I bought this great book, The Three Signs of Miserable Jobs by Patrick Lencioni in the opening of Gramedia Book store at Grand Indonesia, with a 30 % discount (yay!…cewek diskon banget yak. Abis mahal bok buku import).
I think because currently the “Career Development” or “Career Path” is frequently popping in my mind, every time I went into a bookstore, my instinct will lead me straight to HR or business or economics or self improvement sections first. And now I have…I think…hundreds of books which some of them are still in queue to be read.
The unique thing about this book is that it is written in a way of fiction book is written, a very interesting story about a great CEO who cannot retire because so many company needs him, and they all need him as a CEO because of his superb ability in managing people.
Now, the first question popped in my mind is: How do you know that your job is miserable? Because I believe, there are people who are so positive about just everything, that they probably feel indifferent about any jobs, as long as the payment is well, has a peaceful working environment and friends, or just feeling lucky she/he still have a job in current-chaotic economic condition, etc.
Well, to be surprised, Patrick said that a miserable job is NOT the same as a bad one. Definition of a bad job is actually lies in the eye of the beholder (page 217). It can be physically demanding, boring, low paid, long commute or behind the desk all the time, large volume of data with very tiring deadlines or too little things to do or too easy (some words are mine, haha). It really depends on who you are and what you value and enjoy, really.
BUT, Patrick said, everyone knows what a miserable job is.
It’s the one you dread going to and can’t wait to leave (page 217). Saps your energy even when you’re not busy. The one that makes you go home at the end of the day with less enthusiasm and more cynicism than you had when you left this morning.
A miserable job can be found everywhere-from CEO to janitor. From Consulting firm, education field, oil and gas companies (ehm!), professional football team or international basket ball team, software companies, Public Accounting Company or a Factory, Law Firm or Entertainment, ANYWHERE.
Probably sounds like yours?
The other unique thing again, that in this book, I found that it doesn’t matter what your job is. A great, high paid salary position that suitable with your background and brain or talent, in a well known reputable companies, can be a place for a miserable job, if the job has these 3 signs:
1. Anonymity
When you were doing your job and delivering, and no one knows about it. People cannot be fulfilled in their work if they are not known. All human beings need to be understood and appreciated for their UNIQUE qualities by someone in a position of authority (page 221). Patrick said in this section, that people who see them selves as invisible, generic, or anonymous cannot love their jobs, no what they are doing.
2. Irrelevance
Ah, interesting. You see, everyone needs to know that their job matters, to someone. Anyone. If a person cannot see the connection between what he/she is doing to the satisfaction of another group/person/department, an employee will soon or later will not find lasting fulfillment. Your job, if you want it NOT to be a miserable one, need to be at used for somebody. It shows that what you are doing, matters. Probably that’s why my friend really love her job, she said beside she is getting paid, she can actually help the community directly with her program creation, just as she always dream for (she is in CSR).
3. Immeasurement
Now, it is not a word actually, but Patrick insisted to put it in the book because he simply couldn’t find the perfect word for this third sign. Employees (quoted), needs to be able to gauge their progress and level of contribution of themselves, and NOT be judged by other peoples’ subjective perception/opinions/whims,
Now, the second question I have: How to overcome it?
This book describe tons of real samples in daily activities. So there is no way I should write them down here. You should read the book.
However, this book said, when you feel you are currently having one of or all those signs, here are things you can do to increase your job fulfillment:
1. discuss it with your supervisor/boss. In some companies, where you need to be politically correct (man I kinda begin to hate this term), probably you would feel hesitate to talk freely or to be frank with your boss. Well, Patrick said, you MUST do it! Just do it in a polite way-lah.
2. if your boss doesn’t care about it, you can dust off your resume and looking for a non miserable job.
However, I would say that you who read this book should be very careful in applying it, especially for the employee position (with no authority in sacking people or other words: masih kacung-lah). Some people I know actually resigned because they feel the job really does not fit with their own goals and they already knows almost everything about the job. They don’t feel challenged anymore and that made them suffer. So probably the job is not miserable, just bad.
And you know, I think Patrick is right that a miserable job is not the same with a bad one. And some people I know are keeping the bad jobs (which can also miserable), simply because of the money, or because they are afraid they cannot find other jobs. And looking at current economic condition, we cannot blame them.
But, probably we can examine our jobs now, and do something about it. So if you do have a miserable job, you can turn it into a lovely one.
Happy new year guys!
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