I, My Role and Expectations
At least once a day, it is useful to think about oneself. I started doing this late in my life and career. I started doing it in recent years. If I do not think about myself, I will be lost very soon. This is not selfishness; it is self-care, which is what I'm learning.
It is essential for me to think about myself, because:
- It helps me to see what I'm
- It helps me to see where I moved today
- Does this move help me personally?
- Does this move help me professionally?
- What benefits does it bring me?
- What benefits does it bring to those with whom I associate and work together?
- Does it keep me in sound mental and physical health?
- Did I learn today?
- Something new?
- Anything I refined and unlearned?
- Does it bring any costs and cons to me?
- Am I fit?
- Fit to where?
- Fit to what?
- Fit? How?
- Fit? Why?
- Fit? When
In all the roles I take in my personal and professional life, I'm evaluated at some point in time. I will be judged for:
- Did I fit?
- Did I do my role
- Did I meet the expectation?
The problem is not that I'm evaluated.
The problem is I'm evaluated without saying what makes me fit to be in the association and how I will have to meet the expectation. Some associations can remove us while some cannot.
When I say this, I want to say this -- the word family is often misunderstood; not all associations can be a family although the word family is used often in associations. This is reality and not a fact!
Does family eliminate me if I do not fit in? I don't know! At least the hope is, family is where I can be myself; without the thought of me being judged and evaluated for what I take and bring to the family. My family as well have expectations from me in the different roles I live in with them.
When I can see this in my family, why don't I see this in the place where I work together with other people?
Do I fit in here for what I make out of this place (company) and take it to my family, home, and my life?
I wish my home and school had helped me learn this question early in my life! I expect it now because I realize the "value of fit", now, that is, after I graduated and started to work with people in the organizations.
I consistently learn that every one of us is replaceable in any association, be it family or a workplace. And, it moves on; it does not stop. If not replaceable, it is manageable to continue and move on.
When we are in the association, how fit we are so that it is hard to replace? Maybe that's a price (value) tag and a necessity of one!
The Response, That I Should Evaluate
As a responsible colleague and team member, I promote the discussion of this question at least once a month. I ask this question to whom I report at work.
I will have this question in every one-on-one catch-up that I will have with my reporting manager. And, I expect a response to this question and want it recorded for future reference.
What is that question?
How does my work fit in with the company's goals?
Evaluating the response:
- How do I evaluate the response to this question?
- What should I do on the evaluation of the response?
- Why should I evaluate the response?
- What should be my next course of action?
- After all, what is my response to this question and how do I evaluate it?
To get promoted to the next roles,
- I need to be solving the problem of my higher (or next) role
- I need to have the capability (skills) to solve problems of my higher role
But this is not a question of promotion. It is the question of being fit for the company's goals.
While I get promoted or to be promoted, my work may still not fit with the company's goals. Identifying this early helps.
I have learned, sometimes the promotion does not necessarily come with the fit for the company's goals. But then eventually the fit will be evaluated at one stage by someone in the company together with a promotion given.
This has led me to ask this question consistently and then evaluate the response with the business, political and rational mindsets.
I say the same to my team, that is, ask this question for yourself and to the reporting manager. Evaluate the response that comes to you.
Should you ask this question to your reporting manager in each month's one-on-one catch-up?
The Fit Equation Changes
In the team and company, we believe:
- We are contributing
- We are a value-adding fit type
We keep saying to ourselves how we make a great fit and difference. Isn't it?
This "fit equation" keeps changing every day or quarter or year or appraisal cycle. I learn, this "fit equation" keeps changing rather than evolving.
Adapting to this consistent change and delivering is evolving. This is my understanding for today.
Biases, Communication, and Problem Solving
We all are in biased mindsets and perceptions at any point in time. The people in the company need help to break these mindsets so that one's fit equation is questioned and assessed regularly. In my opinion, this is a great assistance that a manager and a leader can give to her/his people.
I expect the managers and leaders to ask the company:
- What the company wants from the people?
We people in the company and in the team, let us ask the manager and leaders:
- What the company expects from me?
- What is my fit equation?
- Does the current work that I'm delivering fits the company's goals?
I have heard most times from people saying, "I was said that I did not fit with the company's goal".
How will one know what is the company's goals and how can one align with them unless it is communicated and recorded professionally? I see, to start it needs communication, clarity, and affirmation first from both ends.
Does this solve the problem? No! It gives an onset to understand the problem and the differences to fix. With this, the manager and leader can help the team, and vice versa, in solving the problem. Thereby contributing to the company's goals by aligning with them.
If you are a manager or a leader, make sure you have this as an essential practice in monthly catch-up to assess this fit equation and let know your people. I love seeing this initiative from managers and leaders.
This is one of the leader's fitness to be in the role to assist people and the company. By doing so, we will help the company, business, employees, investors, and customers.
To reset this post's intent equation:
- How the work expected from me fit in with the company's goals?
- How does the work I'm doing fit in with the company's goals?
