Work it out

Automotive Design & Production, Dec, 2003

It is probably accurate to say that everyone who works for a living has felt, on at least one occasion, that their brilliance, effort, talent, or other characteristic is being overlooked, exploited, or taken for granted by his or her boss. Sometimes, people just let it go. Teeth may be ground. Numbing beverages may be consumed. But the status remains quo. Sometimes, people decide to say "no." They determine that the proverbial grass is lusher elsewhere. And so they make an effort to find a new place to earn a living. This effort may--especially nowadays, with prevailing economic conditions being what they are--be rather prodigious. In fact, it may exceed the amount of work that one is actually doing at their place of employ. And while the new job may be better, it also may be no different. At least that's the case after the novelty has worn off. All that work for if not exactly nothing, then at least for just the same thing, different place.

Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans think that there could be an alternative. This alternative is summed up in the title of their new book, Love It, Don't Leave It [Berrett-Koehler; $17.95]. While you might think that that title is rather saccharine and simply not what you have in mind with regard to where you presently ply your trade, the subtitle is actually more telling: 26 Ways to Get What You Want at Work. Their essential argument is that if you want to get something done, you might as well do if yourself. Don't wait for your boss to offer you something. Ask. Don't wait for a great assignment to be thrown in your lap. Take it. As they point out, "Yes, others have roles to play in your success and happiness. But none have roles that equal yours. Ultimately, it's up to you to change what you don't like and to find out what you really want at work." After all, you're probably convinced that you are smarter and can do a better job than those who are above you, anyway, so you might as well try to get what you want before you set about to leave--because when you get to the new place, you might find the same thing you just left. GSV