If you don’t know where you’re going, no path will take you there.
Anonymous
Work is often described in terms of a set of changing 1. Work rules; 2. Boundary conditions; 3. Tools, and 4. Expectations. Let’s look at each:
Most of us knew our work rules, because they were presented to us in a policy manual, workshops and personal one-on-ones. These instructions worked for us. We knew what was expected and we learned how to do what was expected. Do you know your present work, career, and job rules?
Until a few years ago, the boundary conditions for almost all businesses were the four walls in which work was conducted. It may have been the office, factory, restaurant, or some other workplace. With the virtual office, the workplace may be corporate headquarters, your home, or even an automobile anywhere in the world. Are your willing and ready to work virtually or even move to find the right employment?
The tools of the workplace not too many years ago were pencils, pens, and mechanical devices. Now, workplace tools are electronic including cell phones, laptops, Web 2.0, Facebook, RSS feeds, etc. Are you current with all the tools and techniques of your profession?
A person entering the workplace twenty or even ten years ago assumed lifetime loyalty was rewarded with lifetime work. No longer! Employers now make us responsible for our employability to develop value-adding skills. Do you know your client’s or boss’s expectations?
Life Lesson Earned: Start noodling answers to the above questions. Do you know what’s expected of you at work and do you know how to meet and exceed these expectations?