Of the Church and a Career – 8 career principles to happiness
Some time ago I assembled a small list of things that were important to me regarding my career. This effort was largely prompted by my wife that just wished for me to “settle down”. We had moved from job to job looking for the holy-grail mixture of type-place-people-pay-work euphoria. This is an expensive and taxing process if you don’t know what you want. So the list was an attempt to find out just what that was. Suprisingly it has not needed to change through the years. And equally suprising was that fact that employment at the Church (although not engaged in selling the latest product) fits each of these and I find myself incredibly happy.
1. Creative/Design Centered role: I will be a great designer. I will constantly seek out great design in the world around me. I will immerse myself in understanding new trends and tools to keep myself sharp and valuable as a designer of things. I will seek to eliminate “visual pollution” or unnecessary clutter in the realm of my responsibility.
2. Leadership role: I will inspire those that I work with to find happiness and fulfillment in their endeavors whether they are professional or personal. I will do this by listening and guiding. I will be a positive influence for those around me despite the current climate. I will be a strength to my team when they are in doubt or need understanding. I will be full of empathy for the individuals because of my life experiences. I will understand before I am understood. I will only introduce change when I have thoroughly investigated an issue. I will manage that change by providing the vision, the resources and skills, and a clear action plan. I will promote laughter and fun through the unexpected.
3. Passion for the Product: I will work for a company that produces products that I know, use and love. (the Church counts here!) I will work for a company that embraces the same values that I do as a consumer – quality above price, function and form are equals, exceptional service.
4. Mentorship from Manager: I will work for a manager that I respect and that respects me. I will receive with gratitude the teaching and training from my manager on matters of a professional and personal nature. I will be challenged by my manager to do better and I will rise to all occasions. I will have a manager that allows a debate to understand my point of view. I will respect and carry out all final decisions.
5. Compensation: I will work for a company that compensates fairly for the tasks that have been assigned for me to accomplish. I will work for a company that researches the compensation market to stay fair and competitive. I will work for an employer that rewards exceptional work that goes beyond the normal stewardship. I will work for a company that increases compensation as responsibilities change or increase.
6. Work/Life Balance: I will work for a company that respects the time I need to pursue other interests besides my career. I will work for an employer that is realistic about the amount of time it takes to complete work and allows me to govern that time individually. I will make certain that I leave my desk everyday at lunch to go and do something active to remain alert and sharp. I will work for an employer that is compassionate when personal matters beyond my control need to be attended to immediately.
7. Trust in Leadership: I will work for a company that has leadership that knows which direction the company should go and communicates with the employees honestly and openly. I will work for leaders that make sound business decisions regarding the future growth of the company and that don’t sell out for personal gain at the expense of the majority of the employees.
8. Location: I will work for a company that is located in a place that allows me to raise my family in a safe and secure environment. A location that provides stellar educational, cultural opportunities, and that provides ample and varied recreation. I will work for a company that is situated in an area that allows me to commute to work under 30 minutes in car or 1 hour by bike.
