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Note: If you own a business, you can consider hiring me for your web design and branding requirements.
From Recession-proof Your Career by Jack Molisani (Intercom, March 2009 edition):
You’ve probably heard the expression “when my ship comes in.” Any idea where that expression comes from? In the nineteenth century, merchants in Europe would mortgage everything they owned to build and provision ships to sail to the new world. When (if) the ships finally returned loaded with furs and spices and other goods, the merchants would be rich beyond their wildest dreams.
However, as Chellie Campbell says in her book The Wealthy Spirit, “Some people are going down to the dock, waiting for their ship to come in—but they haven’t sent any out!”
You have to send out ships. Every call you make, every business card you give out, every newsletter article you write, and every presentation you give is a ship that might someday come in. It may take weeks or years for those ships to come in, but if you send enough out, they will come in.
So the secret to ongoing prosperity and “job security” is to keep sending out ships!
You’re learning something to finish a job at hand before the deadline. A senior drops an email to ‘take care’ of something. And then your boss asks for the status. Work piling up, un-ending deadlines, expectations…sounds familiar?
There is no doubt that employers expect you to complete ‘at least’ 100% of your tasks, meaning you’re supposed to do your job. But your appraisal rating indicates a better hike/compensation if you ‘consistently’ exceed expectations, meaning you’ve got to do something over and above your job.
The four horsemen (horse-people?) of presentation skills are Garr Reynolds, Nancy Duarte, Bert Decker, and Jerry Weisman. Over at the American Express Open Forum blog, I just published an interview with Nancy Duarte called “How to Captivate an Audience.” In this interview she explains the“how” of making great presentations, so check it out.
How good is (s)he? Am I going to build the rapport all over again? What happens to my appraisal? Is he going to approve my allowances? Is he strict with the timings? Are we still going out for team lunch? And so the list goes on.
Every person is different and everything is a package – you’ve a mix of things you like and hate. A manager is no exception. He is hired to this position by his boss to get some things done. He comes with a certain experience, skills, attitude and style.
It’s like saying I’m sick of driving through the same route everyday. It’s monotonous, boring, there’s not much happening and the manager is an as****e.
Most of us take the same route to office daily, drive or ride. We know the route well enough to take off-peak hours whenever we can. We know the bumps, we know the turns, we know which lane to be on to proceed faster ahead. I don’t think we feel bored of commuting by the same route. It often becomes mechanical, and hence a smooth, uneventful drive to and from office.
Switching from one job to another is much like changing your route. Before doing that, review what’s bothering you. See how you can make things better. Most often, it’s the people who make a difference at work. Try to mingle and jingle.
It’s nice to remember this. If we’re driving on the same route everyday, we could drive at higher speed and be safe at the same time. We could get efficient, we could multitask. Things which equally apply to your current job. Build on your strengths, increase your success rate and efficiency. You know the company, the people, the culture, where to look for things. Build on it.
If you’re still convinced that your true call lies elsewhere, go for it. No stopping you. Only this time, ensure you don’t get sick.
Whether we like it or not, this is a fact.
Let’s not get into overwhelming emotions. Let’s take an objective look, based on the facts.
The manager hired you to do a job. In the name of the company, it’s the boss who signs your paycheck every month.
So, never say no to your manager. If he/she asks for more things to do, or places unrealistic goals, still never say no. Say you’ll check and get back, even if you’re 200% sure it can’t be done or accepted. Get back saying, "Ok boss, I can do it. If you want this in 1 hour, I will get it done. But I cannot guarantee the quality of the data/work. But if you can give me a day’s time (or more), I will guarantee the data will be perfect, pretty and may even have more relevant inputs. Now, you choose."
Always, give the manager the choice. Do whatever he/she says. If you can’t handle it, get out of the job. But most of us are often stuck for valid reasons. Until you fire your manager, know who is the boss.
@ my world (personal blog)