Balance work and family

When working parents struggle to balance work and home, they often feel the need to make drastic changes to get the flexibility they want. But finding a new job or going part time isn’t always necessary (and won’t always solve the problem).

Instead, try to make small tweaks to your schedule or working arrangements.

For example, you might leave the office early once every other week, duck out for the occasional soccer game or go straight home from any flight that lands after 2pm.

These measures sound small but can provide you with enough freedom to stick with your current job. Plus, they won’t be significant enough to hurt your performance — and your boss might not even notice them.

(Adapted from “Balancing Parenting and Work Stress: A Guide,” by Daisy Wademan Dowling.)

Build your skills inside your company

When you’re looking to build your skills for your next career opportunity, it’s tempting to seek out positions at other companies. But it’s often easiest to deepen your expertise within your current organisation.

After all, you’re familiar with the culture and probably have more access to opportunities in-house than in the broader industry.

So start close to home and seek out special projects or stretch assignments. Ask your manager about options available to you, including any temporary assignments such as taking on new tasks during a colleague’s sabbatical.

Look into formal training programmes as well, such as technical apprenticeships or outside degree programs that your company will pay for.

(Adapted from the “Harvard Business Review Manager’s Handbook.”)

Tackle your sense of malaise at work

What if you’re trapped in a job and your heart isn’t in it anymore? Though the tendency among some of us in such situations is to grin and bear it, scientific research suggests that there are ways to re-imagine an uninspiring professional existence.

— Assess what you want out of your work. People tend to fall into one of three categories: Some see their work as a career; others see it as just a job; and still others see it as a calling. It’s this third category of people who exhibit a greater sense of satisfaction with their jobs. The key for you is to determine what you care about now and build from there.

— See if parts of your job are ‘craftable.’ ‘Job crafting’ involves tweaking certain aspects of your work to gain a greater sense of meaning and satisfaction. If you enjoy analysis but not sales you may be able to adjust your responsibilities in that direction.

— Ignite your passion outside of work. It might be a latent hobby, a personal project or a ‘side hustle’ — whatever it is, having an outlet for your passion outside of work can counterbalance the monotony of your day job.

(Adapted from “What to Do When Your Heart Isn’t in Your Work Anymore” by Andy Molinsky.)

Motivate your employees

If you’re struggling to inspire the people on your team, look to your past.

Think about your own experience and what motivated you when you were in the lower levels of a company. Who was the best boss you ever had? What did that person do to make you want to perform at your best?

Reflect on what made your boss’s motivational strategies so effective for you. Now think about how you can apply those lessons to your own team. Be fearless in examining your own behaviour and curious about how your employees respond to you.

Repurpose your favourite boss’s techniques and make them your own.

(Adapted from “Motivating People Starts With Having the Right Attitude,” by Monique Valcour.)

Don’t skirt important issues

Too many meetings drag on without participants discussing the real problems that need to be addressed.

Combat this risk by explicitly asking that issues be discussed during the meeting, not before or after it.

Be specific about the meeting’s topic, letting everyone know ahead of time what you expect their contributions to be.

State the meeting’s purpose on the agenda, and reiterate it when the meeting begins, explaining that all problems should be raised in the room.

While some people may resist your directness, calling out difficult issues at the start of a meeting will increase the likelihood of candid discussions rather than hallway gossip.

(Adapted from “The Right Way to Start a Meeting,” by Liane Davey.)

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, July 31st, 2017