Kevin O'Bryan

Tag: corporate

  • Who are you without your job?

    Who are you without your job?

    I recently read an article titled 5 things you must do to treat yourself with kindness after a layoff. It detailed things to consider for self-care during period right after losing your job. But one of the tips struck me as something that is worth consideration well before we find ourselves in that position.

    The fourth recommendation was ‘Figure out who you are without your former job’ and I immediately identified it as something that we all must do while we are employed. Why wait until we’ve been laid off to have a clear understanding of who we are without a job?

    Boundaries

    For one, having this understanding will help you to set clear boundaries that will guide you while doing your job. Things such as your core principles, do’s and don’ts as well as non-negotiables all help to solidify our sense of identity outside of work but play a part in your decision making during work.

    In the article, it was noted that many people have “their sense of self wrapped up in what they do”, imagine then being able to clearly define your identity without the trappings of what you do, and instead focus on how you do it as well as who you are?

    The first step to unravel this identity crisis is to visit and establish the boundaries that you have set for your own wellbeing. Those self-preserving standards are the first sign of what makes you, you and provide a gauge of what holds you intact.
    job
    The thought that I could be somebody else underneath all of what I currently believe I am, is exciting. Because, that means that everything I ever told myself about the things that limit me and the justifications for those limitations, are completely false. Sometimes we get sucked into believing that all that we are is the value that we bring to our jobs, when the bigger picture and world beyond that wall says so much more.

    Discover what makes you special

    Whether you believe so or not, you bring something unique to every position and role you work in. Now may be the time for you to take stock of those skills, talents, or idiosyncrasies which make you an asset in your role. They may be the key to your future next steps, whatever those are. In evaluating my own gifts and what I bring to the table, I realized that in one of my former roles, the skillsets that I brought to the table allowed me to bring something unique to the job that could not be easily replicated if my replacement were to be hired, simply based on my job description.

    I brought that to the table and that is what I provided to the role, not the other way around. Too often we work in jobs over long (or even short) periods and think that the work in all its sameness has moulded us when in fact it’s our own dynamism that makes it liveable and allows us to add value. So we are not just filling a slot, we bring something to the table that in many ways cannot be copied.

    Outside of the daily job

    job

    Figuring out your identity outside of a job is a perfect opportunity to consider what the possibilities and next steps could be for your life, both professionally and otherwise.

    When you consider things liked – what else could I do? What would I be doing if not this?

    It all comes down to the basics of who you believe you are and what you feel you have to give to the world. It may mean grabbing opportunities that lead you into a completely new direction outside of that box that you were living in.

    Many people have discovered certain skills and talents in the process of doing their job and suddenly something that has laid dormant, provided new energy for something else.

    I don’t know who you are but I hope you find out and nurture that person in all the ways that they matter.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Subscribe to the blog here  and share your content suggestions here.

  • Surviving Work from Home

    Surviving Work from Home

    It’s been just over 2 years since my employer decided to permanently make a portion of the staff work remotely on a permanent basis. And while this was prompted by the pandemic, this seemingly revolutionary act in the context of most Jamaican corporate entities has benefits that I am sure the organisation continues to enjoy.

    And even while some companies have reversed their remote work policies, for those of us who are still operating within this new paradigm, it can still take some learning and adapting to get it right.

    Discipline

    Discipline is an important factor when it comes to being productive while working remotely and keeping distractions at a minimum.

    There are a few strategies I use to stay productive and keep distractions at bay while remaining as productive and efficient as possible.

    Disclaimer
    Before I get into sharing these strategies, I should note that some of the links within this article are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

    Dedicate Space

    An enabling physical environment is important when working from home as it is where you will end up spending the majority of your time while working. Whatever your home space looks like, find a section that is dedicated just for work and where possible, aim for some separation.

    work

    There are numerous benefits to doing this including the promotion of work life balance and reduced distractions. And while a dedicated workspace is possibly a luxury for some persons just mentally preparing a space can be beneficial. In creating this space, ensure proper seating, and lighting, such as this nifty LED Desk Lamp that attaches to your desk.

    Isolate meeting times for deep work

    I block out periods on my calendar to get deep work  done. Persons tend not to schedule meetings when you are already in a meeting. High priority meetings will always happen regardless, however this is particularly useful for those inexplicable meetings that could’ve probably been a well written email.

    work

    In the hustle and bustle of getting things done we tend to forget that some of the most meaningful things we accomplish are through the time we spend doing deep work. That sweet spot where you are able to get important work done, without distraction or answering someone’s call for a brainstorm session. These periods are necessary if you are going to produce your best and it is possible to make them part of your most productive hours.

    Prioritize deliverables dependent on others

    If I have to contribute to an activity that will be executed by someone else, I give that priority so that the overall project doesn’t get side-lined. While this applies beyond just the work-from-home scenario, it comes into sharper relief when you have to determine what to do with every minute of your work time and successfully execute to achieve your goals.

    For example, I work with a number of creatives such as graphic designers and videographers and typically, I ensure that whatever guidance they need to get their deliverables done, I work to provide that for them to ensure that the project rolls on. In this way, it’s as if you are getting more done at the same time, because while they are completing their tasks, you can do much more.

    Set and defend boundaries

    Aggressively defend your boundaries to ensure that extraneous requests don’t sabotage your daily work goals. This can be extremely difficult if, similar to my own experience, you are a point person in a subject area. There are multiple calls, emails and meeting requests, every single one of them an emergency, however it is up to you to determine which needs to be treated as a priority.

    Boundaries can look like: choosing not to participate in meetings set during your designated lunch hour, streamlining how you structure your day and how other people use up your time or simply saying no to requests that fall outside of your purview.

    Some of your colleagues will not be deferential to your effort to establish and maintain boundaries in the beginning, however communicating these in a respectful way, consistently, will bear some positive fruit.

    Be conscious of prolonged isolation

    One of the best parts of working remotely is being able to work within your own space, with your own rules and at your personal comfort level. For the introverted, working from home is a dream because the talkative co-workers are absent, so less interruptions and just more productive time.

    work

    However too much of a good thing can be bad and long periods of isolation can also affect your mental health. The ease of simply working through a computer screen, hopping from meeting to meeting and communicating via whatsapp and email, makes becoming isolated very easy.

    Therefore be deliberate about getting a change of scenery every few days even if it means just changing rooms or location. And while work-from-home is convenient, consider a hybrid approach by splitting time in the office. Sometimes it feels good to be in a room full of my colleagues, while working and nowadays I’m actually able to enjoy the company sometimes.

    Make it work

    We all have different working styles that become even clearer once we are left to craft our own daily routines while working from home. Ultimately what it comes down to is finding what works best for your needs. This could mean working in sprints throughout the day and taking regular breaks, to keep your interest or maybe your style is doing long stretches of work, uninterrupted. For some persons, they prefer to work from coffee shops, in public and surprisingly, that also works. Whatever is your preference, make it work as there is no specific way to work remotely.

    These are just some of the ways I’m ensuring that remote work remains doable for me.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Subscribe to the blog here  and share your content suggestions here.

    Kevin

  • Corporate work life: How to Thrive and Survive

    Corporate work life: How to Thrive and Survive

    Corporate Russian Roulette

    There are days when I go to work and before 10 am, I am fully ready to hand in my resignation and just say ‘Screw it All!’

    Yes, this is real life.

    It’s the life some of us live.

    We are not supposed to verbalise these feelings, in fact, you’re not supposed to talk about how much you hate certain aspects of corporate work life until you become one of those stories of people who have quit and hopefully able to brag that you’re ‘living your best life’

    So, what do you do instead?

    You remain, grateful, continue to do your best work, take care of your mental health and survive. There are a slew of things that we can all do to ensure that we survive and make the most of what working in a large organisation has to offer.

    After all, it’s not all doom and gloom and in fairness, the good days far outweigh the dark clouds of a bad day.

    There are some strategies that I have learned to employ to help me make the best of every moment and keep focused on being productive, accountable, alive and thriving.

    Walk with me.

     Reading is a gift that will keep on giving

                     

    If you are a reader, know that it is a gift that will serve you well in the corporate world, why? Because many people, working at whatever level of the corporate ladder, simply refuse to contend with anything that requires reading. They simply consider it bothersome and you see the results of this in email arguments that take place daily in companies everywhere. Now, with everyone else not reading, being able to spot details is something that adds value, because with less people reading, it means, more folks missing nuance and important details.

    Email follow-ups are key

    Sometime ago I wrote about email etiquette for the workplace here and it was an opportunity for me to delve into email habits that can serve us well.

    If it’s one thing James Comey’s book –  taught me, it was the importance of contemporaneous notes following meetings. What Comey did was brilliant. As a practice, he would routinely prepare memos following meetings to ensure a record of whatever the exchange was, existed. If you are familiar with his story, you know how well those memos served him, when it became necessary to sharing his story.

    In the corporate world, it’s no different, just a bit less intense. What I have found to work is preparing an email immediately following any meeting and sharing it with all participants, documenting the specific discussions and action points. I refuse to call this email meeting minutes, as I have learned that ‘meeting minutes’ – imbued with all the formality and need to record every small detail – often takes at least two days to be prepared and dispatched. This is the heights of inefficiency and is simply a time waster.

    The key thing about this practice is that it prevents others from changing the narrative of the meeting to fit what they need. Plus it keeps you and everybody else in the meeting accountable and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Reality is, some of your co-workers don’t respond well to tasks that aren’t written down, even if you’ve met about it.

    Observe patterns of behaviour

    We all have that co-worker who is so caught up doing their ‘work’ and they have no clue what is going on around them. Don’t be that guy.

    Make it your business to know how every move adds up, or not.

    While this is not a call for you to become the village voice for your place of work, it does you no good if you are unaware of what is happening in your company. Observing the corporate culture is key to helping you order your own steps.

    Then there is the just being aware of how your fellow employees relate to you and each other. It helps if you are able to mentally profile your team members in order to better navigate the working relationship. Not only does it prevent crossed wires, but in general it allows you to focus on being productive and getting the job done.

    This is why unpredictability upsets the apple cart so much. When people either take things personally or people get too personal with what they say and how they say it, it throws the workplace into chaos.

    The more you know.

    Choose your Battles

    It takes a certain level of mental fortitude to withstand the temptation of email warriors in the workplace who are always ready to tempt you into a back and forth. Worse still, are the potentially messy phone calls that can devolve into an argument.

    I remember the first and last time I got angry enough to shout at and hang up the phone on a colleague, primarily because I felt that the person in question was being extremely rude and disrespectful. The fact that I had to apologise, wholeheartedly afterwards, annoyed me to the core. It was a waste of time getting into a tiff, over work, in the first place. I vowed to never again get so that angry that I felt the need to lose my cool and behave like that.

    Restraint is the name of the game and I have learned that the long game is the best game when it comes to certain work relationships.

    It may be cute to recount your behaviour on Twitter, but in real life, it isn’t cute or quite as fulfilling.

    Smile, wave, breath, vent as needed and carry on, because you never know who wants you to lose your cool and jump off a cliff.

    When you do have to fight, use all the tools the corporate world provides: Well worded emails and no BS telephone conversations that can call out colleagues while still keeping it 100% respectful.

    Never share your childhood nickname with your co workers

    Learn from my mistake.

    A term of endearment needn’t be scandalized by people you work with.

    So caught up was in a moment of vulnerability (read food… I was eating food) during one of those team building gatherings, to get us to open up to each other.

    I was relaxed, enjoying my meal and ready to endear myself to my team members by sharing something they didn’t know. Never occurred to me that, them not knowing was the gift, but alas.

    I revealed my childhood nickname.

    Who would’ve thought that the revelation would come back to haunt me? I felt a dread previously unknown, when co-workers started parroting this name as if it was appropriate or their place.

    How dare you so casually throw a name about that was my dearly beloved, Great Grandma’s favourite name to call me by?

    You don’t know the history, you don’t know what it means? But you think it’s cool?

    Ha.

    It get’s worse

    To add insult to injury, a particular individual, who I wasn’t fond of decided that it was their prerogative to drop my nickname in at the most inappropriate and unnecessary times, At WORK.

    A term of endearment needn’t be scandalized by people you work with. It’s one thing if my co-worker, who I’m close with, uses it. I’m good with that. What pisses me is the assumed kinship some people have by referring to me by a name that’s not for their use.

    So, aside from my own sensitivity to being called by anything but my given name, it is clear that some ‘co-workers’ have no boundaries.

    Take my advice and don’t give them a chance to ‘Run wid it’.

    What are some of things that you are doing to make it in this Corporate Life? Let me know in the comments.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Kevin

    Subscribe to the blog here  and share your content suggestions here.