The 80/20 rule in your career

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The 80/20 rule in your career

More from Jill Konrath:

Having a Job is Not Enough

Are you getting a kick out of what you're doing? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment at work — or drained and depleted? In a tight labor market you might feel lucky to have a job. But real leaders want more than just a job. They want to make a difference.

Research tells us that 80% of employees report their jobs are "meaningless." If you are among the eighty percent, you're probably asking yourself; "Where is my career headed? What's next for me?" Should I go back to school?" You can easily get bogged down trying to figure out what to do with the rest of your life.

The solution to greater job satisfaction is right in front of our eyes. We simply need to focus on what we do best — and do more of it!

1. Resist the Undertow
Every job has a natural 'undertow' that pulls us away from our natural talents. Very quickly, work can become drudgery. It requires deliberate actions to stay focused on what we do best.

Paperwork is one of my least favorite activities. The other day I was doing paperwork and felt low energy. I stopped and took a minute to call a customer and follow up on work we had done together. She filled me in on the recent successes her group was having. Listening to her enthusiasm was deeply gratifying. After this brief phone call, I felt energized and returned to my task and completed it in short order. Keeping our energy high for work requires focusing on what we do best.

2. Revisit Your Vision
To get back on track, take a moment and remember why you accepted your current position. In that moment, you probably felt optimistic about what you had to offer. Recapture this feeling by asking yourself, "When I first took this job, what did I believe I could contribute? What did I think I could offer this company?

Once you've recaptured your original vision, return to the present and ask yourself; "What do I still believe I can contribute to this organization? "What do I have to offer? The key to lasting enthusiasm is to hold onto your vision —especially when things don't go as planned. We must continually renew and define our contribution to the organizations we serve.

3. Listen to Your Frustrations
Identify the frustrations you have with your current job. Are you frustrated with your boss, office politics or relationships with another department? Realize that behind these frustrations lies your desire to contribute more fully. Use these frustrations to refocus your energy. Ask yourself: "Where do I wish to contribute more?" What's stopping me? What barriers can I do something about?" And "What do my frustrations tell me about what's important to me?"

4. Remember What's Important
Decide what you care about. Ask your self, "What do I care about and how do I contribute to this?" Simply find one thing you believe in and start using your talent to contribute to this. You don't have to get a new career to start using your talents. And your contributions don't have to be life changing to be useful and rewarding. Taking simple actions to achieve a worthy cause is very satisfying. You'll connect with people who support you and feel great about what you're accomplishing.

It only takes a minute to turn your attention towards your talents. The payoffs are enormous — instant energy, appreciation from others and the feeling that you're making a difference and doing something truly worthwhile!

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Faith Ralston is President of Faith Ralston and Play to Your Strengths, Inc. She coaches leaders with big visions. Faith helps leaders succeed by leveraging their best talents. She is a speaker and the author of Play Your Best Hand and the creator of Play to Your Strengths® Talent System. Reach her at (