Want to Be Happier at Work? Identify Your Target "Take-Aways"

To feel successful in the workplace, it is critical to consider what we personally hope to learn or achieve. Yet, after we settle into a role — we barely broach the topic. While recruitment/selection focus on what we bring to the larger workplace "table", there is an equally important element that we fail to emphasize. I like to call this our "target takeaway" list. It identifies the work life experiences and self-identified goals that are important to us.

Progress toward these can significantly impact how we view our work lives — and the connection we forge with an employer.

To be blunt — many of us are simply not gaining the workplace experiences that we had envisioned. This can lead to disillusionment and diminished satisfaction with our work. You may be highly regarded and fulfill your role quite effectively — yet, you may feel bored or unmotivated as you begin each day. Some describe feeling frustrated or "stuck in neutral". We work diligently to accomplish the goals of our team or organization, but underestimate the power of achieving our own target goals. Rectifying this begins with an emphasis on clarifying and communicating these goals. This can lead to valued outcomes, including the development of a healthy psychological contract.

Research examining newcomers to organizations, has shown that these self-set goals, play an important role in how we assess vital elements of our work lives. Specifically, with the passage of time and tenure, the interaction of commitment to personal goals and perceived attainability, appear to influence levels of both organizational commitment and job satisfaction. (Interestingly, goal commitment alone, loses its power to predict job satisfaction and organizational commitment over time.) Other keys to this dynamic include perceived supervisory support, control over work and goal progress — which positively correlate and contribute to satisfaction.

While we typically focus upon on helping new employees accrue information concerning the defined tasks of their roles, there are other key, personal aspects of work life that may be consistently overlooked — specifically the personal goals brought to the role. As expressed by the researchers, Maier & Brunstein, "newcomers enter organizations with their own goals in mind and strive to enact them right after the beginning of employment." If organizations fail to facilitate progress toward valued goals, adaptation (as measured by expressed commitment and job satisfaction) may suffer.

We can apply these findings to our own work lives, by acknowledging and communicating our valued work and career goals. Here is a strategy to consider: Clearly delineate your target list early on, and refer back to it every frequently. (If you've never really considered personal goals for your current role — document them now.) Goals don't need to be earth shattering or monumental; they simply must be meaningful to you. Be open-minded about the list — and avoid focusing exclusively on salary or promotions.

Above all, ensure that you can articulate what you are seeking. Answer the following questions:

• First, things first. What is your definition of career success? As discussed in this HBR post, you have to start at the beginning — with the experiences you deem valuable. In other words, what elements of work life are "make it, or break it" experiences? Be clear about where you want to go, and get specific.
  
• What do you hope to learn? This can include broad content areas that you would like to master. For example, exposure to project management or gaining insight into a specific type of client or industry.
• What skills would you like to apply or finesse? Many of us learn cutting-edge techniques while studying or training, yet never have the opportunity to see them in action. (I worked for years before actually applying certain statistical techniques.) You should seek opportunities to apply techniques that interest you.
• What relationships are critical? Is there a specific mentor that would be particularly helpful to your career growth? A specific function that you would like to understand more fully? What relationships would help you grow as a contributor?
• Have you hammered out a plan? The research points to the power of perceived progress toward goals. Consider the strategy of setting smaller, achievable steps. Breaking more formidable goals into smaller increments will facilitate small successes along the way.

Initiating a conversation with your direct supervisor is key here — and whether you are an intern or a C-level executive, the same process applies. (You might start with the principles outlined in The Alliance Framework.) Remember that a healthy working relationship is a two-way street.

It's never to late to identify your targets and initiate some headway towards completion. What goals have you brought to your current role?

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. She is a Senior Consultant at Allied Talent and serves as the Director of Thought Leadership at Kilberry Leadership Advisors, Toronto. She is also writes The Office Blend.

Read more here:

Mending the Psychological Contract at Work

When its Time to Go: A Look at the Psychological Contract

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