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| Advice In A World Of Shifting Jobs: Cultivate Good Karma By Martha E. Mangelsdorf, Globe Correspondent |
I was unhappy at work. My job as a senior editor at a magazine had way too many duties. I was beginning to burn out, and I was quietly trying to negotiate changes in my job with my bosses, who weren't very receptive to the idea. I was starting to think seriously about quitting. One day, as negotiations with my higher-ups weren't going well, a woman a bit lower in the organization's hierarchy than me did something minor that really annoyed me. And, annoyed as I was with my own boss at the time, I did something I'm not proud of: I got angry and responded to her sharply. I soon regretted losing my cool and apologized to her. But the experience left me chagrined. Who was I turning into, that I would take out my frustrations unfairly on someone else? That was seven years ago. I quit the job, where I was experiencing burnout, but I'm grateful for the editing skills I developed there, which I use in my work as a self-employed writer and editor. I'm also grateful I was sensible enough to apologize to the woman I was unpleasant to. Here's why. Later, she and I worked together again. Later still, she took a job at another publication and, in that job, was one of my first customers when I became self-employed. In early 2001, I was laid off in a round of downsizing. Four days later the former colleague and I were having breakfast together, and I ended up with an article assignment from her. The business relationship blossomed, and she became a steady customer of mine, an excellent editor I enjoyed working with. New businesses thrive on momentum. Work begets work, and new customers lead to other new customers. These days, now that I have a busy writing and editing practice, I remain grateful my former colleague helped me get started during a recession. But what would have happened if I hadn't apologized to her years before? My business life could be different in a bad way. If I had been too proud to say "I'm sorry." In my four years of self-employment, I've come to realize that, in today's world of organizational change, power is a lot more complicated than it used to be. I've seen that after the local company where I worked for more than a decade was sold to a company based elsewhere, almost all the jobs moved out of state. Nonetheless, as a self-employed person, I find myself sustained by a resilient network of business relationships built up in various ways. I've come to believe that there are at least five different kinds of power we can exercise in our work lives, and that some of them are often overlooked. Here's what they are - and how you can maximize them in your own career: The power of what you do. This is obvious power: that of position. It's the power of where you stand in an organization, and what that means to the world. It's power often obtained through traditional means, such as education, training, and promotions. The power of where you work. This is the power of organizational affiliation. This may be particularly important for people starting their career, since the first places where you work then are like alma maters, each providing an affiliation you carry forward. In their book, "The Five 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers," James M. Citrin and Richard A. Smith advise young people to "go blue chip early" in their careers, since having a well-respected company on your resume may help you later. The power of who likes you. Everyone you interact with in both your business and personal lives may someday be somebody who could help you if they like you. And the people who may help you don't have to play a big part of your current life. You never know who, in the future, may be in a position to assist you if they like you. To build this kind of power, maintain good karma and avoid temptations to be a jerk. The power of what you know how to do. This is driven by the set of skills you assemble, the things you can sell to an employer or a customer of your own business. It's power that may come in the form of a credential or from technical or interpersonal skills. Increasing the power of what you know how to do may sometimes mean making unusual career moves, such as taking positions with less prestige that will give you new skills. The power of what you don't need. This type of work-related power isn't always understood: The power of what you don't need is inverse power: The less you need, the more power you have. If you earn $80,000 a year and need every penny to meet expenses, your boss and organization have more power over you than if you need only half that salary to live happily. The same goes for job alternatives: The less you need your current job because you are easily able to find something comparable or better, the more power you have in your work life. Conversely, the more you need your job, the more you may put up with. This power of having other options is also essential to those in business for themselves. I once heard a smart venture capitalist point out the advantages of being able to say "No thanks" in business relationships, of being able to walk away if necessary. For entrepreneurs, that suggests maintaining a diverse set of customers and not being too dependent on any one. As an employee, how do you build the power of what you don't need? Be frugal. Live below your means. Build a savings cushion for a rainy day. Keep up on jobs and networking opportunities in your field. And remember: At the end of the day, companies come and go, but your network remains. |
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