I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest. And while his words startle me with their ego wounding potential, the traditional feel-good, let-you-down-easy, sugar-coated feedback is not much of a gift. It's hard to tell someone they're not good enough and their dreams are not going to happen, at least in this venue. But not telling them is no gift either. Some contestants rise to the challenges he throws at them. Some don't. And, some can't. Which one are you?
The people who influenced me most in my career were those who gave me the hardest critiques. Stricken with a bruised-ego for days, or on occasion for months, inevitably their feedback helped me make the right life choices to improve, change direction, or stay the course with intensity. In fact, the boss who was the hardest on me is the one I thank the most. Good was not good enough if I was capable of better, and she was quick to point out when that was. No sugar coating from her. And the funny thing? When I was honest with myself, I knew she was right.
Being honest with yourself is one of the challenges to winning at working. We all have talents and abilities, but they're not always in the areas we pursue at work. Too many people I've run across in my career have American Idol Syndrome (AIS). Like Idol contestants auditioning with little or no singing ability, these people believe they are good at what they do. They can't understand why they don't get the promotion, the outstanding review, or the highest increases. They view themselves as varsity team material, but they play with junior varsity skills.
When I was a freshman at Stanford, I got a D in biology. Stanford graded on a bell-curve, so an 84% that might traditionally put me in a B category, was near the class bottom. Accustomed to A's, first quarter grades woke me up. At first, I rationalized a D at Stanford was an A or a B at most any other school. But, reality prevailed. I wasn't at another school. If I was going to compete at the school I was at, it was time to use more than high school skills to bring results.
Are you applying yourself? Are you as good as you could be to get the raise, the promotion, or the more interesting work? If these are things you want, don't suffer from AIS. Give yourself some Simon-esk feedback. Ego aside. A Simon-esk answer to the questions, "how good are you?" and "are you in the right field?" offers you a chance at becoming happier and more successful at working. The answers give you choices: you can stay the course; find a playing field at your skill level; improve your skills to compete where you are; or change directions.
(c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.
Sign up to receive Nan's free biweekly eColumn at http://www.winningatworking.com. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and on-line instructor. Visit http://www.nanrussell.com or contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com.
Once a new job has been accepted, you need to... Read More
In today's unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with... Read More
There is a major difference between conventional resumes and executive... Read More
Your resume needs to outline your skills and experience, as... Read More
If you're wondering how to become a real estate agent,... Read More
As you take CDL practice test, you do become more... Read More
Are you interested in inside sales as a career? Inside... Read More
Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?Is everything... Read More
Your resume is your sales document. It tells the world... Read More
If you've chosen a business career, you will inevitably experience... Read More
It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you... Read More
For some job opening, employers receive hundreds and even thousands... Read More
Several times a year, I hear someone complain about the... Read More
I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If... Read More
Q. For my second career, I'd like to know "What... Read More
Buying a suit can be an important investment when you... Read More
Being a current job seeker can be quite a challenging... Read More
You may have read one of my previous articles on... Read More
Unexpectedly loosing your job can be a very traumatic and... Read More
Interviews can be nerve-racking, brain-draining, headache-inducing experiences. These days, recruiters... Read More
Resume Writing doesn't have to be a solo gigResume writing... Read More
Do you know that a hiring manager just spends 10... Read More
Closing the InterviewKnowing how to successfully close an interview can... Read More
WARNING: This article is likely to make you mad.In fact,... Read More
With the opening of a new venture and numerous reporters... Read More
Many people love learning languages or would like to learn... Read More
With the advent of the Internet, many of us have... Read More
At the end of the third job interview, Helene was... Read More
For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an... Read More
Cover Letters must grab the reader's interest so that they... Read More
Promote Your Resume Business Website!While we make our websites to... Read More
Practicing Altruism The 'Golden Rule' occurred in the Greek and... Read More
It is important to prepare thoroughly for your telephone interview.Begin... Read More
When you're looking for work, some of your expenses will... Read More
These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The... Read More
Getting along with your co-workers is critical to yourhappiness and... Read More
Older job hunters fear interviews where their age cannot be... Read More
Me, outsourced? Impossible. How could they replace a business-humor columnist?... Read More
I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol.... Read More
This is one of those broad questions that can take... Read More
The dreaded job interview is the Number 1 source of... Read More
There are many changes coming in the world of work,... Read More
Are you going nowhere in your career? If you've decided... Read More
Are you unhappy at work? Tired and lacking energy and... Read More
Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent... Read More
Studies show that more than 50% of people are unhappy... Read More
You have worked hard at finding your next job. You... Read More
One of the most common forms of background check performed... Read More
Has this ever happened to you: You have been working... Read More
A "blog" is simply an internet (web) log. Blogs are... Read More
This is a question that you can almost count on... Read More
WARNING: This article is likely to make you mad.In fact,... Read More
1. Start with an attractive layout. Use bold and italics... Read More
Collect them all!Over the course of six months in my... Read More
The fastest way to make a good interview go bad... Read More
Today everyone is looking for that special job that will... Read More
Often you see job postings with a request such as... Read More
Informational interviews are designed to get as much information as... Read More
Any online recruitment agency can help you to submit for... Read More
Congratulations! You've just been appointed to your new job. Now... Read More
That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did... Read More
Working in ChinaWorking in China is very common now. Either... Read More
"To love what you do and feel that it matters,... Read More
The need to tell people about yourself may present itself... Read More
The interview is the "beauty contest" part of the job... Read More
It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |