Opening Insights: What I Experienced?
Personal challenges, finances, coupled with frustrations at work resulted in stress and anger for me. I experienced myself becoming stressed, confrontational, judgmental and angry with the structures, procedures and rules of the company.
Several situations have occurred in which I experienced “bad business” and poor customer service. Customers were inconvenienced due to inflexible and what I perceived as illogical policies that mid-level management were misguided in creating. This left all the responsibility of implementation and the accountability of the outcome to the store-level employees. I asked several times about the rationale and logic behind these policies, yet no one could explain them and with a job-mentality they just got on with it. The top-down management approach had never worked for me and over time, doesn’t work for most organizations.
Informational Insights: I Brought Problem to the Discovery Co-Lab Institute
What I heard?
Click for Video
My Thoughts
Questions of Professional Purpose
Are we doing the most we can in our professions? If we answer ourselves honestly, most of us will find that the answer is no. 
Many of us are working jobs so that we can pay our bills. Even those of us in jobs we find more rewarding, careers so to speak, we are often just making sure we are meeting the requirements and getting our duties done.
- Should that be enough?
- Are there ways to enrich our current positions while improving ourselves so that we are more capable, more effective, more marketable?
These are questions I have been asking myself and that others have asked me over the last few months. No matter where we work, what jobs we are doing, there are always ways to improve. Whether we notice opportunities that others don’t, see more efficient processes, or have a desire to become more intelligent, there is always something that can be done.
How do we improve ourselves and our environments? I find within myself a desire for an employment opportunity with more authority, responsibility, accountability and that also pays better. What I keep coming back to, as I think about how to achieve this, is how do I become more valuable to my current employer or the next one?
What do I know now?
There are many training programs that are capable of teaching us about career development, company development, and how to improve our workplace environments.
Jaded by past experiences, I have come to realize that I hold the belief that those in positions above my own are generally close-minded and not willing to listen and discuss new opportunities that may lead to personal and organizational growth. While this is certainly not true in all cases, that belief remains. The fear of being ridiculed by those only looking to criticize remains. It is much easier to just sit quietly, go about my daily work activities and just do as directed.
Fortunately, I’ve come to be part of a group of people who have taken a different path. These people not only keep open minds, but they see opportunities and view risks not as something that could be lost but something that won’t get gotten if not pursued. Instead of learning numerous methodologies that are basically the same ideas, regurgitated into a different packaging, we focus on how to think instead of just what to think.
Answers are not provided. There is no magical step by step “to-do” list that provides success. Instead, I am learning how to think better. How to see things from different angles, different perspectives. To weigh in more choices and learn how to find more than just the ones I initially recognized. Instead of making decisions based on my immediate reaction, there is a process the healthy human mind can go through to reach the best decision.
I have found principles, not rules. In this way, processes can be applied to many different situations instead of a black and white, yes or no, answer to a specific situation. In my brief time at my current job, I have already seen a number of examples where a more complete and thorough line of assessment and discernment would likely have resulted in a more positive experience for the customer, the employee, and the company. In no way am I saying I have the answers. Far from that. I’m just learning to ask some fundamental questions. But, not long ago, I didn’t even ask the questions. I didn’t look to see how I could improve myself and my environment.
The Benefit to We
The simple concept of learning how to think and not just what to think is beneficial to all those involved. Personally, we can become more intelligent individuals. Being able to provide better consideration before making decisions and then taking action. This in turn will result in a more positive experience for those we interact with. Whether friends amongst our social groups or customers and co-workers at our places of employment:
- We can learn to become empowered, productive, and capable of thinking beyond the immediate realm of what is directly in front of us. In developing these skills, we are more likely to be recognized as valued employees and to experience promotions and increases in our income and the authority and responsibility associated with our positions. Through our own personal development, even on just fundamental levels, we come to find more opportunities for us.
- We are more qualified for positions that become available that we otherwise wouldn’t have been and we establish a track record of improvement and demonstrating a quality of work that other employers find attractive.
As I finished writing this blog
I am reminded of great truths…
- “I think, there for I am” ~ Renee Descartes
- “Be the change I want to see” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
- “The world is a dangerous place to live; NOT because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”~ Albert Einstein
Who I am now?
Today I am a PWI contributor. I invite you to join me in this Co-Lab to explore and discover a new tomorrow we will create together.
It’s all pretty easy to start. All that is needed is for those interested to start to discuss. Ask questions to better understand something or someone. Put forth ideas that you have that would help improve something at work. Be willing to listen to someone else without immediately judging or criticizing their ideas. It’s pretty straightforward. This is not some spiritual enlightenment, some kind of blue-collar renaissance. Just an idea that it would benefit anyone interested in increasing their opportunities.
This won’t be attractive to everyone. As I said, I myself was very closed-off for a long period of time. I either thought that I already knew best or simply didn’t care enough to be bothered to listen to another. However, I’ve decided that there are things that I want in this life. Both tangible and intangible. And, I will not achieve those unless I try something new.
Possibilities for Consideration
Take a moment and examine…
- As you reviewed the material above, what stood out to you?
- What is the potential impact, economically and/or socially?
- What action is needed to stop or support this idea?
- You may want to consider whether you:
- want to be aware of,
- should become supportive of,
- would want to be active in this topic?
Add Your Insight
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.
LEONARDO DA VINCI