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REFLECTION: Have you ever wondered if tapping into the ‘why’ of what we do makes a difference? Here’s a study that suggests it does.
Researcher Adam Grant, at the University of North Carolina put the thesis to the test. He divided employees at a university fund-raising call center (charged with raising funds for student scholarships) into three groups.
Group One read stories written by previous employees about the personal benefits of the call center job in advancing their own skills and knowledge. The stories also touched on how individuals had leveraged what they’d learned to their advantage in their own careers and grad school. (The Personal Benefit Group)
Group Two read stories written by scholarship recipients about how the funding they received as a result of the campaign had given these students better access to education. The stories described how the gift had connected them to fellow scholarship students, and helped them engage in important extracurricular activities. (The Task Significance Group)
Group Three simply continued doing their job as before – no stories at all. (The Control Group)
There has been a lot of talk about generations and generational differences in the media and in the workplace. Over the last couple of years, along with millenials and Gen X and Y, a new word has wormed its way into the generational vocabulary: Zoomer.
As I understand it, a Zoomer is sub category within the Boomer age group (Boomers being those born between the mid 1940’s and mid 1960’s). The distinction appears to be that a ‘standard’ Boomer is someone on the decline – energy and involvement waning, aspirations dwindling, over the hill and coasting. In contrast, a Zoomer is considered to be someone who is fully energized, actively pursuing new goals, engaged in learning and exploring new territory.
I’m a proud Boomer with lots of life in me and ahead of me, and I find myself irritated by the word, Zoomer. I’ve come to understand it’s the word, itself, not the concept of long-haul vitality that gives me pause.
Synonyms for zoom include: buzz, speed, streak, whizz, flash. Zoooooom is all about moving fast and making noise. Showmanship! Razzle dazzle! Superficial, short-lived, flash-in-the-pan pizzazz!
At this stage of life with the hard earned maturity and wisdom we Boomers have at our disposal, we can do a LOT better than aspire to superficial zooming. We’ve learned what really matters – and the things that truly matter do not require running around like chickens with our heads cut off!
How about significance? Now there’s something long-lasting and meaningful – something that’s well worth pursuing.
Are you with me or against me on this? How does the Zoomer label strike you?
PAUSE – 10.25 – Making A Living Or Making A Life?
August 31, 2010
I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN WONDERING … what kind of photos I received in response to the invitation to ‘Send Me Your Smiles’. Well, as it turns out, some fabulous ones! It was great fun working them into a short upbeat inspirational video. Check out ‘Sunny Smiles‘ and pass the link along.
REFLECTION: Last day of August. First day of September. Summer transitions to autumn.
I’m looking at the list of projects I’d planned to tackle over the summer months when my business is typically slower. Truth be told, I’ve made a dent, but not moved mountains. Research, redesign, product development. Yep, progress on all those fronts. But nowhere near what I apparently anticipated in those more optimistic, summer stretching out ahead of you, early days of July. Maybe you find yourself in the same situation – with merely a dent in work related tasks or home and family projects.
Frustrating? Somewhat. Discouraging? Only mildly. You see, one of the things I’ve learned so far in life is that my ambitions always have and always will exceed my time and energy. That’s just the way it is.
On the other hand, there were so many things that never appeared on the ‘To Tackle’ list in the first place that have contributed to two memorable summer months. Visits with sisters. Connections with friends and neighbors. Mentoring chats with ‘just beginning’ colleagues. Time with my folks at the farm. Adventures with my grandson, my husband, my children. Hours in the company of watercolors. Moments in the garden, along the river, appreciating the great outdoors.
The contrast speaks to the balancing act between making a living and making a life. (more…)
Sign Your Work
August 20, 2010
Artists sign their paintings. Authors’ names are featured prominently on the covers and spines of their books. If taking pride in what you create is important in the artistic world, why couldn’t it be just as important in the business world?
Here’s a message on a chalkboard that you’ll find high up on the wall in a space with a 20 foot ceiling. The board hangs over the kitchen prep area in the Saskatoon restaurant/coffee shop/wine bar/grocery that is known as Souleio Foods.
Since, apparently, Felix Rules, I had to discover his identity. It turns out that Felix is the painter who added the color to this gloriously resurrected space. I get the feeling that Felix loves what he does, cares about his work, and has no qualms letting the world know. Good for him!
How about you? Are you and your team proud of the job you do? One of the great antidotes to overload and overwhelm is to stay connected to the meaning and the purpose in the tasks.
How could you sign your work and spread the spirit of joy and excellence?
PS – Souleio is a great place to lunch. I highly recommend the gazpacho – best I’ve had anywhere in the world!
PAUSE – 10.22 – Burnout & Meltdowns
August 11, 2010
REFLECTION:
I’ve been thinking a lot about burnout in recent days. Not because I’m feeling burned out myself, although I have been there more than once in the past. But rather because I’ve been digging back through results of the Overload and Overwhelm survey that I conducted not too long ago. As I dip into the responses to the questions I am struck again by the serious impact of O & O on health and well-being.
Over and over again, people mention the downward spiral triggered by too many expectations and too few resources. They describe the hopeless feelings associated with not being able to see – much less envision – a light at the end of those endless tunnels of activity. And much of what they are doing seems pointless.
Still I’m hopeful. While meltdowns may be imminent, they’re not necessarily inevitable.
One of the things I have noted over the years, is that burnout is not always related to the number of hours worked. Although long hours can be an indicator of problems ahead.
Meltdowns and burnout are just as often connected to feelings of hopelessness and pointlessness. It’s like we’ve lost track of any meaning that might once have been associated with the activities that fill our days. And so while we invest more and more energy we experience fewer and fewer returns on that investment.
And therein lies one of the main challenges: staying connected to the reasons why we’re doing these things in the first place.
ACTION:
The next time you find yourself or someone else swirling towards burnout or meltdown, see if you can dig deep to reconnect with the meaning and point of the activities at the core of your days.
Think back to earlier times in your career, and try to remember what you found so engaging about the work in the first place.
Pinpoint why these day to day activities once mattered to you and to those you serve.
Ask others who know you well what your everyday contributions mean to them.
Pay attention to the things that clients, colleagues and family appreciate. Take note of how what you do contributes to their success or well-being.
In short, see if you can rediscover the meaning in the answers to these three basic questions: Why this? Why me? Why now?
_________________________
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
“It is not how busy you are, but why you are busy – the bee is praised, the mosquito is swatted.” – Author Unknown
_________________________
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:
Need some more inspiration about tapping into purpose? Check out Richard Leider’s work on discovering the power of purpose on this website: http://www.inventuregroup.com/ The site’s On Purpose Journal section features many interesting articles.
_________________________
READERS WRITE:
In response to last week’s message, Go For The Grin, Pause reader ED writes: When I left to spend a year teaching English in Japan, a friend gave me a journal with this quote on it: ‘Everyone smiles in the same language.’ I found it to be so very true. The streets & trains that I frequented were full of tired looking people and smiles were seldom seen, but I made a point of smiling at people. More often than not they responded in kind. I didn’t speak their language but with the flash of a smile, something was communicated.
REFLECTION: I’ve been thinking a lot about burnout in recent days. Not because I’m feeling burned out myself, although I have been there more than once in the past. But rather because I’ve been digging back through results of the Overload and Overwhelm survey that I conducted not too long ago. As I dip into the responses to the questions I am struck again by the serious impact of O & O on health and well-being.
Over and over again, people mention the downward spiral triggered by too many expectations and too few resources. They describe the hopeless feelings associated with not being able to see – much less envision – a light at the end of those endless tunnels of activity. And much of what they are doing seems pointless.
Still I’m hopeful. While meltdowns may be imminent, they are not inevitable.
One of the things I have noted over the years, is that burnout is not always related to the number of hours worked. Although long hours can be an indicator of problems ahead.
Meltdowns and burnout are just as often connected to feelings of hopelessness and pointlessness. (more…)
PAUSE -10.20- Perfunctory?
July 28, 2010
REFLECTION:
I spent last week attending the National Speakers’ Association Convention in Orlando, Florida. As I’m sure you know, Orlando is the eastern US headquarters for the Disney operation. I did manage an evening visit to the Magic Kingdom and took an extra day post-conference to visit Epcot.
Disney theme parks are renowned for their high level of service to their guests. And, we encountered many kind, welcoming and helpful employees. That’s what made our contrasting experience with a couple of employees stand out so strongly. With both of these individuals, the word, perfunctory sprang to mind.
Perfunctory: mechanical, indifferent, careless, listless, superficial, as a formality only. You know perfunctory when you see it or hear it. How many times has a ‘Have a good day’ greeting been carelessly tossed your way, with no investment of emotion? That’s perfunctory.
Carry a bag to Disney (as with many other public places), and you’re subject to a search. Our security guy zipped open my bag, half-heartedly shifted the top item to the side, while looking over his shoulder in another direction, then pushed the bag back across the table with no further exploration. So much for security – perfunctory at best.
Our Jungle Cruise boat captain clearly wanted to be anywhere but at the wheel. His nonstop patter consisted of halfhearted attempts at humor, cynical comments, and sarcastic asides. Clearly on auto-pilot. To call his performance perfunctory would be generous.
Both were a real contrast to Alex, an employee at the Orlando World Center Marriott where I stayed. When I had trouble connecting to WiFi in the lobby one morning, Alex tried to give me a hand. It soon became clear the problem exceeded his expertise as well as mine. Rather than just shrugging and wishing me luck, Alex offered to call their IT department to give me a hand. When he learned I was headed into my next conference session, he asked what time I would be through and set an appointment time to reconvene with an IT rep to resolve the issue.
Alex was as good as his word. When I returned at the appointed time and place, Alex introduced me to Frederic who sat down with me and solved my access problems in the most congenial way in less than 5 minutes. Now that’s anything but perfunctory. In fact, I’d place Alex’s response clearly in the attentive, mindful, solicitous, and considerate department.
ACTION:
These experiences have me thinking about my own everyday reactions and interactions. Here’s the thing. It’s easy to see perfunctory responses in others. It’s not so easy to recognize them in ourselves.
Pause to consider:
* How often do you toss off an answer to a colleague’s question from that mindless auto responder part of your brain?
* Would your voice mail message be described as personal or perfunctory? How about the quaility of your good bye kiss to your spouse or life partner?
* When you put a meal on the table is it presented with care and attention, or tossed down in a perfunctory ‘That oughta fill you up’ manner?
If you find you’re in an auto-pilot rut, try responding in a more personal, less perfunctory way to more of the people and situations that show up in your life this week. It’s sure to make a difference for them and for you.
_________________________
QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. – Grandma Moses
Any idiot can face a crisis – it’s day to day living that wears you out. – Anton Chekhov
_________________________
RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:
For a few additional thoughts on this theme, see ‘Are You Just Going Through The Motions?’ at http://hilife2b.com/blog/motions
________________________
READERS WRITE:
In response to the latest ezine message, Summer Reading, Pause reader PM writes: “Thanks for the reading tips. Another great read you recommended in the past was ‘Crazy Busy’. It’s definitely worth a re-recommendation. It was a great read and I often refer it on to others.
REFLECTION: I spent last week attending the National Speakers’ Association Convention in Orlando, Florida. As I’m sure you know, Orlando is the eastern US headquarters for the Disney operation. I did manage an evening visit to the Magic Kingdom and took an extra day post-conference to visit Epcot.
Disney theme parks are renowned for their high level of service to their guests. And, we encountered many kind, welcoming and helpful employees. That’s what made our contrasting experience with a couple of employees stand out so strongly. With both of these individuals, the word, perfunctory sprang to mind.
Perfunctory: mechanical, indifferent, careless, listless, superficial, as a formality only. You know perfunctory when you see it or hear it. How many times has a ‘Have a good day’ greeting been carelessly tossed your way, with no investment of emotion? That’s perfunctory. (more…)
REFLECTION: Have you ever wondered if tapping into the ‘why’ of what we do makes a difference? Here’s a study that suggests it does.
There has been a lot of talk about generations and generational differences in the media and in the workplace. Over the last couple of years, along with millenials and Gen X and Y, a new word has wormed its way into the generational vocabulary: Zoomer.
REFLECTION: Last day of August. First day of September. Summer transitions to autumn.
Here’s a message on a chalkboard that you’ll find high up on the wall in a space with a 20 foot ceiling. The board hangs over the kitchen prep area in the Saskatoon restaurant/coffee shop/wine bar/grocery that is known as 
REFLECTION:
REFLECTION: I’ve been thinking a lot about burnout in recent days. Not because I’m feeling burned out myself, although I have been there more than once in the past. But rather because I’ve been digging back through results of the Overload and Overwhelm survey that I conducted not too long ago. As I dip into the responses to the questions I am struck again by the serious impact of O & O on health and well-being.
REFLECTION: I spent last week attending the National Speakers’ Association Convention in Orlando, Florida. As I’m sure you know, Orlando is the eastern US headquarters for the Disney operation. I did manage an evening visit to the Magic Kingdom and took an extra day post-conference to visit Epcot.