Work In Progress

Thriving?

"are you thriving at work?" sounds a bit dystopian/forced.
TODO: Antiwork Movement, Great Resignation, 'I do not dream of labour'
TODO: "Best Self" excellence pressure versus "Favourite Self" satisfaction authenticity
(External vs Internal validation)?
Workaholic culture, do not mistake work for who you are
But number of hours spent per day in this place, worth making it not miserable

You create your own reality, yes, but a peaceful one is easier to achieve under good circumstances.
(compare with money can't buy happiness)

or Wilting?

◌ Difficulty starting the day
◌ Feeling indifferent
◌ Procrastination
◌ Minimal effort
◌ Stress
◌ Fatigue
◌ Irritability
◌ Overwhelm
◌ Feeling stuck
◌ Job searching
◌ Lack of fulfilment
◌ Isolation and withdrawal

Everyone feels irritable, stressed, tired, stuck sometimes, not necessarily due to work.
But let's say that you know work is the source.
Worst-case: total burnout, health impact.

Given the impact severity of a bad workplace, it's worth trying to find a good one!

Are we being set up for success?

Insane society, systematic problems.

As much as your upbringing might have taught you to look inward when assigning blame for failure, I suggest it’s worth questioning your environment with a critical eye [...] and ask yourself if you are being set up for success. [1]

What is success?

[...] please don’t settle for just breaking through glass ceilings in a broken corporate system or in a broken political system, where so many leaders are so disconnected from their own wisdom that we are careening from one self-inflicted crisis to another. Change much more than the M to a W at the top of the corporate flowchart. Change it by going to the root of what’s wrong and redefining what we value and what we consider success. [4]

What is culture?

Note on culture first (aka the desert environment), defined in one paper like below
Which is interesting esp. with regard to the tacit part and 'correct' way to perceive problems

Pattern of shared tacit assumptions that was learned by a group considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems [3]

Check under your own shoes

Of course, if it smells like shit everywhere you go, maybe check under your own shoes, first.
But I'm talking specifically to people with a strong inner critic. The self-doubt-ers, chronic not-good-enough-ers (it me).

Some things are universally detrimental, and some places really are toxic, but in most cases, it's likely to be a combination of you + environment. Maybe something here about how people can divorce even when there was no cheating, no abuse, the people just wanted different things. Same re: workplace.

The metaphor

The way it looks in my head is: we plant a rose in a desert, and then wonder why it isn't thriving. My challenge often is worded something like this: 'What have we done to create an environment where the most likely outcome is [that] this person succeeds?'. Have we planted a rose in a desert? Or a swampland? Or a well-tended garden? Or if [we have] a desert and that isn't going to change, we need to hire cacti. [2]

Then the (best) stage: building up the metaphor in more detail
Lighting and soil requirements!!
Emphasis that no plant or region is better/worse (adrenaline explorers on the mountainface? cosy artisans in the cottage garden?)

Employee-workplace fit

What can we do to understand (look from different perspectives)

Yes individuals have different needs, but some things are universal - focus here.
Place to learn, grow, where they are valued, respected, creative, fun.

For the individual - how to understand what we need to thrive?
For the team/lead - how to evaluate what kind of environment we currently have, what we want, who can grow there?
& both - how to find this out at the interview stage?? (hint: safety is crucial) (ref. Vernon's Qs on 'what happens if they leave')

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References:

[1] LinkedIn Post from Andre Salyer - 2024

[2] Conversation with Vernon Richards - 2024

[3] Cultural Transparency in a Virtual Work Environment - Jason Kujanen, 2015

[4] Redefining Success - Arianna Huffington, 2013