I Hate My Job

I’ve recently been thinking about how many people say they don’t like their jobs. I wonder if that is really true or are there some things about our job we don’t know how to manage that creates so much frustration.

So, I decided to take a break from the team-building series to discuss my views on this topic. As the news that we may be out of the recession sinks in, people will start hoping for phone calls from recruiters or new job postings on jobs websites.

Before you jump or react. Here are several thoughts to ponder …

* While the grass may be “greener on the other side”, it may take more maintenance than you have considered. Many people want turf grass (the best of best grasses) but they are not interested in all the extra work that goes along to achieve the potential of how turf grass can really look.
A friend recently left his job to pursue his dream of working for an international company and for career growth. After arriving he learned that there was little collaboration and that the company wasn’t as advanced in their processes as he thought. He has endured lots of things he didn’t expect and has had to do a lot of heavy lifting. Ultimately my friend is really talented and bright and will be all the better for it in this case. But not everyone will fair so well.

* Are you confusing your job or company frustrations for what I call “Career-Pause”? Sometimes we confuse our frustration with our job or the company, when it’s that our ambitions have not been realized. It may be true that you think you can do a broader or more complex job. The organization may be failing to give you that new opportunity or they may not allow you to do something that you think may help the organization excel.
The challenge for us is to re-focus our energies. Our energy should be on the honest assessment of ourselves – are we really ready for that next position? Its important to consider that your gifts will always make room for you and that, which should be, will usually come to pass. If the boss or company doesn’t think we’re ready, then why? Get the answer and get a game plan to fix it. If it’s a loss cause then maybe its time to leave.

If you always have a difficult time convincing management that your ideas should be implemented, maybe it’s your approach. Take a course or read a book in the art of persuasion and apply what your learn. Are your ideas or vision congruent with that of your organizations? Often I think many people are unsuccessful and frustrated because they lack the ability to loyally follow. Which is in my opinion, both a strength and weakness of America’s workforce.

* Do you have an accurate assessment of your value? In a world of arrogance on one side and false humility on the other, I think we deceive ourselves all to often. So many of us have an overinflated sense of our abilities, knowledge and relevance to the organization. Just because you did it at your last company – doesn’t mean it should be done in the new organization. Look at great leaders who were great Chief Executives at one company and a disaster at another.
Don’t be so arrogant to think you’re the only one that’s right and everyone else has it wrong. How ludicrous is that!

On the other hand, many of us need to understand that they are bright, practical, and valuable. But usually the people who need to be heard hide and offer little in terms of opinion or new ideas. Learn what strengths you have and use them to make your organization great. They need you!

* Don’t look for your boss to validate you. Another reason I believe people are frustrated is because they are looking for their boss to provide what he or she should not – parental nurture. The fact is some bosses never received this themselves. If you need that nurturing, it is wise to find that outside of the workplace.

As always, I wish you the best in achieving excellence at work.

No related posts.