The Secrets of Those Who Love Their Work:
How people are thriving and finding the right work
despite the challenges of the new workplace

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What has remained the same in the workplace

Success takes time
Although the brief ascension of many dot.coms may have seemed an aberration, their fall from grace and the devastation to their workforces comes as little surprise to anyone who has worked more than a few years. There really are few quick success stories. Some would say there are none, but I always feel there are exceptions. Certainly some people managed to get ahead of the pack and make a quick fortune. However, most did not. Many people were damaged not just because their dreams did not come true, but because they became unnecessarily disillusioned by companies that did not deserve them in the first place. As with many things in life, if something seems too good to be true it likely is. Putting people in jobs for which they have no qualifications and no experience generally turns into a disaster. This was often the case with dot.coms, which had people over their heads too soon. Some folks learned a few good lessons and have moved on. Others may not have learned anything beyond fear and distrust of others, which is a shame.

Emotional intelligence matters most
People who succeed, and workplaces that succeed place a premium on strong emotional intelligence. Daniel Goldman's seminal work on the nature of emotional intelligence and its importance for workplace success is a cornerstone of achieving workplace satisfaction and success. Essentially, emotional intelligence is a composite of a number of individual types of intelligence including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. The point is that those who are satisfied and do well at any given job have the right types of emotional competencies to succeed at that job.

People make the difference
Another constant is that despite the increased use of technology, people make the difference in any organization. In companies where people are treated well and there is a positive culture, day- to-day work is more productive, people perform better and overall there is greater satisfaction. Research into companies with good human resources policies including an abundance of training and proper work supports, have higher profits and improved performance.

People remain uninformed
Many people are uninformed. This remains a constant too. There are businesses that use out of date and poor approaches to employee relations and workplace cultures. There are many very dysfunctional companies and managers that make their workplaces tough to live in.

Many are still selfish and self-centered but complete duplicity does not pay
People are the same in that many are selfish and overly self-centered. To be successful in today's workplace is to be properly savvy and not naïve about people's motives and goals. This is no different than the past, only more so. The current American business and social culture tells people it is "ok" to exist for oneself. Healthy selfishness is a good thing. But, for some, this movement toward proper self-respect and regard has been taken to new extremes excusing the most egregious of behavior.

However, extreme forms of self-centered behavior do not appear to be productive. This should make many of us feel good. It is simply untrue that only bad people succeed. Truly bad and dishonest people often are found out and punished. I found it shocking that a young man who was putting false information into chat rooms and then profiting from the deception did not see his actions as wrong after the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) stepped in. But the point is he was caught and stopped despite his lack of understanding of what he did wrong. Another example is Al Dunlap, who has been disgraced and is being pursued legally for the terrible deceptions he tired to get away with at Sunbeam.

Teamwork is a must
Finally, another constant is the emphasis on teamwork. Teamwork has always been an important element of the workplace. But today's complex working situations require an even greater need to work well with a variety of other people. The lone ranger was never the hero of the workplace and that remains the case today.

In summary, the workplace is harsher, tougher, more diverse, challenging and fast paced. It also offers greater options, more flexibility and greater tolerance for difference. People remain the constant and are essential to any enterprise. Understanding camaraderie, teamwork and the use of relevant emotional intelligence remains key to success and satisfaction for anyone no matter what they are doing. It is unrealistic to expect any business (except if you own it) to focus on you and your needs. Business opportunities as well as non-profit opportunities abound, but one has to work diligently on hardiness and personal security to move ahead since the support and help one might need is often unavailable. One has to work hard to study the workplace and make informed choices.

Behaviors that support and those that detract from a happy and satisfying career

What are behaviors that seem to work today given the workplace just described?

Successful behaviors, attitudes or skills leading to satisfaction

Self-knowledge
The most important tool for success is self-knowledge. This leads to the understanding and pursuit of what is important without regard for what is happening externally. Self-awareness helps prevent the selection of a job that has too much stress or too little challenge. Self-awareness helps avoid expectations that are unrealistic and childish. If you want to be successful, have fun, feel fulfilled and get the most out of your work, figure out who you are first. Identify your strengths and limits, your goals and dreams and then let these things lead you to meaningful work rather than external conditions. Take charge of learning about yourself and then use that knowledge along with your understanding of the workplace to make the right personal choices.

Flexibility
The next behaviors that seem to help achieve satisfaction are flexibility and nimbleness. Yes, you trained to be a programmer. But unfortunately those jobs aren't available in the city you are in and health or family issues prevent you from moving. What else can you do? How quickly can you react to finding something different? How can you find work that lets you use what you know to make a contribution? Or, one can't find just the right job in a city he loves. What about moving? The point is that happiness and satisfaction do not come to those that are rigid and have to have things just a certain way. Being able to roll with the changes and the complexity of the workplace seems to lead to greater satisfaction and success.

Being a Team player
Being a team player and being seen as one is critical. People whose only focus is their own career or their own needs tend to do less well professionally than those whose focus includes the organization, customers, colleagues and the web of folks whose work supports their own. Of course one has to look out for oneself, but the lone ranger is not a strategy for personal satisfaction nor is he someone who others like, respect or want to work with.

Being a continuous learner
Being a learner and taking the time to continue to learn is a fundamental skill of satisfied and successful people. There are more opportunities than ever to learn-on the Internet, through books and articles, seminars, therapy, in teams, with clients and other professional colleagues. From deep learning to just keeping up with superficial changes in one's industry the chances to learn are available in abundance. But, unlike in the past, there may not be someone telling you exactly what to study or where to go to learn what you need. The new learner has to be on the look out for opportunities to learn and grow. They have to analyze what they need to know and go to the right sources for that knowledge. Knowledge is power and the more one knows the more likely one is to recognize opportunities, see the possibilities and understand the necessity of listening to and growing with others. Take time to learn and enrich your mind and your satisfaction will increase.

Proper people skills
Being properly people oriented is also related to success at work. In some ways we have extremes in the workplace. Many baby boomers are too people focused and find some of the more aloof styles of the GenX irritating and upsetting. On the flip side, many GenX people feel they don't want to be bothered by too much personal talk and sharing while working. The best way may be a middle ground. Realize that the diversity of the workplace both in terms of age, and in every other way has made the people issue more challenging. Use the flexibility mentioned earlier as a means to get along with a wide range of people. People may vary in the types of attention they require, but everyone does want that attention. Ignore people at work and you will likely have problems.

Passion for what you do
Have passion. It is tough if you don't to get it, but nothing increases satisfaction like passion for something. If you really believe in what you are doing, if you really feel your work is making a difference, or terrific fun, that enthusiasm and passion will lead to success and satisfaction. Passion makes the inevitable problems less important and the stumbling blocks a challenge more than a chore. If you have no passion for what you are doing, it may well be time to move on.