Thousands of jobs are moving to countries every month where they can be done as well for less money. Here's the hard truth: Time served and loyalty to a company are not the currency of the new economy. Rather than argue with this economic reality, smart employees will find a way to collaborate with it.
Workers who want to increase their value in the outsourced economy must choose to be responsible for their work environment, their business relationships, their personal happiness, and their lifelong learning and career development. In the outsourced economy, you choose what you make of your job. By choosing your work and how you operate in it, you actually set yourself free from the old constraints and fears of job insecurity. You become bulletproof.
Here are seven ways to become bulletproof:
Pay attention to value. Pay close attention to how your work adds value to that of others, and how their work adds value to your process.
Choose your work. Realize that you have virtually no control over your circumstances, but complete freedom in your response to those circumstances. How can you leverage the realities of your job to accomplish your vision?
Recognize yourself. Do you know enough about yourself to know what you need from others, or what you have to offer others? Get to know your abilities and limitations, your purpose in life, and your passions. Understand what matters to you and what motivates you. Know what your conditions of satisfaction are, and be uncompromising about them.
Appreciate interdependence. No one achieves success alone, despite appearances. Recognize and legitimize differences in styles, values, and competencies, and find new ways to collaborate with managers, coworkers, clients, customers, and even competitors. Interdependence is the latticework connecting you to the outsourced economy.
Generate connection. Most of us do not get to choose the people we work with. Instead of accepting workplace relationships as they are, co-create new connections with people and you will begin to shape your environment.
Take effective action. To make something happen together we must: (1) say we are going to do certain things by certain times and mean it, (2) ask for certain things by certain times and mean it. Become a person everyone can count on. Become an employee who is valued for your competence, collaboration, and good reputation.
Be coachable and coach others. In a job, company, or industry in which everything is subject to change without notice, a bulletproof employee has to grow professionally, develop new skills, and be in a learning process at all times. Be open to the experience and support of those around you, and offer coaching to others as well.
About the Author: Mike Cook is the founding partner of Vitalwork, Inc., an organizational development consulting firm specializing in workforce development and workplace culture. Cook's personal vision is to help business leaders attain their business goals by radically increasing employee engagement. He and his wife, Pat Jackson live in Anacortes, Washington, and have four grown children. For more information please visit www.thrivebook.com
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