Home >> Workplace Success

I firmly believe that be an entrepreneur is the best way to achieve financial, creative, and personal success but I also understand that society does not necessarily agree with me.  Also many people who are just staring on their journey are not yet ready to take the plunge or just don’t want the  uncertainty of working for themselves.  This page is for them.

Success on the Job

 Many people believe that if you do your job well, you are destined to be a success. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, you must be competent at whatever job you do.  You must do a good job; but if that is all you do, then you are bound to watch others less qualified be promoted over you time and time again.  And that is how it should be.

 If you know yourself and you know the people around you then together you can build a successful team and be happier in the process. Forget about job descriptions. You must look at the big picture.

Let me give you an example:  While I was a civilian government employee working for the Army, I was so frustrated and unhappy because I was so different.  I felt like a square peg in a round hole. It is a well documented fact that certain personality types gravitate towards certain career fields. Most army Officer’s are ESTJ’s on the Myers-brigg personality type indicator. I am an INTP. (See Meyers-Brigg.)

Luckily for me, a wise mentor appeared in the guise of my Division’s civilian head.  Her name was Mrs. Botelho and I was so lucky that she took an interest in me and gave me some wise advice.  She too was different then most people in the organization. (Her personality type was ENTP.) Most army officers are ESTJ’s. See Myers-Brigg.) Anyway she explained to me that being different in a large organization was a distinct advantage as long as I could find a way to complement the norm instead of butting my head against the wall.  The reason that being different is such an advantage is because I loved to do the things that many of my co-workers found scary and I dreaded doing many of the things that my co-workers found comforting and rewarding.

Once I knew my co-workers’ personality types, it was easy to develop a system that made us all happier and more productive.  If we had stuck to the letter of our job descriptions, we would have all been miserable and not successful.  I am sure if you are reading this you know of many offices or stores where this is the case.

So discover who you are and who you are working with and then design a system that will work for you all. By the way, this fits right in with Jack Canfield’s advice to find out what you do well and do it!\==============

Next article will be about getting along with difficult people.