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CAREER
SMARTS: Seizing
Opportunities
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Work
Is No Place for Vacation
 These
are often called the lazy days of summer. It's a time
when most of Europe goes "on holiday," and
American parents are busily planning, packing and taking
family vacations or preparing children to go off to
summer camps. It's a frenzy of activity to enjoy the
break from school, from routine, and get some outdoor
recreation in, squeezing out every last drop of golden
sunshine.
The sheer exhilaration that comes from packing a bag
and heading off to sunny beaches or parts unknown —
adventures that await — this is what takes most
of our focus.
In the U.S., co-workers cycle through the "vacation
rotation," counting the days for their turn at
the "magic" 2 weeks.
Attention certainly revolves around rest, fun, and home
life. What could be better?
However, after you've had your much deserved break and
are back in the office, it may be wise to focus on the
opportunities that these "lazy days" can bring
in.
Being
There
Sometimes,
it's all about being there at the right time, the right
place.
Why
is this a good time to keep focused? Because many companies
close their fiscal books on June 30th. July begins a
new fiscal year. What this means is that, generally
speaking, a company that closes its books in June will
look at how to adjust the corporate landscape to meet
the new fiscal year's goals. These changes are all in
the works that last quarter, but really mobilize by
the time the kids start heading back to school in the
fall.
This
is a time for movement. Change is good. It brings a
shift. This is a time of opportunity.
"Change
is hard because people overestimate the value of what
they have — and underestimate the value of what
they may gain by giving that up." ~ James Belasco
and Ralph Stayer,
Flight of the Buffalo (1994)
We
Just Need A Hero
Reorganization
often opens doors into new territory. When everything
seems to be in chaos — it usually is. It's the
person who stays focused on a vision of what is needed
that can make great headway during these times. Leadership
during these times is what is needed. Remember that
leadership isn't limited to the boardroom. Everyone
has the opportunity to take the bull by the horns and
point out the way.
One
thing is always true — your company exists to make
a profit, to remain viable. There are roles and functions
that must be performed, roles and functions that must
be eliminated, and some that must be created to meet
new demands. These are the times when you can propose
solutions to problems and gaps that will occur naturally
as part of the transition process. These are opportunities
for leadership.
"The
rate of change is not going to slow down anytime soon.
If anything, competition in most industries will probably
speed up even more in the next few decades." ~
John P. Kotter, Leading Change
Make It So
VP's
and Directors are often so busy during a big restructuring
that they don't generally have time to hash out all
the details of their new teams. Frankly, that's not
their job. They provide a vision and a framework and
expect that their managers will build the infrastructure.
This is where you step in. This is where you can make
yourself and your team members shine.
Look
for opportunites to …
1.
SUPPORT THE VISION:
Make
it a point to understand the goals and objectives of
your organization. Find ways that you and your team
can support these.
For
example, I know a team who challenged themselves to
help their Director solve processes that would eventually
enable the outsourcing of their own jobs. Most people
would disengage and wait out the reduction in force
process, thinking dark thoughts and awaiting the inevitable.
However, this team chose participation.
It
was because this particular group had always been so
focused on customer service, and because they themselves
knew the inadequacies of the existing processes so well,
that they desperately wanted to be part of the solution.
Some of them were doing it to show they were capable,
some to prove to themselves that they could make a difference.
All of them reported a sense of satisfaction at putting
their "all" into their work.
In
the meantime, the grateful Director has been busy finding
new roles for these key folks within his organization.
He wants to make sure such valuable resources remain
with the company. This is the spirit that will pull
the company through lean times. It's also smart business.
"Throughout
the centuries there were men who took first steps, down
new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision."
~ Ayn Rand
2.
PROMOTE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE:
Change
will happen with or without you. It is better to be
seen as someone who can ride the waves rather than as
someone who sinks at the first sign of inclement weather.
A team member that can keep others feeling positive
and productive through difficult times is valuable.
They add to the group. Those who promote a negative
attitude subtract from the team, which impacts output.
"The
most positive men are the most credulous."
~ Alexander Pope
3.
MAKE CONNECTIONS:
Stay
on top of the changes occurring around you. What are
other groups working on? What are some of the key things
they will need to be successful? Do they have access
to these? How do their efforts relate to the work your
team is doing? Are there relationships with other teams
that you are aware of?
Understanding
efforts underway around you helps to put the puzzle
pieces together to form a master plan. It also helps
you be the agent for getting connections made. In a
large company, this is essential.
"All
is connected ... no one thing can change by itself."
~ Paul Hawken
4. TEAM:
Never
underestimate the power of teaming. Effective teaming
skills results in maximizing your scope of influence.
It provides a means to engage support in other areas
of the organization.
Working
as a team means driving mutual success. Often, life
in a large company can be a lot like a scavenger hunt.
It's all about understanding who has what, where to
go, and who to ask. Managers appreciate this.
Remember
the importance of quickly acknowledging good efforts.
This will ensure a good working relationship. After
all, people like to be viewed as valuable contributors.
These are the building blocks for success.
"The
nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others
on your side." ~ Margaret Carty
5. EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS:
You
hear it all too often, "I just don't have the bandwidth,"
or "That's not my job!" The corporate world
continues to be in a state of flux. The old days of
holding your head down during times of stress for fear
of being "laid-off" is not necessarily the
right approach.
The
tremendous increase in information, communications and
speed of transactions guarantees that the future will
continue to be constant evolution. Think about what
this means for you, the employee. You will need to continue
to adjust, to restructure, to change.
As
managers get challenged to restructure their groups,
often with reduced headcounts, it becomes more important
to focus on tightening delivery of output. Sometimes
to "repackage" work that is being produced;
sometimes to stop producing what is obsolete, or no
longer of value. Think about reports that have "always"
been generated, or forms that have always been filled
out — in triplicate. Are we still doing things
because they are important, valuable and needed, or
because we forgot to ask why?
Focus
on what is useful, what is needed in the evolving environment,
and eliminate what is obsolete. Coming up with new services
or outputs that help support the vision show management
that you and your team have the initiative to make the
company a success.
"There's
a way to do it better - find it." ~ Thomas Edison
It's expanding options to explore opportunities to integrate
with other team's efforts. This is powerful because
sometimes, with a little bit of effort, you may hit
on genius. Don't forget the power of proposing a "pilot"
effort. Managers like this because it comes across as
innovative, and has an air of "low risk" about
it.
"Opportunity
is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls,
and looks like work." ~ Thomas Edison
Don't
Check-Out!
It's
the lazy days of summer, and we want you to have fun
in the sun. But remember, these are the days when the
wheels of enterprise keep turning, when shifts are in
process, and when opportunity knocks … Don't
forget to answer the door! 
"If
there is a trait which does characterize leaders it
is opportunism. Successful people are very often those
who steadfastly refuse to be daunted by disadvantage
and have the ability to turn disadvantage to good effect.
They are people who seize opportunity and take risks.
Leadership then seems to be a matter of personality
and character." ~ John Viney, Drive
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