Shift

Life shifts. Groundhog Day is just a movie. Some things we come back to, all things we build upon, the core of a thing we look to as a guide, but nothing stays the same. I’d taken a break from posting here, but it is funny how when something is so core to your being, that you never really leave it behind. So although I was not talking about it here, I never stopped being involved in all the various ways to shift the way work is defined, accomplished and discussed. How companies operate and how individuals define their skills.  The very landscape of work is changing. We are in a global economy where outsourcing and automation have changed how work is done. I am fascinated by this new structure and bring strategies to help navigate this new terrain. I am queueing up new content to cover topics for individuals seeking to land their ideal position or start their own venture. My content will cover getting to your core, and how to present and promote that essence. Also for those well...

Though it looks here that I have not been writing much of late, if you look for the latest edition of " The Business Guide to Sustainability " you will see my name as a contributor! Check out my work in the "Technology" chapter. I have also decided to combine this blog project and all future content into a collaboration: livelywork.com This is an opportunity for me to expand my audience, and to offer my readers access to more thought-provoking posts on various ways to work. Enjoy, Chantel

In my last post I introduced a lot on the topic of structure. Most of what I mentioned though was focused on individuals learning how to create their own structure in their workday. There is also much to be said around how an organization is structured, and how that enables employees to be effective. Similar to my prior mentions of decision fatigue and the tyranny of choice, the same happens at the organization level as this quote from the book “Reframing Organizations” mentions:   “If structure is too loose, people go their own way or get lost, with little sense of what others are doing. Structures that are too tight stifle flexibility and cause people to spend much of their time trying to beat the system.”[1] Organizations are challenged with creating structures which support individuals to find and tap into their own potential, while remaining open and flexible enough so as to not stifle the creativity and innovation they seek to foster. Professor Teresa M. Amabile write...

There can be an initial challenge around how best to prioritize when engaging in a flexible work environment. It is important to first ask yourself whether you are engaging in work that is ultimately satisfying and what you want to be doing, instead of pushing yourself to complete tasks, blindly striving towards a goal that is nothing more than a tic mark on a to do list. This takes time to assess, and there are many resources to help in the process (books like Flow and Business Model You, just to mention a couple). Once you are engaging in fulfilling work, it is then important to build structure into your workday.   Structure begins with clear goals. If you are working for yourself, this will come from the overarching goal and mission of your business. If you are working as an employee or contractor, then these goals are created through conversations with a manager, and are a conclusion of how best to use your skills in support of the company. Clarity is key, otherwise you ma...