Recently we had an event at work that I would call “Shruggate.” What exactly am I referring to? Those cute little sweaters that ladies tend to wear at work to hide our naked shoulders. Our new boss had requested that we not wear sleeveless tops/dresses/etc. .the thing is, some people were a little…agitated about having to wear cover-ups.
I think that my new boss is correct in wanting my colleagues and I to dress professionally at work. It’s difficult though because Colorado is notoriously casual but I think that there is a time and place for everything.
If you’re a frequent reader of this blog you’ll know that recently I made the decision to continue working my current job. In making this decision I also acknowledged that I would have to go through the process of rebranding myself at work. What do I mean? I need to start “fresh” at work because I’m sure that being depressed about my work situation (for so long) affected my quality of work. This is painful to admit but true. When you’re unhappy at work it’s guaranteed that your work will suffer-you are focused on your how to escape and not necessarily you’re job.
What types of things am I looking at in terms of improving my job performance?
- Timeliness-I have a long commute and do arrive basically on time. But, when I first started working my job I was the first person at work for 3 years. Really. I would like to get back to being the first person at work because it’s important to show that I value my job-regardless of how far I live. It has been challenging working on getting downtown at my old time, but I will keep at it.
- Listen Better-It pains me to admit that I have to work on this skill…with my colleagues. I’ve worked with the majority of my colleagues for a long time and I find that there are times when I just get impatient and want to move ahead in the conversation. But, it’s not very respectful (or kind) so, I’m really working on active listening. It’s hard 🙁
- Dress Professionally-Done!
- Actively Seek Project Opportunities-There were a number of years at my job where it was difficult for me to grow my position. The reasons for that are gone and I no longer have this issue at my job. I recently went to a conference for my field in San Diego and returned with 10 huge action items to work on that will add depth to my position, keep me interested in what I’m doing, and help me grow my skill set.
- Have a Positive Mindset-That has been going pretty well. I’m feeling pretty good about life in general and am actively working on positive visioning everyday.
So why do I bother with this? Because I owe it to myself to step up my job performance. I owe it to my boss and colleagues who dealt with me dragging myself depressed and moping about my life. I owe it to the clients that I work with who deserve high quality service.
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I think it’s great you recognize some of those things that have fallen by the wayside. I’m constantly trying to figure out ways to better deal with my current situation while I’m still doing that work (hence the stress book-lol).
Ironically, today was a bad day at work. Best laid plans…thank goodness for the 3 day weekend. I think that doing self-assessments prior to a review or right before a review is a great way to see where you’re at. The key is to be honest with yourself. Most people would be able to substantially improve their work lives by doing this. And yes, I need to the stress book.
It is important to realize when we are falling short of our own expectations and capabilities. Take it slow and steady when it comes to this and it’s great that you are keeping a positive attitude about the changes that you want to implement.
Kassandra it’s funny because I am a self-aware person but there are times when I don’t perform at the level that I should. During those moments it’s as if I’m watching myself get in my way…and I can’t stop! Ironically, today was a bad day. That’s ok, will start again.
I needed to read this. I’m a top performer at work but I did just get back from maternity leave and I’d rather be home with my girls. Not possible though. I need to stay positive about the situation because I can’t change it. And as I was reading this, I realized I need to rebrand myself, too. I’m a gossip and and instigator and I need to rise above and help others be more positive about their job, too.
Gossip is so hard! That actually is something that I am working on too. Or, I will just “Pipe Up” you know I have sage wisdom, advice, etc. I’m trying to cut down on that because people don’t always want to hear what you have to say. It’s funny because once these bad habits are set it’s so hard to break them. Just take one day at a time. I had a bad day this week-I ended up crying when I got home 🙁 But, each day is a new day to improve. Maybe you can negotiate some flex time so that you can be with the girls? I have been able to to take vacation time throughout the month now because I’ve been so consistent. I DO have a lot of room for improvement. So, that’s what I’m focusing on now.
Oh, piping up! Me too!!!
As for flex time, my boss expects me to work overtime. I’ve been dodging that so far… Not a good situation, but like I said – I can’t change it.
Very sorry to hear you ended up in tears. I hope things go better next week 🙂
I was so happy that I had Friday off!! I needed it 🙂
Oh man, active listening is something I struggle with at work, too! Sometimes, I just have to remember to be patient.
Patience is a quality that I have to work on each and every day. I have a colleague who is super at listening (over promises) but a wonderful listener. I’m trying to slow my interactions down so that I don’t have to suffer through the pain for going over things because I wasn’t listening and was in a rush.
Ah, shrugs! Those and cropped cardis were all the rage a few years ago. I’m always cold so this isn’t generally a problem for me and NZ overall is very casual anyway thankfully.
My current struggle is making myself think big and use some of my downtime for “ideation” as the big boss puts it. That’s something I’ve never had time for in previous roles but there’s lots of it here, and for my own job satisfaction as well as doing the job well I need to do that rather than just doing all the little day to day stuff and calling it a day.
Ok, I’ve never hear of “ideation” and am now intrigued by this concept. I hate all the minutiae at work-especially the stupid email trees. I’m just making some small and easy changes that have a big result (for me). For example, I have a flexible schedule so usually I arrive after 8:00 a.m. but, I’ve been wanting to arrive before 8:00 a.m. and was having a difficult time waking up. Now I’ve set up a new morning system and am one of the first people on time. I just want to actively do my best and set myself up to succeed at my job. Some changes are so obvious, some aren’t. As I make the changes I feel a lot more in control which is nice 🙂