Disengaged at your job? You CAN turn that around – starting today!

Have you lost interest in your job?  Did the daily butterflies you once had in your stomach for your job (back when it was shiny and new) morph into a Sunday night pit in your stomach that lasts until Friday afternoon?

This feeling is a way of life for about 70% of Americans according to Gallup.  A lot of information and research has been released about this study which includes what employers can do to change these alarming numbers.  If you are interested, you can check out that study here.  (http://www.gallup.com/strategicconsulting/163007/state-american-workplace.aspx)

For nearly 20 years I was an HR executive and part of my job was to come up with creative ideas about what the employer could do to improve employee moral.  The only type of program that I never designed was one where employees could acknowledge themselves for their own great behaviors and contributions.  Thankfully, I believe I have been able to do that through my approach to career coaching.

It seems to me that what employers can do is not where our power lies to make a lasting and substantial change in the data.  Could the real power to turnaround these statistics be within ourselves?

So what can employees do for themselves to turnaround their disengagement?  Yes YOU – what can YOU do to join – to grow – the 30% group that is engaged (dare I even say – happy on some level)?  The truth is, that the US workforce as never been reported to be more than 30% engaged since Gallup began tracking the employee engagement levels of the U.S. working population in 2000.  So you might say we are at an all time high – but are we really happy as a nation with a workforce where only 30% of us are engaged?  Imagine a world where these statistics were turned around (70% engaged)?!

You can easily start on this turnaround movement by answering 2 questions for yourself:

1.  What do I do better than most people that I know can make a difference for others?  

In other words – what are your talents?  And let go of the idea that your best talents are related to sports or artistic abilities – your best talents are most likely not TV-worthy (thank God!).  They are more important that being worthy for TV – they are more likely to be human-worthy.

Another way to ask this question is “What do I intend for others”?

2.  Do I actively focus on noticing opportunities to provide my talents to others?  

That means you will have to let go of looking for evidence that your current place of employment is not worthy of your engagement.  Let me remove the need for you to look for this evidence – as a former head of HR I can assure you that no company is worthy of your full engagement – but the people in that organization and the individuals served by that organization absolutely are – no matter how terrible their attitude toward you is or how underserving they may behave at times.

No one with a terrible attitude ever got rehabilitated by being told they were in fact “terrible”.  This approach doesn’t work with kids, spouses, family and it especially doesn’t work with employees, bosses or customers – in fact, it is downright fuel for even the mildest case of “terrible attitude”.

Think about it – if we lived in a world where are everyone was deserving of everything we could do for them we would be in living on Utopia – not Earth.  Be grateful for the kindnesses you receive from others – especially the kindnesses you are not focused on noticing – because they are there.  Pay it forward by bestowing your talents on others who also seem highly unworthy of them.  The more you commit to giving your talents forward without regard for what you get in return, the faster you will be on a path to giving them in an environment and to people who appreciate and value your contributions.  And receiving appreciation and noticing evidence that you are valued is an antidote to job burnout (and there are studies that support this), disengagement and certainly to noticing terrible and undeserving attitudes in others.

So are you giving your talents at 100%?  If your current place of employment truly does not appreciate a full force demonstration of your best talents – then all the more reason to persist in giving them at 100% (yes, even without respect or rewards) because in your persistence to give your talents your energy will no longer resonate with that employer and opportunities for employment with people/places that will value what you have to offer will show up – this is a law of physics!  Albert Einstein said “Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it.  Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality.  It can be no other way.  This is not Philosophy.  This is Physics.”  You simply have nothing to lose except “terrible” attitude syndrome (your own or other’s attitudes that are directed at you) and a job that would never have made you happy and never enabled you to earn all the rewards you can possible earn for your amazing talents. Maybe you are right – maybe your job and your talents are not a good match at all – but a poor match doesn’t in fact make the job or employer “bad” – it’s just not “good for you – which also means you are not “good” for the job or employer.

Don’t desire or be thankful for a job you love – desire to love what you do that can make a difference for others and have gratitude for about 40 hours of opportunity to provide that to others every week.  The return is sustained fulfillment, happiness and success beyond anything you can possibly imagine right now free from worry about job changes or job loss.

Not sure what you do for others?  Let indigoforce guide you step-by-step…

Get a slice of our highy-proven and sought after Success Readiness Bootcamp – at a highly affordable price.  Discover your “Signature Services” for only $250 (a $500 value).  Here is what you get:

• 1 downloadable training audio that will guide you step-by-step to discovering your “Signature Services” – express who you are and what you have to offer to others – it’s your unique value proposition that sets you apart from others.
• A guided notetaking tool to help you develop your “Signature Services” statements – A “Signature Services” statement is a declaration that showcases traits you chronically and easily engage in to bring about an intended benefit to others.  Your “Signature Services” statement reveals to others what you can be relied upon for (what you can’t help yourself), to provide to others.  These statements give you a vocabulary – the language – to share your value proposition.
• 1 live, audio-recorded coaching session (up to 1 hour), with Gina Calvano – Refine your statements – make them a true conversational representation of what you do for others.  Learn to live by your statements – to demonstrate the qualities, actions and intentions you clarified about yourself – and match them to job opportunities that will value what you have to offer.
• a BONUS GIFT  (please enjoy this gift no matter what you ultimately decide to do) – Enjoy free access to my Values Clarity exercise.  Start making more meaningful and purposeful decisions for your life immediately.  Access the Bonus Gift here:  – it will give you a good flavor for my training style and step-by-step approach!

Sign me up now! (call me or send me an email to set up your session today!)

The words we use to describe ourselves and the intention we have for others by doing what we do for them is one way we express our personal brand.  Those words are so important because if people can relate to how you describe yourself – if they are intrigued and want to experience the benefits you intend for others then that makes you more memorable and attractive than other job candidates – even if the other candidates have more experience than you.

Candidates who can explain who they are and what they can be relied upon for and how that can matter for others are the candidates who get the job time and time again.  Employees who demonstrate who they are, are reliable to deliver their talents and make a difference for others are the employees who enjoy working with passion and feel a profound connection to their company and those they serve. They drive innovation and move the organization forward. (In short, they are in the 30% category – they are those who enjoy the personal and professional rewards associated with engagement).

A lot of my clients report that this session helps them to see what is unique about themselves.  It helps them feel confident because the language they secure through this session inspires them to consistently give all they can to those they serve and to explain what they can be relied upon for in job interviews without sounding boastful.  They become in touch with something that is profoundly true, reliable and unique about themselves – something that makes a difference in the world.  Read my client testimonials.

Help me discover my “Signature Services” now! (call me or send me an email to set up your session today!)