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Enjoying Your Work Richard Brislin |
Weigh consequences
before each decisionWhenever people make important decisions, there are always both positive and negative consequences. Even when a decision seems likely to lead to only positive outcomes, there can be unforeseen difficulties.
If nothing else, the time, energy and resources devoted to one decision cannot be applied to another possibility. If people travel to the mainland for two weeks of job interviews, for example, they cannot spend this same amount of time contacting members of their networks for information about job possibilities in Hawaii.
Making a list with two columns, one for positive and the other for negative aspects of a decision, is a good starting point. The outcomes of such a list can be the basis for a SWOT analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
>> Strengths refer to personal or organizational features likely to lead to positive outcomes. For job applicants or people seeking promotions, strengths include education, work experience, successful project completion and skills that executives will find useful.People can often use their strengths and predicted opportunities to address their weaknesses and perceived threats. For example, people might recognize that one of their strengths is the ability to learn material quickly. If they also feel that one of their weaknesses is the inability to speak a second language, then they can use their strength and take language courses. If they feel that they are good communicators but lack computer literacy, they can take evening courses or can buy self-teaching tutorials on such skills as the use of Powerpoint, statistical analysis using Excel and Web design. Later, they can combine their ability to communicate effectively with their newly developed computer skills. They can let executives know that not only can they use computers, they can help other employees with whom they would work. Whether they are seeking their first jobs or a promotion, this combination will be a new strength that will differentiate them from their competition.>> Weaknesses include skills and abilities that executives desire but which applicants do not possess. In my experience working with job applicants and people seeking their first promotion, these include a lack of public speaking experience, limited computer literacy and the inability to disagree with others without being strident and unpleasant when presenting their attitudes and opinions.
>> Opportunities refer to possibilities that allow personal or organizational growth. If a state's economy is improving and more companies are seeking opportunities, then there are clearly opportunities for people seeking employment. Alternatively, people might decide that given their strengths, they will find more opportunities if they travel out of one state and settle in another.
>> Threats refer to real or imagined barriers that can interfere with the pursuit of opportunities. Too often, threats are self-imposed by people who are convinced that they can't improve their skills and will be stuck in their current positions. Employment counselors often encourage people to identity their strengths and to use these to combat the pessimism that too much focus on self-limiting threats can bring. If they can move from pessimism to optimism, they can focus on real threats such as competition from others for employment and promotions.
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The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Given the amount of time people spend at work, job satisfaction should ideally be high and it should contribute to general life happiness. Enjoyment can increase as people learn more about workplace psychology, communication, and group influences.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration, University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu