Freedom in Understanding

Professional life. Career. Business. These concepts, while seemingly simple on the surface, often have different meanings to different people. For some, it is simply a paycheck, a way to maintain their life at the level they require. For others, it is a passion, a vocation if you will. For a small group, it is both.

In many ways, I consider myself to be one of another small, but powerful group - professional people with an objective view of the business world.

Until recently, this group of people was limited to the power elite - CEO’s, so-called upper management, or business owners. However, as the world evolves, more of the worker bees are finding the freedom and understanding that this objective view brings.

This objectivity breathes new life into the average working day. No more are you limited in your scope, you start to see your part in the big picture. Your attitude about the work you do changes as well. You no longer see yourself as a faceless drone or an anonymous cog in the workings of the corporate machine.

It doesn’t matter what level or status your job holds, whether you are a simple mail-room worker, a receptionist, whether you are a Human Resource manager or high-level CEO. You can learn how to see your input, however minimal it may seem to you, actually creates change and growth in your professional environment.

How did I develop this trait? Or better still, how can you?

I, and a number of other workers throughout the world, have experienced both ends of the professional spectrum - the stable permanent position and the flexible self-determined contract position. But just because I went through both extremes doesn’t mean that you, my fellow worker, have to do the same in order to develop this objectivity.

All it really takes is the fulfillment of two requirements:

An open mind, and
Willingness to analyze your situation.

First off, look at yourself. Remember you are a unique individual, and can have a huge impact on the world around you. What are your strengths? Your weaknesses? What makes your contribution recognizable from the next person’s? Learn to recognize your work style. Learn to see where your contribution fits in the scheme of things.

Secondly, look around you, your environment. What effect does your area have on the rest of the corporate structure? Let me list you a few examples:

Are you a mail clerk? Remember you are a vital part of the communications center of your company. People rely on you for more than just a cheery smile and a wave - it is through your hands that the contracts are received and sent. It is through your hands that the proposals and reports are moved. You are part of the moving lifeblood of the company.
Are you a receptionist or secretary? You are a necessary glue to the efficiency of your company. You wear many hats - editor, proofreader, occasional copywriter, research assistantthe list goes on. You are also the final arbiter of the corporate brand - when you send out a letter or fax, when you complete a report - it is your hand that stamps the final professional flourish. Deals can live or die based on the client’s perception of your work.
Are you an accountant? You can be seen in the cash flow of the company. Where the mailroom is the lifeblood, you are the heart - for without effective and efficient accounting, all work stops. Your work pays everyone’s paychecks. Your work warns the leaders of the company if drastic measures must be taken.
Are you a part of I.T.? You probably already know how vital you are to the company. But don’t get cocky about it - the rest of us are learning very quickly.
Are you a manager? You are probably already aware that you are a vital link between your corporate leadership and your workers. But you are not just a conduit - it is your motivation skills that can get workers to excel. It is also your negotiation and awareness that protects those same workers when something comes at them that is undeserved. You are the skeleton of the company.

So, what does this all mean? I believe that we are a growing group. I believe that as we move further into the 21st century that those of us who take this attitude will mix it with the responsible work ethic of yesterday’s business world and the flexibility of today’s professional world. We will evolve - we will grow. We can, and will make a difference.

There is one last added benefit to this objectivity. Knowing how you fit into the corporate structure, and how your contribution builds the company, diminishes the stress on each worker individually. This decreased stress in turn can be seen in a better personal life. When someone comes home, feeling their work is valued and valuable; they no longer drag themselves through the week waiting desperately for Friday. They have more energy for their personal life, and can integrate both personal and professional worlds into a fulfilled life.

If you help yourself to see these aspects of your job - and if you can help others to do the same - your success in the professional world is assured.