Rapid change, advances in technology, and an explosion of information
have touched down like a tornado in the workplace. So how do companies
and individuals keep up and stay ahead of the competition? With
the information supply doubling every 5 years, more information
has been produced in the last 30 years than during the previous
5,000. Through my observations and research of many individuals,
it’s time to tear up the old game book and examine some new
rules. Let me offer some suggestions to support employees in avoiding
mistakes that block growth for them and their organizations.*
Mistake
#1: Staying within your comfort zone at work. For companies
to grow, they need employees to stretch and experiment with new
ideas This means moving beyond tried-and-true approaches in daily
work activities. Cautious people desire a “sure thing,”
and may not risk initiating a new approach. Going outside your comfort
zone is a willingness to explore new methods that extend past a
person’s usual range of action. Reward employees the next
time they use a novel solution in a challenging situation and endure
the uneasiness of leaving their comfort zone.
Mistake
#2: Minimal knowledge sharing or relationship building.
To sharpen awareness of market trends and understand how your industry
is changing---talk to other people. A great way to continually improve
and grow is to build relationships with people inside and outside
the company and in a variety of fields. High performers use "relational
learning” to constantly solicit information, collaborate,
and gain fresh perspectives. Companies that reward employees for
circulating ideas and sharing best practices, gain a competitive
advantage. As the shelf life of our solutions gets shorter all the
time with new answers sprouting up, relational learning is becoming
a powerful tool. Use it wisely to capture knowledge, use it, and
spread it around.
Mistake
#3: Believing change is an obstacle rather than an opportunity.
Change is like fire…it will burn you, or it will warm you.
Individuals who embrace change as an opportunity for growth are
often at an advantage to be warmed by change. These individuals
are comparable to a willow tree, well rooted and solid in the earth,
but flexible enough to bend in the wind. They are well rooted with
a strong sense of purpose, a clear core identity and a good account
of their capabilities, but they are flexible enough to tackle new
challenges and respond quickly to changing business needs. Expose
and reward adaptable behavior whenever it occurs, don’t let
it remain invisible.
Mistake
#4: Tunnel vision. Look around beyond the confines of your
department, the walls separating your office from other areas—marketing,
manufacturing, sales, are going away. There is a need for individuals
at all levels to be able to see the “big picture.” This
ability to think broadly is called “systems” or “process”
thinking. It involves blurring the lines, intertwining functional
areas into end-to-end processes. A “process” is connecting
one job to other tasks in the company so that together the team
creates a result of value to the customer. The key words to help
organizations grow are “together,” “team,”
“result,” and “customer.” Building walls
elevates isolation and narrow thinking, tearing down walls promotes
teamwork and whole process thinking.
Mistake
#5: Dependence on others to define your job and manage your future.
Employees can no longer fall into the trap of relying on employers
to shape their job or protect their future. It’s time to reframe
relationships with organizations. Individuals must take charge of
their own career as if they were self-employed. Much like an independent
contractor, individuals are a supplier of whatever products and
services the organization needs. Instead of having others define
one’s job, employees should establish “mutually”
acceptable goals. This way they meet the organization’s specific
and pressing needs as well as capitalize on their own interests
and talents. Self-reliant employees who work in jobs that satisfy
both company and personal needs increase their commitment to achieving
goals and helping the organization grow.
* Based on S.
Lurie’s 1999 research study of individuals in work settings
with dramatic change.
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