In my professional development reading I came across this: To Find Meaning in Your Work, Change How You Think About It by John Coleman [HBR]
While everyone may not handle situations of life and death at work, we each do serve someone in what we do. Teachers can see every day the young lives they are shaping — and visualize the lasting impact they may have on the young lives they touch. Corporate accountants can connect themselves mentally to the larger work of their organizations and take pride and purpose in the customers they help. Who do you serve? Connecting our day-to-day jobs — consciously and concretely — to those we’re ultimately serving makes completing that work more purposeful.
Just this morning, I encountered the news of Ajit Pai suddenly cancelling his trip to CES. I shook my head at another example of a public official serving in a government “by and for the people” ducking the very people they were meant to serve. Then I had a gut check moment.
I run an IT client service organization with substantially demanding clients. I meet with people often, partner together to find solutions. Many problems and complaints also come to my door, and not all are presented kindly. There have definitely been times when I have not thought respectfully about a client or a situation, I’m human after all.
But am I a person who might sometimes be running or hiding from the people I serve? And if I am, what can I do about it?
I considered this carefully and have concluded that while I am not actively hiding, I am not opening myself enough. I am not conflict opposed, I have thick skin, and I am happy to talk and find a solution to any frustration. But I have been in my community as a problem solver for some time and that does allow history to build. It’s natural to allow walls to form. In order to truly serve my community, I need to open myself more and encourage contact and discussion in different contexts.
As to what I can do… I can ask a few more people to lunch or coffee. I can make sure I schedule time to work and be approachable in public spaces and even let people know when I’ll be there. I may consider a listening tour of a sort. But I must work on reorienting my frame.