As I’ve been on this quest to find soulful work, I’ve started to notice that there are some principles that are applicable to the management role. Here are a few that I’ve been reflecting on lately.
Be Hopeful. I mentioned resilience in the previous post. Finding the capacity for and modeling tough-minded and hopeful optimism consistently can be difficult when facing incredible challenges. Regardless of whether we job hunt while already employed or when we’re unemployed, whether we pursue work in the same profession or take a radical leap toward a different position or industry, it takes resilience to keep going. Sometimes interviews don’t go well. Sometimes we receive the rejection letter. Sometimes that promised phone call doesn’t happen. Sometimes the "perfect" job opportunity goes to another person.
As a manager our ideas may not work, a change initiative might hit a snag, employees disappoint us. In an organization, there are plenty of challenges to overcome. A strong manager needs to learn to see these setbacks for the long-term learning they offer, not the short-term defeat they might represent. Our staff and colleagues need to see that something better lies beyond the present problems. We need to offer them a reason for hope.
Hope is what moves us out of bed in the morning. Without it, the future can be dark and terrifying.
Have Patience. Oh, this one has been a real kick in the pants for me. Patience has never been one of my strong qualities, but nothing builds it like being on the receiving end of the hiring process. I could shake my fist at the inhumanity of having to wait for a month after submitting a resume just to get an interview and then another month of enduring second, third, and fourth interviews and then the salary negotiation process…but, that might be melodramatic. So, until companies find a way to reduce the time to hire (though, I’m still trying to figure out how this can be accomplished successfully), those seeking soulful work within an organization will need to cultivate patience.
As a manager, I remember some projects took time before we could fully realize whether they were successful or not. Checking statistics on a daily basis wasn’t worthwhile when patterns would only emerge over the course of months. Training initiatives might not bear real fruit for a while as the employee learned to grasp the new learning. Expecting a "fast-food" process will likely produce a "fast food" result; would you rather have a Big Mac from McDonald’s or a fillet from Morton’s?
Give Feedback. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of being in the job hunt is not knowing whether a resume works or not. I’ve had mine reviewed by a number of folks and most tell me that it is very good (which I appreciate; I’ve worked hard at it). But, once I customize it and fire it off for a particular position, there is little in terms of a feedback mechanism. If I get an interview, I figure the resume/cover letter made an impression. However, if I receive a rejection notice – and I’ve received many so far – it is a form letter with no personalized information letting me know what I can do to improve myself (as someone who has been a hiring manager, I understand that the volume of resumes received makes this nearly impossible so I’m not assigning blame here).
This has been a valuable lesson for me about the vital importance of giving feedback. I’m not talking about subjective praise, but about objectively helping another person learn what is successful and what is not. As a manager, we’re in a unique position to see the patterns and best practices. Feedback is a gift. Don’t be stingy and hold out until its time for annual reviews. Make feedback a constant component of your management plan.
These are just three shared principles. Any others that we could include?
