Thank God it's Friday

10 april 2017

We work approximately 86.400 hours in our lifetime (40 hours per week * 48 weeks per year * 45 years of working until the age of 67). Think about that! Are you bored at work? Do you feel that your capabilities aren't being tapped into and utilized? Do you lack intellectual and creative stimulation and does the workweek seem to last forever? Then you might experience a so-called bore-out…. yes, it does exist and you are not the only one feeling like this. On the contrary, if you feel overworked and you find that you have a heavy workload. Plus you are unable to relax even outside of your working hours…then you might experience burnout symptoms. You are also not the only one. A bore-out (lack of challenge) and burnout (too much challenge) are opposites, but they both gain territory fast. If you took a minute to reflect on the 86.400 hours…. then continue to read the below. Your self-confidence When it comes to being of feeling confident a bore-out can be as destructive as a burn-out. Every day you continue to feel like this your self-confidence diminishes. Whether you experience boredom or you feel burned out, every day you go home with the same feeling of disappointment and frustration. You honestly start to believe that you are worthless, incapable and it will not take long before the rest of the world will figure this out as well. In many cases both bored-out people and burned-out people ignore the symptoms their body gives them for years. The physical and psychological complaints and the nagging feeling are very much present, but due to the lack of self-confidence they do not dare to take action. What to do? If you recognize the above symptoms, then it is time to grasp the nettle. I am sure you do not wish to continue to live like this for much longer? Take a piece of paper. Draw a vertical line in the middle of the page. Write a + sign above the first column and a – sign above the other column: Under the + your list all fun elements of your current work and under the – you list al the draining elements. Continue your list at the + side and write down your talents (even those who are not currently utilized at work). Put a cross in front of the talents that are being utilized in your current role. Continue to write at the + side and list or your drivers (needs) with regards to work (e.g. recognition, interaction with colleagues etc.. ). Put a cross in front of all the drivers/needs that are met in your current work. Review the two columns: With regards to the – column ask yourself which tasks you can either eliminate fully (and immediately) or you can delegate to a colleague. Who would love to perform these tasks? With regards to the + column and the crosses ask yourself if your tasks, talents, drivers/needs are aligned. If this is not the case, then what can you do, as off today, to make sure that they are (more) aligned or will be soon? Work that lies closest to your true nature is not only more fun, but will also takes less of an effort.  Do you have no idea what your drivers and talents are or how align them? Contact me and enroll in the Get Energized program. Through a validated assessment we unravel your drivers en talents. We match these with the competencies closest to your nature and easy to develop for you. You will receive an E-book, a workbook and a number of coaching conversations. This way we will (re-)build your self-confidence, so you can (re-)gain control over your career. It will take 4 to 6 weeks in total. Before summer starts you can have insights in who you are, what you need, what you can do and what makes you happy when it comes to work. Who knows…. you might think one day Thank God it’s Monday …. or should we not exaggerate?

Your strengths and weaknesses are talent possibilities?

26 mei 2017

My answer would be YES! The definition of talent is: a natural strength a person uses unconsciously to get what he wants or to prevent what he does not want (to happen). Talents are derived from a person's drivers and are positively worded behaviors. Drives are a person's stable needs and they are the building blocks of a person's personality. They have a major influence on people's behavior and their (potential) development. I read this on the internet, written by a student from Cape Town named Jonathan Black: Talent exists when strong genetics and a desire to practice come together to create superior ability for a specific activity.  It can only exist along with a deliberate interest. This made me think and I realized he was quite right this young student. Let me explain! If we take,  for example, the driver Decision Making. This is the extend to which a person wants to take clear positions, has the need to make and stand by decisions. Some people are very decisive and have a desire to take decisions quickly and efficiently. They hold strong opinions and stick to them. Whilst other people feel the need to consider different points of view, various facts and circumstances before taking a decision, They are more nuanced and they will consult other opinions. Same driver two different talents .... decides quickly versus takes time and consults. Other example: Energy and Action, which is the extend to which a person has the need for action and the energy to perform tasks and to achieve goals. A talent that can derive from this driver is the need for action, to be productive and feeling up to anything. There is a strong focus on action. Whilst on the other end of the spectrum is a person who is calm and patient, economic with his energy and allows other to take initiative. Two different talents yet again. All this to illustrate that sometimes being indecisive can feel as a pitfall, but there might be a hidden talent. Look further... if you have received feedback from your line manager that you take decisions too quickly or you are too easily distracted? It might feel as a weakness, but try to find out from which driver this behavior comes and realize it is a talent as much as it is a pitfall. It will all depend on what your job function and/or what your work environment demands of you whether the talent will help or hinder you. It does not change the fact that the driver, the need is there.