-great situation better. Here are some suggestions I offered this group of parents:
Evaluate your own career – does it match your strengths, values, goals? Is it time for an adjustment or even a transition to something else?
Be adaptable to change – stay current with classes, cross-training, become a mentor or find one for yourself, and reading. The only constant in life is change!
Activate your network – become well-rounded with other interests and activities, and build relationships with people outside of your workplace. When you need fresh ideas and referrals, these people are there to help.
Assess Life-Work balance – are you using your vacation time? Leaving work at work so you’re fully with your family and enjoying them during off-hours?
By planning and making conscious decisions, you can have the life you want and one you’re proud to share with your children. Help them move confidently in the direction of their dreams by taking steps to do this for yourself!
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
-- Henry David Thoreau
I welcome your comments! Please visit my website at www.LousbergUnlimited.com for more information about me and my services.
I had the pleasure and opportunity to present closing remarks to parents of girls attending the 5th Annual Expand Your Horizons conference this weekend at University of San Diego. The conference is for middle and high school girls and offers hands-on explorations in science, engineering, math and technology designed to spark curiosity and interest in the sciences.
In the parents’ closing session, I described today’s workplace with the latest statistics and trends and how quickly it’s all changing. I recommended steps they take with their daughters to prepare for it. As you might guess, Step #1 is helping her find out who she is and where her talents and strengths lie so she can build a career she’ll be successful and deeply satisfied with. I also emphasized the importance of having goals and writing them down and taking action steps toward achieving them.
The next topic I broached was about setting an example with their own careers. I asked if they were in the 6% who “love” their jobs, or the 50%+ who “hate” their jobs; if they dread Monday mornings and say so; and what their other thoughts and behaviors about work tell their daughters. By managing their own careers and making it into something they are proud of and find meaningful, they in turn improve their overall lives and share something wonderful with their kids.
How about you? What are you telling and showing the young people in your life about the work world? Non-verbal messages can speak volumes. It’s never too late to make a not-so-great situation better. Here are some suggestions I offered this group of parents:
Evaluate your own career – does it match your strengths, values, goals? Is it time for an adjustment or even a transition to something else?
Be adaptable to change – stay current with classes, cross-training, become a mentor or find one for yourself, and reading. The only constant in life is change!
Activate your network – become well-rounded with other interests and activities, and build relationships with people outside of your workplace. When you need fresh ideas and referrals, these people are there to help.
Assess Life-Work balance – are you using your vacation time? Leaving work at work so you’re fully with your family and enjoying them during off-hours?
By planning and making conscious decisions, you can have the life you want and one you’re proud to share with your children. Help them move confidently in the direction of their dreams by taking steps to do this for yourself!
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
-- Henry David Thoreau
I welcome your comments! Please visit my website at www.LousbergUnlimited.com for more information about me and my services.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Manage Your Career - Take a Vacation!
Have you made vacation plans for this year? It’s not a moment too soon to decide on the time and place and put that plan in motion! The benefits to taking time off are a huge piece to successfully managing your career.
Even some of the biggest corporations are tracking vacation time and encouraging their employees to get away. They know that a rested, rejuvenated employee is more productive. Almost 40 percent of workers who do take vacations say they feel better about their jobs and more productive at work upon returning from vacation.
Just as importantly, entrepreneurs need to build time off into their hectic lives. Wearing most of the hats of a business is too much for even the toughest. Just last week, I took 4 days off to visit family in Arizona. Getting away from my usual routine allowed me to clear my head and see more clearly my priorities. I regained that “big picture” mindset instead of continuing down the path of getting mired in the details.
The statistics regarding Americans and vacations are not very complimentary:
In a 2003 study by Expedia.com, they estimated that there was $21 billion in unused vacation time for that year. After repeating this study in 2004 they found that 35 percent of employees didn't take all their time off because of job pressures.
Another survey shows that 23% of working women get away once every 2 to 5 years and 19% once every 6 years.
So, this week, get out your calendar, confer with your family, and decide when and where you’re going. Whatever it is, a long weekend, a local get-away, or a week-long beach vacation – create time for a rest that takes you and your mind away from work. Taking time off is not only crucial for your mental health; it is a much needed strategy for managing the career you put so much time and effort into.
I welcome your comments! Please be sure to visit my website at www.LousbergUnlimited.com.
Even some of the biggest corporations are tracking vacation time and encouraging their employees to get away. They know that a rested, rejuvenated employee is more productive. Almost 40 percent of workers who do take vacations say they feel better about their jobs and more productive at work upon returning from vacation.
Just as importantly, entrepreneurs need to build time off into their hectic lives. Wearing most of the hats of a business is too much for even the toughest. Just last week, I took 4 days off to visit family in Arizona. Getting away from my usual routine allowed me to clear my head and see more clearly my priorities. I regained that “big picture” mindset instead of continuing down the path of getting mired in the details.
The statistics regarding Americans and vacations are not very complimentary:
In a 2003 study by Expedia.com, they estimated that there was $21 billion in unused vacation time for that year. After repeating this study in 2004 they found that 35 percent of employees didn't take all their time off because of job pressures.
Another survey shows that 23% of working women get away once every 2 to 5 years and 19% once every 6 years.
So, this week, get out your calendar, confer with your family, and decide when and where you’re going. Whatever it is, a long weekend, a local get-away, or a week-long beach vacation – create time for a rest that takes you and your mind away from work. Taking time off is not only crucial for your mental health; it is a much needed strategy for managing the career you put so much time and effort into.
I welcome your comments! Please be sure to visit my website at www.LousbergUnlimited.com.
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