Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Shades of Grey
A paperweight sits on my desk, etched in silver the message: Life isn't always black and white. It serves as a reminder there are few absolutes at work (or in life). Yet, it would be easier if there were; if good ideas from bad, trustworthy people from non-trustworthy, and right paths from the wrong ones could easily be discerned. I've learned in twenty years in management that increasing one's perspective increases the grey, as words like always and never become obsolete for describing most situations and most people.
But early in my career, I was convinced there were right ways and wrong ways to do things at work. Of course, my way being right and someone else's wrong. Dug-in positions that at the time seemed immensely important strike me now as limited in knowledge, understanding or perspective.
Now, I'm as convinced there are often many ways to accomplish the same goal and many right answers to the same problem. Certainly some approaches may be better than others, but whose interpretation defines better? It is a subjective workplace and a matter of judgment if an idea is a good one, a performance rating accurate, or a decision correct. Sometimes that interpretation is based on quarterly profits, employee morale, company goals, personal filters, necessity, or a passionate champion embracing a challenge.
But here's the thing. That subjective element often frustrates us. We think there should be a play book we understand or a standard method to judge an outcome so we can agree whether it's good or bad. Yet we have differing vantage points, information and criteria depending on our roles. There may be big picture, long-term, short-term, temporary, personal, best, best of the worst, and a long list of considerations.
I learned this concept as I debated my boss over a decision he was about to implement. As a Human Resources Director, I was concerned the decision would impact morale. HR was the filter by which I judged the world at the time. He gently closed the discussion agreeing with my view point, "Yes, it's true employees will be unhappy. But they'll be unhappier if there are layoffs next year. My job is to make sure everyone has a job."
Absolute thinking limits perspective, causes mistakes in judgment, misunderstandings, disappoints, conflicts, and frustration in the workplace. Most work issues are not black or white, right or wrong, win or lose. They are varying shades of grey. If you want to be winning at working, you need to adjust your eyes to see more grey and adjust your beliefs to understand, for the most part, people are doing what they believe to be right, for reasons they believe are right. If we could stand behind them and see what they see, we might even come to the same conclusion.
(c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.
Sign up to receive Nan's free biweekly eColumn at www.winningatworking.com. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and on-line instructor. Contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com.
MORE RESOURCES: Supply Chain Lowe's Careers Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Working for ICE ice.gov Careers University of Northern Colorado How to use AI to get a job interview and nail it – along with the salary you deserve | Job hunting The Guardian Meet a millennial who quit her tech job, temporarily moved to Paris, and started a baking business in NYC Business Insider Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Jobs Multnomah County Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Job Loss Is a Kind of Grief The Atlantic Careers - MDOT Maryland.gov Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers Baxter Store Hourly Job Areas Target Corporate Career Job Areas Target Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Improve Your Chances of Landing That Job Interview IEEE Spectrum Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Work at Butler Butler University Amazon CEO Andy Jassy shares his top tips for a successful career: ‘Don’t be afraid to fail’ AboutAmazon.com Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Job Search Results UnitedHealth Group Careers Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Careers and Employment with the Northwestern Division nwd.usace.army.mil Career Opportunities UMHB Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers Johnson & Johnson Finding Your New Career at the City of Phoenix City of Phoenix (.gov) Careers at Willamette Willamette University Alcohol Law Enforcement Careers NC DPS (.gov) IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers Washington State University Careers BASF Careers at the IOC Olympics.com Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Jobs And Careers | VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Student internships at J&J Johnson & Johnson Careers Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum Work for the City of St. Louis City of St. Louis, MO (.gov) Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Careers WV Department of Education Our Hiring Process Target Careers The Ocean Cleanup UF Health Careers UF Health Careers Job Seekers Illinois Human Resources Careers CrowdStrike EPA employees rally in Denver against President Trump’s job and funding cuts Colorado Public Radio Careers at Union Union College KPMG Careers KPMG March 2025 Preview: What to Expect in the Jobs Report Center for Economic and Policy Research Why hasn’t AI taken your job yet? Financial Times Matching Talent to the Jobs of Tomorrow: A Guidebook for Public Employment Services 2025 The World Economic Forum Jobs for Veterans and transitioning military VA Careers (.gov) Human Resources Department City of Phoenix (.gov) Provincial Government Job Opportunities Government of Prince Edward Island Current opportunities Turner & Townsend 15 Low-Stress Jobs for 2025 US News Money 60+ Stats On AI Replacing Jobs (2024) Exploding Topics Talent Solutions CBIZ Careers Euromonitor Careers at WPP WPP Job Opportunities Bellevue School District As Layoffs Continue, Federal Workers Face Sluggish Job Market The New York Times Recorded Video Interviews Target RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY TO POLICY-INFLUENCING POSITIONS WITHIN THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE The White House (.gov) Work at UI Health Care | University of Iowa Health Care University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Job application FAQs Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover Letter Every great resume deserves a great cover letter.A cover letter is crucial because it's the first thingthe hiring manager sees. When the Teacher Becomes the Student A relationship expert once said that during an argument, there's usually three sides to every story: his side, her side, and of course, the truth.This is something we must definitely keep in mind as teachers. Five Fabulous Resume Tips for College Grads (or Anybody) Fluffy clouds. Chirping birds. Start Working Before You Get Hired What if there were a way to *prove* to any sane employer that you alone were the one to hire?Would learning how to do that interest you? I thought so.I call this the "start-working-before-you-get-hired" job-hunting method. Minding Your Own Business Think you have gone as far as you can in your present job? Instead of looking around for a similar position in another company, you may want to strike out on your own as a consultant.With a greater acceptance of telecommuting and companies outsourcing a number of their functions, individuals may want to consider being an independent consultant. How To Get More Interviews In Your Job Search Richard Bolles, job search guru and author of What Color Is Your Parachute? predicts that you can expect to search for work 1-2 months for every $10,000 you hope to earn. So, if you're looking for a $40,000 a year position, you may search for 4-8 months to land it. The Last Minute Interview Your breath catches in your throat - at last, an interview! Elated, you write down the time and place of the interview, who to ask for, say thanks, and hang up!But, wait, it's such short notice, and you haven't been interviewed for ages. Too, you never did get around to practicing. Job Interviews -- What Your Pre-Interview Research Should Cover When you go in for a job interview, you're not just a candidate seeking a job. You're a potential problem solver and contributor. From The WorkWise Collection: Ten Ways to Win the Job Search Mind Game Are you one of the thousands of job seekers who question their sanity, marketability, and capacity to make smart decisions-just because you've lost your job? Are you wondering how to overcome these psychological challenges, rebuild your self-confidence, increase your marketability, and regain your sense of sanity?In today's competitive job market you need more than a killer résumé and great interviewing skills to survive. Twenty-first-century job seekers must be able to deal with ambiguity, maintain a winner's mindset, demonstrate customer focus, and have a blow-your-socks-off résumé and excellent interviewing skills. Believe And Get Hired Good things seem to come in bunches, especially in a job search. Ever wonder why?Example: ever know someone (perhaps you?) who, after many weeks in a fruitless job hunt, suddenly hit a "hot streak" and landed two or three interviews in a matter of days?What happened? What changed? Did the job market suddenly improve? Perhaps. What Everybody Ought To Know About How To Change Their Career or Profession and Still Survive... Dr. Denis Waitley, trainer of leaders, including Super Bowl and Olympic athletes, Apollo astronauts, and Fortune 500 executives, is the most listened to voice on personal and career achievement and the author of the all-time best-seller, The Psychology of Winning claims that the 21st century is unlike anything we could have imaged. 3 Questions No Job Seeker Ever Wants To Be Asked? Employer and interviewers expect you to answer tough question during interviews. Take a few minutes to brainstorm on how you might elaborate on the following answers. The Perfect Resume The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a four-fold vision of who you are and what you bring to the table: The perfect resume offers Logical Proofs: Facts Quantifiable data Logical conclusions Achievement and success statements Relevant professional goals/accomplishments Limits the use of jargon Maximizes use of occupation/industry-specific key words Your capabilities and skills Clear, specific, measurable, and quantifiable words and phrases Sells you based on your achievements to date The perfect resume offers Your Vision & Creativity: Balanced white space Visually easy to read A resume style and paper consistent with your self-marketing vision Clear big picture of who you are Sells you based on your potential Examples of your creativity relating to your targeted position Your vision of your role and your capacity to contribute The perfect resume offers Sensible Organization: Easy-to-follow resume structure Presents relevant historical information in reverse chronological order Places the most relevant/marketable data early in the resume Omits what cannot be proved Is error-free Is neatly laid-out and word processed Stretches to the appropriate length for someone of your experience (one page for up to 10 years of experience; 2 pages for up to 15 years of experience, and 3 pages for senior-level positions demanding over 15 years of experience) Sells your past The perfect resume offers Your Personality and Values: Stresses your interpersonal/written communication skills Describes your teamwork skills and cites examples of your cross-functionality Highlights your work-related values Showcases your work-related personality Previews who you are Emphasizes your uniqueness Is enjoyable to read Sells who you are Why not review your resume by comparing it with these four critical categories? You may discover why your resume isn't winning you the interview response you'd hoped for with hiring managers.Cheryl Lynch Simpson is a Spiritual Director and Solutions Coach who helps women discover and create the life they've always wanted to live. Home Healthcare Careers One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are:The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country. Jesse And Al Should Read This! Instead of getting all bent out of shape over innocuous remarks made by the President of Mexico, perhaps the Lord and Prince of African-American Ideological Imperialism (that's Lord Jesse and Prince Al) should know just how Americans apply for those jobs they so vehemently claim Mexicans are stealing.The good folks at Careerbuilder. Should You Telework/Telecommute "WOW! I can work from home and make money? I can sit around in my PJ's and work whenever I want? How great, I want to be a Teleworker!"There is much more to being a teleworker then working in your PJ's or working when you want to. Yes, those are nice benefits to teleworking, but you'd be surprised by how much work goes into working from home. Working with Recruiters: 5 Critical Words for Candidates As professional recruiters working both retained and contingency search assignments, we spend a significant part of our effort preparing both the candidate and the client employer for prospective interviews. Preparing each side to meet and interact removes much of the predisposed tension that is inherent to the interview process on both sides. The Career Athlete: What It Takes to Manage Your Career Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation and ensuring that your time is directed meaningfully. Don't wait and see; make things happen. Age Discrimination is Alive and Unwelcome Here! Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days. Why is this so?In an era when the emphasis seems to be on all things young, beautiful and sometimes shallow its about time we took stock of ourselves and did our businesses a favor by employing older workers! Age discrimination is a terrible injustice that has far reaching effects on our economy where ever we are. Business Dress for Women: Making Impact Buying a suit can be an important investment when you are trying to improve your look for business or career advancement. Wearing a standard off-the rack suit for business or a job interview does not always mean success.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|