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Developing yourself as a leader is a challenge, not only at work, but also in relation to your family and home life.
You need to have a vision for your future at work, but also really think about what the ultimate reward is for you in your career. Is it money, fame, security, endless holidays? the car, the house, the gold watch? A clear conscience, a happy old age?
And if you are really honest with yourself, are you really seeking to balance your work with your home life at this point in your life, or would you rather just be free to go for it and get to the "top" of your potential at work? Your motivation, whether it is hidden or explicity, are important and should be clear for both you and your partner/family.
According to a classic article by Carlson, Derr and Wadsworth, the effects of our career orientation on our work and home life are quite significant (Journal of Family and Economic Issues). In choosing steps in their careers, people tend to have 5 motivators that drive them from the inside out, and which shape how they think about a successful career. These are:
1. getting ahead,
2. getting secure,
3. getting free,
4. getting high, and
5. getting balanced.
People who are motivated to Get Ahead are very competitive, they strive to quickly progress through the ranks in an organization, they have a strong sense of equity, constantly needing proof that they are doing better than their peers.
Those who wish to Get Secure feel most confident when their personal values strongly align with the values of an organization and they have a feeling of belonging and being accepted in a community of like-minded people who are loyal to a company.
Professionals who aim to Get Free are, as the term suggests, motivated by a high degree of freedom. They thrive in unstructured environments where they can utilize their drive, energy and creativity to determine their own futures.
People who wish to Get High are motivated by a challenge, by solving complex problems, they quickly become bored by routine and mundane tasks. They need to have the 'adrenaline' rush of taking risks, experimenting and trying new things.
Finally, people who wish to Get Balanced can be considered by some as less ambitious at work, but this is mainly because they aspire to live a balanced life where job, personal development and family are all equally developed.
So from a personal / leadership development perspective, what do you really wish to "Get" out of your career? Ahead, Secure, Free, High, or Balanced?
What is the core motivation from the inside out?
If you know what the main driver is for you, you can save yourself a lot of stress at home as well. You can use the motivation of an ultimate reward to help you decide how to shape your career and keep you happy in your job, both now and in the future. Be clear about what you need right now in your life and how that fits with the culture of the company you are working for.
1. getting ahead,
2. getting secure,
3. getting free,
4. getting high, and
5. getting balanced.
People who are motivated to Get Ahead are very competitive, they strive to quickly progress through the ranks in an organization, they have a strong sense of equity, constantly needing proof that they are doing better than their peers.
Those who wish to Get Secure feel most confident when their personal values strongly align with the values of an organization and they have a feeling of belonging and being accepted in a community of like-minded people who are loyal to a company.
Professionals who aim to Get Free are, as the term suggests, motivated by a high degree of freedom. They thrive in unstructured environments where they can utilize their drive, energy and creativity to determine their own futures.
People who wish to Get High are motivated by a challenge, by solving complex problems, they quickly become bored by routine and mundane tasks. They need to have the 'adrenaline' rush of taking risks, experimenting and trying new things.
Finally, people who wish to Get Balanced can be considered by some as less ambitious at work, but this is mainly because they aspire to live a balanced life where job, personal development and family are all equally developed.
So from a personal / leadership development perspective, what do you really wish to "Get" out of your career? Ahead, Secure, Free, High, or Balanced?
What is the core motivation from the inside out?
If you know what the main driver is for you, you can save yourself a lot of stress at home as well. You can use the motivation of an ultimate reward to help you decide how to shape your career and keep you happy in your job, both now and in the future. Be clear about what you need right now in your life and how that fits with the culture of the company you are working for.
From an employers perspective, the story can be a little different. It is interesting to note for example, that with more women coming into the workplace, the issue of work-life balance (main motivator: Get Balanced) is coming to the fore. As a manager, leader or employer, you might find it hard to judge whether you are supporting your employees' need to balance their commitments at work with those at home. Tell-tale signs of poor work/life balance include:
* employees doing a lot of overtime
* employees taking a lot of time off to deal with 'emergencies' involving children or other dependents
* high levels of employee stress
* high rates of absenteeism or staff sickness
* high levels of staff turnover.
Allowing employees to work flexibly in order to encourage a better work/life balance can lead to improvements in health and well-being.
Introducing employment policies that encourage a healthier work/life balance for both your male and female employees can bring real benefits to your business.
According to government studies done in the UK, the benefits of a work-life balance initiative are not confined to just the workforce. Work/life policies and flexible working practices can also help you:
* react to changing market conditions more effectively and meet customer demands - for example, shift work, part-time work and flexi-time can help you open longer without making your employees work longer hours
* meet seasonal peaks and troughs in your business
* boost your competitiveness
* become recognized as a business that people want to work for.
Flexible working and work/life balance policies have been shown through research over a number of years, to foster a more positive perception of a company / an employer. This can lead to better relations with employees and greater staff loyalty, commitment and motivation, reducing staff turnover and recruitment costs.
* employees doing a lot of overtime
* employees taking a lot of time off to deal with 'emergencies' involving children or other dependents
* high levels of employee stress
* high rates of absenteeism or staff sickness
* high levels of staff turnover.
Allowing employees to work flexibly in order to encourage a better work/life balance can lead to improvements in health and well-being.
Introducing employment policies that encourage a healthier work/life balance for both your male and female employees can bring real benefits to your business.
According to government studies done in the UK, the benefits of a work-life balance initiative are not confined to just the workforce. Work/life policies and flexible working practices can also help you:
* react to changing market conditions more effectively and meet customer demands - for example, shift work, part-time work and flexi-time can help you open longer without making your employees work longer hours
* meet seasonal peaks and troughs in your business
* boost your competitiveness
* become recognized as a business that people want to work for.
Flexible working and work/life balance policies have been shown through research over a number of years, to foster a more positive perception of a company / an employer. This can lead to better relations with employees and greater staff loyalty, commitment and motivation, reducing staff turnover and recruitment costs.
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