RWL Newsletter #82
[sorry for the delay in sending - this message was flagged by the TinyLetter abuse screener and it was only just released. Not sure what terrible thing I wrote here, but maybe you can find it. Anyway...]
Greetings from the stiflingly hot and muggy Durham! Yes, Texas friends, I know "90 degrees isn't hot" - but really it is if your house doesn't have central air and you only have two window units. And by "window units" I mean the thing in the picture above. Having central air is regarded as a sign of moral corruption and loose living in New Hampshire, just so you know.
No precise theme this week, but there is a sort of meta-theme of self-reflection - about your career, about your approach to your daily living, and about how you talk to other people. I hope you find them interesting. Let me know what you think!
Read
What: Peter A. Heslin, Conceptualizing and Evaluating Career Success, Journal of Organizational Behavior
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4093974.pdf?casa_token=x4EAz8mFi1oAAAAA:XyZ5efFdrWXusnWbvH6cztP5ICES0sT8BCUw-myuCgtWwVbFjiQFOfxGtCYn4wCVLNRnPdjEe1Dw8-nx3K-ey1vDjdnPSNMK2xBvWHFIveqmMOaOYOs
Why: I've been working on a paper about young people making what is known as the "school to work transition" and launching on their careers. I came across this paper in my research and I thought it was well written and gives a lot of topics around the idea of career success to chew on. This is an academic article and fairly long (25 pages). I believe you can download it free from the above link. I don't usually do this, but I'm inserting a long excerpt from the article. The whole article is interesting and there are several important concepts presented that are at the same level as this one, but this is the most important one to me. (emphasis is mine)
People appear to differ in their prime reason for working and what they most seek from the work (Schein, 990). For instance, research by both sociologists (e.g., Bellah et al., 1985) and psychologists (e.g., Schwartz, 986, 1994; Wrzesniewski et al., 1997) has shown that most people have one of three distinct orientations to their work: seeing it primarily as either a job, a career, or a calling. The fundamental distinctions between these three types of work orientation are as follows.
People with a job orientation focus mainly on the financial rewards they receive for working, rather than pleasure or fulfillment. Work is viewed as a means for acquiring the resources needed to enjoy time away from the job, rather than as an end in itself. As the main goal of those with a job orientation is to make an income, they do not seek many other rewards from their work (Wrzesniewski et al., 1997).
People with a career orientation exhibit a deeper personal investment in their work. They mark their achievements not only through monetary gain, but also through upward advancement within the occupational structure where they work. Wrzesniewski (2002) observed that 'the overarching goal of those who view their work as a career is to maximize their income, social status, power and prestige within their occupation' (p. 232).
Finally, people with a calling orientation strive to experience fulfillment as a result of performing their work. Work is seen as an inherent part of life and as an end in itself, rather than merely as a means to income or advancement. Those with a calling often feel that their work helps to make the world a better place.
In summary, the objective outcomes of pay and advancement are respectively the prime concern of those with either a job or a career orientation. By contrast, people with a calling are much more con- cerned with subjective outcomes that matter most to them, such as the sense of meaning and fulfillment they derive from their work. Rather than adopting standards of success that are guided by an organiza- tion in which they have a job or career, those with a calling are more likely to have self-set standards for evaluating their career.
Read the whole thing if you have time - it is worth it for thinking about how you regard work and success.
Watch
What: Admiral William McRaven, Change the World by Making Your Bed (6 minutes)
https://youtu.be/U6OoCaGsz94
Why: Great motivational speech by Admiral McRaven. He relates some great lessons about success. I've heard variations on this message a number of times - start the day with a small success and if nothing else goes right during the day, you will at least have that. Another senior leader I spoke with said that was why she always started her day with a work out. If nothing else went well that day, at least she will have succeeded in doing something for her health. Small wins are important to keeping ourselves motivated when the bigger challenges come.
Listen
What: Leslie John, Ask Better Questions
https://hbr.org/ideacast/2018/05/ask-better-questions.html
Why: Asking better questions can get better quality answers. It can also bond people to you. It's an interesting theory and makes some sense. One of the most common refrains I hear from successful and respected leaders is about the importance of being a good listener. Being a good listener isn't just sitting passively. Part of being a good listener is asking good questions. There are some good tips in this podcast.
Thanks for reading and see you next week! If you come across any interesting stories, won't you send them my way? I'd love to hear what you think of these suggestions, and I'd love to get suggestions from you. Feel free to drop me a line by e-mail, or you can tweet to me at @mbonica .
Also, if you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/markbonica
Have a great weekend and do amazing things!
Mark
Mark J. Bonica, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-0598
mark.bonica@unh.edu
Health Leader Forge Podcast: http://healthleaderforge.org
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau