Steps to Reinvent Your Job - Effective Communication

How much power do you have to shape your job? How much influence do you wield on your team?

The answer to both questions is simply, “A lot; quite possibly more than you realize.” The fact is, you have all the power you need to begin reinventing your job to make it more rewarding personally and professionally. Each time that you speak, you shape your job. Like a master artist, you use your own words to paint the canvas of your own job and to lead your own future.

At Management Solutions Group we offer team building and communication workshops that empower you to work with a team to more successful results. These are the tools you need to start reinventing your job. You don’t need to wait for someone else to begin reinventing your own job. Decide today to begin a three week experiment using our tips, and watch for the positive changes in your job.

Step One

The first step in reinventing your job is to understand what we at Management Solutions Group call the Four-to-One principle of human motivation. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that human beings remember four negative comments to every one positive comment. This being the case, one might assume that people need negative feedback in order to succeed. The irony is that the exact opposite is true! While our minds focus (and even fixate) on negative feedback, we need positive feedback in order to sustain our forward momentum.

Step Two

Determine that you will create positive momentum for yourself and others. Promise yourself that you will focus on the positive and speak positively about yourself and others. By choosing to accentuate the best about yourself and others, you will create the positive environment needed to reinvent your job.

Step Three

It’s a fact of life that people can be annoying (chances are, you’re even disappointed in yourself occasionally). These tips from our DiSC® training will help you focus on your strengths and the strengths of others. Meet the cast of your coworkers and their strengths.
Strengths of Dan and Danielle Dominance
These people live to cause action. They dare to step out when others are holding back. In the interest of moving forward, they are willing to tolerate conflict when others won’t. Deep down, others may occasionally suspect that the action they cause is misguided or just too risky. But without these key players, organizations don’t move forward. Give them the credit they deserve for being:

• Direct and Demanding
• Forceful and Decisive
• Self Assured and Competitive

Strengths of Inez and Ivan Influence

These people are good at relating to many people at once. They converse easily, laugh often, and act as the “glue” that holds people together. They have many friends, and have a knack for encouraging others. Their network of contacts is often as good for business as it is for friendships. Give them credit for being:

• Enthusiastic and Persuasive
• Generous and Trusting
• Influential and Sociable

Strengths of Sam and Sara Steadiness

These people are the ultimate team contributors. They dislike sudden change and conflict. They like working with others, but are usually quiet and reserved. They seldom push themselves into the limelight, preferring instead to work quietly and efficiently without a lot of fanfare. Often they have a dry wit and a keen sense of humor. Give them credit for being:

• Patient and Loyal
• Team-Person
• Relaxed and Deliberate

Strengths of Clara and Clark Conscientiousness

These people are your team’s diplomats. With a cautious and careful approach to facts and details, they excel at mastering the details that frustrate or annoy others. They prefer a more reserved business atmosphere, and are more likely to have a small number of close friends rather than a large rolodex of contacts. Give them credit for being:

• Perfectionist and Accurate
• High Standards and Systematic
• Courteous and Careful

Step Four

As you focus on the strengths of those around you, here are some additional quick tips for relating to them. Remember, our challenge is to uncover the strengths that motivate others. By valuing their strengths and adapting to their motivational needs, we can move beyond the Golden Rule of treating others how we would want to be treated to the Platinum Rule where we treat others how they want to be treated.

Tips for Relating to Dan and Danielle Dominance

• Communicate briefly and to the point
• Show independence
• Let them initiate

Tips for Relating to Inez and Ivan Influence

• Be relaxed and sociable
• Provide written details
• Give public recognition for individual accomplishments

Tips for Relating to Sam and Sara Steadiness

• Be logical and systematic in your approach
• Let them know how things will be done
• Give them time to adapt to change

Tips for Relating to Clara and Clark Conscientiousness

• Give clear expectations & deadlines
• Show dependability
• Be tactful and reserved

Reinventing your job by focusing on the strengths of others is good business. Cultivating these positive perspectives about yourself and others will create momentum for you and your team. As your skills grow, your influence will too. Your job will become more rewarding professionally and personally.