Personal and Professional Change Over

¶ … Personal and Professional Change

Over time, many people will experience some defining moments in their lives that will serve to clearly demarcate their transition from one stage to another. Events such as high school graduation, marriage, deaths and so forth all serve as such defining moments that not only make people feel older, but serve as social milestones from one stage of life to the next. In some cases, though, these life-shaping events are less clear-cut, but nevertheless influence people for the rest of their lives. These less clear-cut events can include reading a particular book or even a quotation that strikes a resonant chord that drives people to overcome the inertia in their lives and take some type of action. The reading discussed below can represent several such life-altering events as well, making their analysis and discussion a worthwhile and timely enterprise. To this end, this paper provides personal reactions to several readings, including a discussion concerning how these will be used to improve performance in the author's personal and professional lives. An assessment concerning how the insights that emerged during the reading can be used to facilitate organizational change in the future is followed by a summary of the readings and important findings in the conclusion.

REACTION: REVIEW AND DISCUSSION.

There is certainly an abundance of advice available concerning how best to achieve personal or professional development, but finding the right mix of personal interest and the content presented makes the likelihood that any given reading will have a lasting influence on an individual remote. Nevertheless, in some cases, this personal mix become active to the extent that something that is read or seen will be placed in long-term memory, perhaps even for life because it carries a high degree of personal significance and relevance for the reader or viewer. For instance, when tens of millions of Americans witnessed the use of vicious police dogs and fire hoses on civil rights demonstrators on television during the sixties, many people who had been previously complacent or benign about civil rights were outraged and moved to action in supporting the cause. These types of events, though, are extremes but the same level of forceful change can be achieved when the advice is sufficiently sound and these issues are discussed further below.

One such excerpt that has potential life-altering implications for those entering the job market or wondering why their careers are foundering is provided by the author in the chapter, "What moves us," wherein he describes the importance of finding something one is not only good at, but truly enjoys doing as well in order to develop "the flow" (Goleman, p. 105). People are in the flow when they are doing things they enjoy, to be sure, but they are also in the flow when they are doing more challenging work that keeps them actively engaged in a self-fueling, reciprocating fashion. For instance, according to this authority, "Motive and emotion share the same Latin root, motere, 'to move.' Emotions are, literally, what moves us to pursue our goals, they 'fuel our motivations' and our motives in turn drive our perceptions and shape our actions. Great work starts with great feeling" (p. 106). When star performers are doing something they love, the author notes, they achieve a high flow level because for them, "excellence and pleasure are one and the same" (Goleman, p. 107). This may sound a tad Panglossian for some readers, but it is also true that when people love what they do, it is perceived less as work and more a personal fulfillment.

Yet another passage that may be remembered for a long time is the selection by the author that notes, "There is a saying in India, 'When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are the pockets'" (Goleman, p. 111). This saying of course means that the pickpocket is pragmatic in his focus, ignoring the potential personal growth and eternal rewards that could be gained from interacting with a saint. The saying, though, also implies that the pickpocket in question is a successful thief (and should therefore read: "When a [successful] pickpocket . . . .") who keeps his eye on the prize. From this perspective, achieving success in both personal and professional development requires keeping one's eye on the ultimate goal, whatever that might be, and actively pursuing those courses of action that will lead to its attainment.

This, of course, is easier said than done and many people are waylaid as they pursue a goal, requiring changes in the goal itself as well as what should be done to achieve it -- if anything. It is easy enough to give up and allow complacency to erode personal and professional dreams, but by keeping one's "eye on the prize." progress will be made in ways that will encourage further progress still. This strictly pragmatic analysis therefore fails to take into account the need for taking into account the larger picture and limits the ability to achieve personal and professional improvements over time. When people routinely experience failure to achieve lofty goals, they will likely become discouraged and simply quit trying. Perseverance, though, means not giving up but rather keeping things manageable.

One way of doing this is to set realistic goals that are achievable within a reasonable amount of time. In this regard, the author cites a useful example in setting reasonable goals for personal and professional development: "It seems like an innocent enough challenge. Toss a ring over an upright peg. The catch is that the farther away the peg is, the more points you make, and you get to set the peg yourself" (Goleman, p. 116). The resulting cost-benefit analysis, therefore, provides people with some degree of control over their pursuits, but the true winners in the peg setting-game are those who can more readily discern ways to legitimately place the ring over the hoop on a regular basis. Interestingly, people who seem to know where their efforts will be maximized along the peg-payoff continuum can apply this same intuitive analytical technique to other aspects of their lives, including both personal and professional development. For instance, Goleman points out that, "An intuitive decision is nothing but a subconscious logical analysis. Somehow the brain goes through these calculations and then comes up with what we would call a weighted conclusion -- it seems more right to do it this way than that way" (p. 53). Likewise, Goleman suggests that people are not automatons that simply take data from various sources and subject it to a mental algorithm that provides a neat and tidy result. Rather, Goleman emphasizes that, "Our minds are not designed like a computer [that] give us a neat printout of the rational arguments for and against a decision in life based on all the previous times we've faced a similar situation. Instead the mind does something much more elegant: It weighs the emotional bottom line from those previous experiences and delivers the answer to us in a hunch, a gut feeling" (p. 52). To make this "gut feeling" or intuitive decision as accurate as possible is a challenging enterprise to be sure, but some people seem to have a knack for the process while others rarely succeed.

Because everyone's ability to make such intuitive decisions is based on their unique set of beliefs about reality which span the entire range of the human conditions, it is clear that everyone's ability to formulate decisions in this fashion will vary, but those who are able to do so consistently will emerge on the top of the corporate heap provided they have the moral compass that is also needed to determine what "seems more right." In this regard, Goleman emphasizes that, "Personal values are not lofty abstractions, but intimate credos that we may never quite articulate in words so much as feel. Our values translate into what has emotional power or resonance for us, whether negative or positive" (p. 57).

By inculcating personal values that are morally and ethically sound, people stand a better chance of making intuitive decisions that are congruent with the Golden Rule and which will, over time, result in improved personal and professional performance. According to Goleman, "People who follow their inner sense of what is worthwhile minimize emotional static for themselves. Unfortunately, too many people feel that they cannot speak up for their deep values at work, that such a thing is somehow impermissible" (p. 58).

While it is certainly possible that the type of organizational culture that is in place discourages such feedback from employees, it is also reasonable to suggest that unless people speak their minds in the workplace about perceived disparities and wrongdoing, they will become sufficiently disillusioned that they will seek greener pastures elsewhere or become increasingly dissatisfied in their existing positions. In this regard, there may be some important gender-related differences involved in who feels most comfortable in speaking their voice in the workplace. For example, a statistical analysis conducted by Adams and Keim (2000) indicated that women leaders are more comfortable with "challenging the process" compared to their male counterparts. These authors add that with respect to this exemplary leadership quality, "Although a significant difference existed by gender, both men and women rated challenging the process as their least developed leadership skill" (p. 259). This also means that people must be willing to take personal and professional risks, including speaking up for what they believe in the workplace, but the cost-benefit analyses that are routinely used by winners can help establish the framework in which such pursuits are achievable.

Such intuitive decisions may be valuable in the workplace when someone's experience and intellect combine to produce consistently positive outcomes, but it is reasonable to suggest that many successful business leaders take their time in formulating decisions about many of the complex issues they encounter on a day-to-day basis, but in some cases, time is of the essence and what "seems more right" will have to do. People with fine-tuned senses of empathy, Goleman argues, can exploit this advantage if they want to, and the case of poker players readily comes to mind here. As essential element in using intuitive reasoning to achieve long-term personal and professional goals, then, also requires the ability as well as the wherewithal to "use these powers for good rather than evil."

Therefore, it is also important to know when to use intuitive decision making and when to solicit feedback from other stakeholders. For instance, as Goleman points out, "Intuition may play its biggest role in work life when it comes to people" (p. 53). In many cases, collaboration may be the only viable alternative for decision makers. For example, Goleman emphasizes that, "Social intelligence matters immensely for success in a world where work -- especially research and development -- is done in teams. One of the most important skills in management is the ability to read to human context, to be aware of what's in play" (p. 202). In some cases, it is possible to discern the prevailing feelings and moods in a given social or workplace setting when people are sufficiently empathic to discern frequently subtle nonverbal clues such as body language and tone. In this regard, Goleman emphasizes that, "Sensing what others feel without saying so captures the essence of empathy. Others rarely tell us in words what they feel; instead, they tell us in their tone of voice, facial expressions, and other nonverbal ways" (p. 136).

Such fine-tuned people skills are clearly the hallmark of effective decision makers, but once again, because everyone's worldview is unique and their perceptions of reality based on differing beliefs, the respective mental processes by which intuitive decisions are reached will involve infinite numbers of mental algorithms, but the successful outcomes will share the common feature of being right more than they are wrong because of the inherent values and ideals that form the basis for such decisions. In fact, a recurrent theme that runs throughout Goleman's book concerns the need to better understand the environment in which people live and work in order to know how to get what they really want.

One approach to fine-tuning improved perceptions of others in the workplace as well as in personal relationships is through active listening. According to Goleman, "Listening well and deeply means going beyond what is being said by asking questions, restating in one's own words what you hear to be sure you understand. This is 'active' listening" (p. 141). In many cases, personal exchanges are characterized by people's thoughts racing ahead in their thinking, formulating various responses to previous points while virtually ignoring what is currently being articulated in ways that will detract from their ability to respond appropriately. In this regard, Goleman notes that, "A mark of truly hearing someone else is to respond appropriately, even if that means making some change in what you do" (p. 141). This may make some people uncomfortable because it will require individual effort, but learning what others think and believe before formulating one's own decision represents an essential element in achieving individual goals (i.e., "keeping your eye on the prize").

While such an edge does not amount to cheating, of course, the author suggests that people who are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their condition will inevitably find them. For winners in personal and professional life, Goleman suggests that it is axiomatic that in order to improve something, it must first be measured. This tendency means that high achievers will seek out the quantifiable information and feedback that is needed to track improvements in performance, while low achievers will not only spurn such information and feedback, they will take great pains to avoid learning it in the first place. According to Goleman, people who aspire to personal and professional self-improvement should take careful inventory of their resources in order to formulate improved cost-benefit analyses. In this regard, Goleman reports that people who possess this competency are:

1. Aware of their strengths and weaknesses;

2. Reflective, learning from experience;

3. Open to candid feedback, new perspectives, continuous learning and self-development; and,

4. Able to show a sense of humor and perspective about themselves.

Not taking oneself too seriously is certainly sound advice, just as there is always a need for humor in personal relationships and stressful workplace settings. Unfortunately, few people possess the critical analytical skills to accurately assess their own personal strengths and weaknesses, and Goleman stresses the need to solicit feedback from others who are in a position to know an individual's personal strengths and weaknesses -- and who will be sufficiently honest to communicate them. For example, Goleman reports that, "In general, the ideal evaluation relies not on any one source but on multiple perspectives. The '360-degree' evaluation method offers feedback from numerous sources and can be a powerful source of data targeting the competencies that need to be improved" (p. 281). In other words, Goleman suggests that "if enough people call you a horse, you'd better buy a saddle."

Finally, other salient advice by this author includes being diligent, the importance of perseverance and not giving up, the need for loyalty and organizational commitment, as well as taking the initiative for positive change in the workplace as well as in one's personal life. In sum, Goleman would advise up-and-comers to "never give up, never say die and never quit trying," which of course is good advice for anyone. When these fine-tuned people skills are applied to the workplace, a number of positive outcomes can be achieved that might otherwise be unattainable, and these issues are discussed further below.

APPLICATION OF THE READINGS TO THE WORKPLACE

First, the readings make it clear that by using people skills and active listening, it will be easier for people to achieve their personal and professional goals by helping them keep their "eye on the prize." In many cases, people may become so caught up in their individual "struggle de jour" at work because of personality differences or other factors, perhaps at home, that they ignore their longer-term goals. It is easy to wander from the path to success, and while life may be a journey rather than a destination, it is also true that without goals, people are doomed to bounce from one thing to another in their lives like so many pinballs. By keeping focused on personal and professional goals, though, and making these realistic and quantifiable, it is possible to identifying opportunities for improvement and measure success in ways that mirror the best industry practices from the management literature. In any event, there is a need to measure what is being improved so that trends can be identified, weaknesses addressed and strengths built upon so that people can do more of what is effective and less of what is detrimental in whatever setting that is involved.

Second, in order to achieve anything, action must be taken. Nike's consistent theme for several years was to "Just do it!" And the readings consistently echo this theme as well. Indeed, in some cases, it would seem that doing something is always better than doing nothing at all. After all, if one initiative fails, lessons can be learned and something else tried until a successful outcome is achieved. This of course does not mean that there are limitless opportunities available for experimentation; in fact, in an increasingly competitive and globalized marketplace, there is little or no room for false starts. Nevertheless, by making reasoned and informed decisions, the likelihood of achieving success is improved, just as further opportunities for improvement will be identified in the process. By doing so in ways that consistently add value and worth, people can benefit themselves as well as the organizations for which they work.

Third, finely tuned people skills can help understand what issues may be troubling others, and an empathetic perspective can force people to look outside their narrow self-centered views in ways that can shed fresh insights into what others may be thinking that can facilitate conflict resolution in the workplace. In this regard, Goleman emphasizes that, "Studies reveal that outstanding strategic planners are not necessarily superior in their analytical skills. Instead, the skills that raise them above the crowd are those of emotional competence: astute political awareness, the ability to make arguments with emotional impact, and high levels of interpersonal influence" (p. 256). In fact, Zwell (2000) cites Goleman's analysis and concurs that developing a higher level of emotional competence is an essential step in personal and professional development. According to Zwell, "Interpersonal awareness is the competency that involves eliciting, noticing, interpreting, and anticipating the concerns and feelings of others. It is one of the competencies that Daniel Goleman emphasizes as a critical component of emotional intelligence" (p. 35).

Here again the discussion by Zwell also quickly turns to the need to train oneself to be acutely aware of what others are really thinking rather than just what they are saying (assuming that someone is paying that much attention to begin with). In this regard, Zwell notes that, "Almost all leaders need to respond to the concerns and feelings of the people they lead and the people they serve. Every worker, to be effective, must be able to respond to the needs of managers, coworkers, subordinates, and of course customers" (p. 36). These fundamental basic human needs include:

1. The need to be heard and understood;

2. The need to be affirmed;

3. The need to be appreciated; and,

4. The need to be accepted (Zwell, 2000, p. 36).

Although not every interpersonal exchange will involve all of these basic needs, Zwell (2000) stresses the need to remain sensitive to others' feelings and concerns. To achieve this level of superior interpersonal awareness, Zwell also recommends the use of active listening methods that can produce a number of valuable outcomes, including the following:

1. It gives people the opportunity to develop their thoughts and ideas and to express their concerns and feelings. Many people actually think more clearly when they have someone listening to them.

2. It gives listeners the opportunity to understand others' thoughts and feelings. Often people are so wrapped up in their own issues and thoughts that they don't bother to find out what is really going on with the other person. Listening counteracts this tendency.

3. When people feel that they are being listened to, they also tend to feel accepted and affirmed (Zwell, 2000, p. 36).

Certainly, Sherlock Holmes was able to accomplish this level of interpersonal awareness on a routine basis to the amazement of his peers, just as Herb Kelleher used his fine-tuned people skills to succeed where others were failing (Intagliata, Smallwood & Ulrich, 2000). Fortunately, practically anyone -- assuming the requisite desire is present -- can achieve this level of superior emotional competence and apply it to good effect by following some straightforward recommendations from conflict resolution experts. For example, in their chapter, "Impasse resolution in the public sector," Pynes and Laffert report that, "Disputes arising over contract provisions are referred to as interest disputes. If management and labor are unable to resolve their differences at the bargaining table, then an impasse occurs and negotiations come to a standstill" (p. 761). Some typical conflict resolution approaches for such deadlocked negotiations include negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and fact-finding as described further in Table 1 below.