Mindset Shifts at Work
Let’s face it: we spend the majority of our week at work. If you’re miserable, each day is a challenge. There are many reasons why things might not be going well. You may feel stagnant or unfulfilled in your position, have conflicts with co-workers, poor management, or lack work/life balance. Often we think the solution to these issues is to quit and find a new job. However, a shift in how we think about the problem enables us to employ specific strategies to try and resolve them. Before you decide it’s time to leave, you can use these approaches to significantly improve your work environment.
First stop: check out your perspective. Sometimes we assume something is 100% one way or will turn out that way. Reexamine your assumptions. Think in terms of the probability of something being the way you think it is or turning out that way, rather than absolute certainties. This will also allow you to identify your assumptions and ask questions to test them.
Self-advocate. I can never say this enough. Don't wait around for someone else to notice your hard work or that you're having a difficult time. Be your own cheerleader! Communicate, communicate, communicate. Remember not to complain; present actual solutions.
Negotiate. If you're suffering from lack of balance, what would a positive change look like for you? Think about a change or several changes to propose to improve things, any of which could increase your quality of life and work. It's also important to protect your boundaries. Unless your job specifically requires that you work evenings and weekends or there's an emergency, you shouldn't be required to respond to emails and calls. If you're overstretched, don't say "yes" to taking on new projects. Saying "no" means you're self aware; if you're employer doesn't value you for that, it's something to think about.
Manage up. Often when we hear this, we think it means telling your leader/s how to do things. Instead, I view this as making suggestions without being accusatory, e.g., use "I" more than "you" when presenting ideas. Also, a good way to manage up is to be a role model in your actions. If you model behaviors you'd like to see them emulate, such as leaving work on time, others might follow.
Job shadowing and training. If you're feeling stagnant, these are always options to discuss with your employer or take up on your own. You may be able to literally work alongside a mentor in your organization for a day or set days over a period of time, or gain new skills through training inside or outside of your company.
Learn communication styles and motivations. Sometimes conflicts can be solved quite easily. You may need to simply spend time with someone outside of the office to get to know each other better and have an honest conversation about what's going on. If that doesn't do it, investing in communication style assessments could be helpful so each team member can both understand themselves better as well as one another and how best to communicate with each person.
If all else fails, it may be time to consider new opportunities. But give it your best shot before you come to that conclusion.
Photo credit: Mohamed Nohassi