Key Tool to Improve Your Quality of Life at Work!!
May 13, 2020
Greg’s Job Satisfaction Was Suffering
Greg was a new Career and Life Coaching client. He was quite well suited for his career, but the actual duties of his job were wearing him out. Small churches and businesses demand so much of their leaders and staff which is why special people (or crazy ones) start an organization. It takes all kinds of people to provide the skills and aptitudes that produce quality and growth when combined properly. Pastor Greg was being asked to be expert at and enjoy too many tasks. Something needed to change because it was hurting the other areas of his life.
I sat down with Greg, and he happened to be particularly frustrated that day. I let him vent, and it led to even more vulnerability. I knew something important was about to happen. He finished, and I stated what I thought I had heard. Then I suggested a process that changed his work life – and ultimately, the rest of his life.
Here Was Greg’s Life Before
Greg started work early in the day and barely made it home for dinner. Each day had its surprises, changed appointments, complaints from people he served, confusion around specifics or what volunteers were to do and when, etc. He was in a constant state of two steps forward and one back, or at least it felt that way.
He found himself apologizing for not getting some things done on time. His rhythm of doing things was off much of the time. Yes, he had a calendar, but it was changing in live time. Some things were continuously put off until later. He felt undisciplined and had times where the energy was being sucked out of him.
Yet, there were times of celebration, wonder, amazement of what the Lord was doing in someone’s life. He absolutely loved parts of his work and wished he could do more of it. Sooner or later, however, he was going to burn out.
We Sat Down, And This is What He Agreed to Do
I told Greg that I understood his frustration and how he was on the road to burnout. He agreed and needed to address the issue, but not in doing more of what he had been doing. There was something that he could do for a month that could change his work life. Now, he was listening.
Greg, “I want you to be very aware of what your body is telling you every time you start and finish a task. You are very bright and have a great capacity to rationalize. STOP. When you FEEL that something you are doing is sucking the life out of you, write it down on your new ‘Pain in the Neck List.’ Do this for one month, and then we can meet again.”
“Charlie, I’ll do that, but I need to know what I am going to do with that list of activities because I will definitely have some.”
“Greg, your ‘Pain in the Neck List’ is going to be somebody’s dream job list.”
“Charlie, what are you talking about? I’ve kept doing this stuff because I did not think anyone would want to do it.”
Well, we talked some more, and he began to realize that some of the people he had on paid and volunteer staff were better at details and other things he did not like to do. He realized that they may enjoy something he did not like to do. In fact, they were going to be excited to do something that the pastor used to do!
What Happened?
About two weeks later, Greg and I talked, and he had set up a meeting with two staff members to talk about the List. It had only been two weeks, but Greg had so many items already. At the same time, he started looking at his staff in a new way and how two of them in particular would enjoy relieving him and doing what he did not like. Greg could not wait to meet, review what he wanted them to take on, and begin the training.
It turned out, the 4-hour meeting was a great one, the staff members were excited, and Greg was greatly relieved emotionally from tasks he did not like. Everybody is enjoying their new task arrangement, and Greg gets to do more of what he does best for the betterment of the church.
Conclusion
Greg was able to delegate, but you may not be able to do so. Even if you can’t delegate some of your stuff, you can always ask your supervisor if you could take on something that he does not particularly like but fits with your likes and skills. Your supervisor will appreciate your initiative, getting something unattractive off his list, and will be more open to you suggesting something to offer to a person you supervise. How’s that for a way to modify your job and your career advancement one small step at a time?
Charlie Haines
