February 2021

Have you been working remote for months?  Hopefully this article will help you re–adjust to the return to working in the office.  Can you recall the last significant achievement that you had in your job?  When did you last have a meaningful conversation with your boss about your successes?
The famous multi billionaire, Sam Zell, was quoted as saying “I don’t think people really give enough thought to who and what they want to be.”  When was the last time you spend any time by yourself trying to decide who and what you are, because if you don’t address these questions, no one will?  In short, if you are not in charge of your career, NO ONE is.  
Christians may take solace in the Lord taking care of the birds of the air.  Surely, they think that He will take care of them.  But perhaps the Lord gave us our marvelous brains so we could use them to help take care of ourselves.  You need to use your brain and become part of the process.  
Do you have a real handle on the ESSENCE of your job?  What does your job really entail?  Were you given a detailed job description as part of the interviewing process?  It could be essential to understanding your job.  If you are tired of simply going through the motions at work and really want to make a contribution, you need to consider these four steps.  
STEP ONE    
Obtain a copy of your job description and modify it to reflect the reality of your job. Develop a job description if none currently exists.  Discuss your understanding of the job with others in similar roles.  See if you can determine the real crunch points of the job.  What actions are going to evoke positive reinforcement or negative criticism?  How will you know if you are being perceived as doing a good/great job?  What are the expectations of your superiors?  
STEP TWO
Make an appointment with your boss.  Insist upon it, regardless of how busy s/he is.  Get your boss’s input as to what are the important elements of your job.  How will it be determined if you are being successful?  Ignoring for a moment the specifics of the job description, how does your boss see the job?  What training or experience are you going to need during the next year?  What should you be doing that you are not currently doing?  
This process can be scary.  Now you have a lot of responsibility for the composition of your job.  Do you have some thoughts about how your job could be expanded, and/or re- focused?  What duties could you add to your job description that would make you significantly more valuable to your company?  This process of job analysis is not a one time happening.  You should review the content of your job every six months.  
Work at performing your job at the highest level.  If you have been in the same position for a number of months or years, it is very easy to get complacent and lazy. Many of us start coasting very early in our careers. We do the least amount of work necessary to get by.  We do not challenge ourselves nearly enough.  
STEP THREE
Make a decision to excel at your “new’ job.  Begin to think of yourself in a new role.  As the Army says, be all that you can be.  Are you living up to that motto?
Alternatively, do you simply want to be in the middle of the pack?  In the middle sounds OK.   “Mediocre” sounds demeaning.  Remember, mediocrity is self-inflicted.  
STEP FOUR
You will need to communicate the “new” you to your boss and colleagues.  They have all gotten used to you in your former life.  Be sure to communicate with your boss as to how your performance is improving.  You have set a new and higher standard for yourself.
What’s the worst that could happen if you strive to reinvent yourself?  Well, you could work your butt off and your boss may not give you proper credit for a superior job.  However, all your work will not go unrewarded; others will notice your performance and welcome you into their environment.  
Or your boss may pay you no mind; to him you are part of the furniture.  Then maybe you need to decide whether or not this is an acceptable situation for you.  Consider all the factors: such as pay, location, comfort level, challenge of the work itself, office buddies, and familiar surroundings.  Do you really want to seriously consider leaving the womb of good old XZY?  
You still need to do the best possible job for as long as you are with your current employer.  It is good for them and it is good for you.  It gives you more positive achievements to discuss with a potential new employer.  Sit back and mentally list the last three significant achievements that you have had with your firm.  How can you state these accomplishments on your resume?  If you decide that your current situation is unacceptable, you are going to need a resume that reflects your successes.  
Give your employer a chance to understand the growth process you are going through.  But always remember that you are in charge of your career.  You need to make decisions, not simply wait for your employer to decide your future.
In summary, review these four steps. Changing jobs can be scary but it can also be quite rewarding.  Don’t be afraid to consider it. CARPE DIEM.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:  “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful , commited citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead,famed cultural anthropologist
James F. Fitzgerald is the president of James F. Fitzgerald & Associates, Inc.; a Naperville, IL- based senior executive career transition and executive coaching firm.  Phone #630-420-0362    email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.