July  Issue of                       CAREER CONNECTION 

The Importance of Being Aligned With Your Work

I have seen many examples of people who are aligned with what they do and of those who are not aligned. It makes a huge difference in the way work is accomplished as well as how it impacts those we work and interact with.  

When I say, "being aligned to your work", I mean being connected to something that is meaningful to you, which aligns with your values and allows you to fulfill your desire to make a difference through your work.  I coach many leaders who sometimes struggle in their roles and have behaviors that need to change or "developmental opportunities".  

We all have areas to grow and develop but if the developmental opportunity is not aligned with something that is meaningful to you or gives your work purpose, you will likely struggle to develop in that area. If you lead from a place that is aligned to your values and from your place of purpose and making a difference, leading becomes very easy.  In fact, people will want to follow you because they see how connected you are to what you are doing.  Not only that, but doing your job also becomes very easy when you are aligned in this manner.    

To find out if you are aligned with what you do, take some time to think about your values and motivators.  What do you value?  Does your work allow you to focus on what you value?  What motivates you to get up in the morning?  Does your work motivate you to get up in the morning?  If you answer "no" to these questions too many times in a row, you may want to reconsider what it is you are doing for work, or look to discover how you can shift what you are doing in small ways so that it is more aligned with your values and motivators.

I want to share an example of what it looks like when someone is not aligned or connected to what they are doing for work. 

Recently, I was on an Amtrak train headed up to Stamford, CT for a meeting with my mastermind group and had the unpleasant experience of being in the Business Class car with a  conductor who was rude and intimidating to the passengers.  He was a big man who spoke in a condescending tone; yelling (and I mean yelling) at passengers who were asleep or had their headphones on and eyes closed that he needed:"ALL TICKETS AND TICKET RECEIPTS!!".  At one point I heard the following from a few rows ahead of me,  "HELLO? HELLO MA'AM???" and, as the woman was apparently startled awake, he says, "I SAID I NEED ALL TICKET RECEIPTS NOW- WE HAD A CREW CHANGE IN DC".  Clearly that woman had been asleep since prior to arriving in DC.

Then there were a few passengers who mistakenly were in business class without a proper ticket.  He humiliated them in front of the entire car by saying loudly and repeatedly so all could hear, "YOU'RE IN THE WRONG CAR! WHAT DOES THAT SAY ON YOUR TICKET? DOES IT SAY BUSINESS CLASS? NO - WRONG CAR!" I was embarrassed for those passengers and for him.  Clearly this is someone who did not appear to be aligned to what he is doing. 

When people are aligned with their work, they are happy because they feel fulfilled and proud of what they do. I think train conductors should be passenger/customer-oriented and kind to those of us who ride the train and provide business to Amtrak.  They shouldn't be intimidating and rude.  I've been around many train conductors in my life who obviously love what they do because they are kind and funny and enjoy being with the passengers and riding on the train.  Now, perhaps this gentleman was having a bad day. I am not presuming to know what was going on with him, but I do know that his demeanor and attitude was one of someone who was miserable.  And, it was obviously impacting him as well as those of us who had to be around him and listen to him (and cower when he came around) for the duration of that train ride.  It was not a pleasant experience.  

I'm sure many of us have witnessed behaviors like this from those we work with or, perhaps we can even be intimidating or rude to our colleagues or employees sometimes?  And, yes, we all have bad days but again, if they are happening too many in a row and impacting others (as well as ourselves) in a negative way, it may be time to evaluate whether you are aligned with your work. Does it connect with what you value?  Does it motivate you and bring meaning to your life?

I would also like to share an example of someone who is aligned to their work and who clearly does something that connects with what she values and what brings meaning to her life.  

This example is about a good friend of mine who was once a Marketing Executive in a large pharmaceutical company.   After about 10 years in this career, she had two children and suddenly what she valued and what motivated her shifted.  Being in a big marketing executive position was no longer aligned to what mattered most in her life.  What mattered most was now being a Mom to her children.  She actually noticed many negative behaviors (impatience with her team, cynicism about her company, general feeling of "dread" about going to work) creeping into her work world so that was a clear indicator that she was no longer aligned. 

My friend decided to leave her corporate job and start her own part-time business working from her home so that she had enough time to be there for her kids as they were growing up.  Her business was centered on creating marketing messages for small businesses and she modeled it in such a way that she could do all her work from home.  This was essential because her number one priority was being a Mom to her children.  After she did this, I watched her blossom into this person I never knew before; someone who was calm and kind all the time and who clearly was "in the flow" of doing what she loved, which, for her was both being a Mom and running her small business creating marketing messages for her clients. Although my friend made a drastic change to align herself, it sometimes only takes a shift in the way we work or who we are working with to create a better connection to what we do.  It doesn't need to be drastic.

I think we intuitively know when we are around people who are united with their purpose and whose work represents that purpose.  They are calm, confident, happy, serene, energized and inspiring.  Think about some public figures or Olympic Athletes such as Oprah Winfrey or Shaun White.  These individuals exude confidence and passion in all they do and things flow for them.  Why? Because they are doing work that honors their values and work that motivates them. I see this behavior in my pet sitter and the vet technicians at my veterinarians' office.  These people love being around and helping animals so much that animals love to be around them and people do too!  So, I recommend the same for you:  do what you love, what you value, and what motivates you.  It will make all the difference for you and those who will have the pleasure of being in your presence.

Andria Corso is the founder of C3-Corso Coaching and Consulting, an Executive Coaching & Talent Solutions Consulting firm that helps clients reach their highest potential.