Connect with the actual needs of a specific market

The market is growing and changing ever faster. For nearly every one of us it is becoming increasingly important to think about (some of) the following questions:

• What is my unique way of contributing, and to whom?
• Why would someone choose my expertise?
• Why would a company want to acquire me with my unique set of skills and experience?
• Why would the ‘internal clients’ within our company need my service?

The times that we all could work somewhere and that ‘they’ would take care of you and your development are in the past. That’s ok! We are all independent people, and no victims. It is exactly this attitude that we need to change our surroundings, to modify, and to work in a structural environment. In an environment that serves us as an energy resource.

How to remain passionate at work?

At this very moment I am sitting in a train, and I am on my way to a customer. Tomorrow we will be working on a new product for his firm. I have just finished reading through various documents to prepare myself for tomorrow, and I have already started creating a first concept. Creating concepts always gives me a boost of energy. For a big part this comes from being able to employ one of my core-skills. That gives lots of energy! But there is another element that plays a big part here: I am doing something really meaningful (at least in my personal perception). That perception also really gives a lot of energy. I am trying to serve my customers the best I can. Which enables them to serve their customers better and better. Which contributes to the quality of life for everyone involved.

What is my motivating environment?

We have already taken a look at skills, as one of the 4 elements. This week we will discuss the second element: a motivating environment. Daniel Pink describes it as: a space within which you experience autonomy.’ It also implies that everybody has his very own unique ‘motivating environment’. Some need a lot of space, freedom and variety in their job, and prefer not to be controlled. While others need a clear framework and clear instructions, so that they know exactly what it is that is expected from them and what the task at hand is.

Happy jobcrafting!

In the previous blog I have introduced the concept of jobcrafting, and the four elements that play an important role here:

1. Skills

2. Motivating environment

3. Meaning and inspiration

4. Needs within a specific market

Structural energy resources

Next to the 7 personal resilience competences and the social energy resources the structural energy resources play an important role concerning the development of a resilient work- and life-style. There are three aspects in regard of these structural energy resources, and we will take a closer look at each of them in the following weeks. These three aspects are actually also three areas in which one can really have influence by making some small changes.

1. A positive, fitting and stimulating working-place

2. Plenty of challenge to stay resilient

3. Healthy finances

Resilience & family

Steven Spielberg (66) joins his family for each diner at 6.30pm. He has already done so for 19 years now. His wife made this deal with him when he was about to start off with his new Studios ‘Dreamworks’. Next to being home for dinner, he also agreed to bring the kids to school in the mornings, and to spend most of the weekend with his family…

Resilience through silence!

An interesting way to tap into your social sources is to withdraw, and to experience silence. It almost seems to be contradictive, social contact, is that not by definition talking with each other? Well, yes, it is quite difficult when one develops some sort of hermit-mentality, and completely withdraws oneself from human contact. But searching for some silence is far from asocial behaviour. It is in the first place the art of truly listening, with your heart, head and body.