Pacers

Typically when I run a race, I start the race with at least one person I know.  However, at a recent half-marathon I ran in, I didn’t know anyone at the race.  So, I thought it would be fun to search out a pacer to give me someone to converse with at the beginning of the race.  For those who aren’t into the running scene, a pacer is someone who runs as a representative of the race by guaranteeing that they will complete the race within a predetermined timeframe (as a side note – these runners also run with a sign that states their pace…this is no easy feat, as I can barely chew gum and run at the same time.)  Therefore, if you run an entire race with a pacer, you know you will finish the race within your goal time.

People run with pacers for a variety of reasons.  Some runners have a tendency to start races too fast, so pacers ensure that they don’t let their adrenaline get the best of them at the beginning.  Other runners can suffer from mid-run bonks, so pacers help keep them sharp since neither the beginning nor the end are in sight.  The pacer simply helps you plug away during that often dreadful mid-section.  And, then there are some who struggle to finish the race.  Pacers encourage them to complete what they have started.  Still others want to run with a pacer for simple companionship.  Pacers are racers who are very comfortable with running, typically know the course well, and are deliberately running the race slower than their actual capability.  These runners often talk to fellow runners the entire length of the race (13.1 miles for half marathons and 26.2 miles for full marathons, for those doing the math!)  For these reasons, they are great at meeting the various needs of the racers they are supporting.

In most circumstances in life – both personal and business – we perform better (and more pleasantly) when we seek out a pacer to help us along the way.  Whether our concern is starting out too fast, needing sustenance during the middle, encouragement to finish strong, or just simple conversation during the route, people are designed to be in fellowship with others.  “Life pacers” can provide this fellowship because they are seasoned…they know what to expect, how to help if things go awry, and don’t get ruffled when thrown for a loop.

You may not be a literal runner.  That is okay.  But remember that life – in all forms – is a race.  Why not be more effective, efficient, and encouraged with the presence of a pacer?!  All areas of life benefit from finding a safe person to be a life pacer.

Changepoints:

We might consider actively seeking a “pacer” when:

·        We are faced with a new circumstance or task.

·        We are unsure of our ability in an area.

·        We anticipate that we might need support at some point during an undertaking.

·        We feel isolated or discouraged.

·        We simply want to enrich an experience.

o   Can you identify any pacers in your life?

o   Are there specific areas in your life where you could benefit from a stable, seasoned presence?

 

Find a pacer.  Run a good race.

 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

FOMO

The term FOMO (“Fear of Missing Out”) was coined to describe the recent technological phenomenon where people experience compulsive tendencies to check or stay engaged in social media, smart phones and other tech devices for fear of missing out on potential interactions.  The trouble, however, is that FOMO actually creates environments where people miss out on their real life because they become distracted or consumed.

While FOMO is meant to describe the unhealthy dependency people have on technology, I believe that FOMO has oozed into other arenas, namely the business world.  I call it FOMO in HR.  As a Human Resources professional, I think a great disservice is being created in the working world.  Employees are almost frantically checking emails, texts, and voicemails because they do not want to miss anything or do not want to let anyone down.  As a result, we have created a work culture where people expect almost instantaneous responses to messages.  You didn’t check your texts?  Who cares that you are on vacation.  You didn’t listen to your voicemail after business hours?  Who cares that your daughter has a piano recital.  You didn’t go through all your emails over the weekend?  Who cares that you have a honey-do list you want to complete.  Or, what about the employee who doesn’t look at their computer all day because they are actually working?  What a novel concept!

Because of FOMO, we are creating environments where people aren’t truly plugged into any world.  Purgatory, perhaps.  And, I am the worst offender.  In a prior career, I was able to work some of my hours from home and some of my hours from the office.  The result, however, is that I was really “on-call” ALL the time.  Hindsight has shown me that I need to take responsibility for not establishing healthy boundaries.  Because heaven forbid that someone couldn’t reach me to put out an HR crisis.  After all, I am the only person in the whole entire universe qualified to handle employment issues (sarcasm).  I can now see that this was a business form of narcissism veiled by my projection of being a good employee for my company.

The problem with FOMO is that you condition those around to believe that they will get an immediate response to anything they present to you…because people believe that past behavior predicts future performance.  Now, my struggle is when I decide to set my cell phone down for the day.  People are stunned when they don’t hear from me right away.  I am having to reestablish my identity with technology.  Technology is a beautiful tool, but it can also be a dreadful curse.  I am learning that technology and social media can survive a day without me.  Shocking!

FOMO.  The fear of missing out.  My FOMO now is understanding that if I keep my eyes glued on technology I WILL miss out…but I will miss out on the things in life that really matter.

Changepoints:

We might have created FOMO in our personal or working lives, because:

• We don’t truly know how we want to spend our time.
• We don’t know how to establish boundaries with people around us.
• We don’t have well-defined goals or passions we are trying to pursue.
• We don’t want to lose our jobs, statuses, relationships, etc.
• How can you re-engage with the real-life relationships in your world?
• What boundaries can you establish for yourself to know when/how to turn-off any distractions?

 Let’s start reconnecting with the present world around us.
 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Badge of Honor

When does a person’s career pursuit move from being inspired and passionate to residing in the world of workaholism?  Furthermore, why do we often applaud workaholism as a badge of honor?

I was recently speaking with a friend who is a fresh medical school graduate who has begun the grueling residency process.  When I asked what his schedule was like, he told me that the maximum the hospital has them work is 80 hours per week and a minimum of 60 hours per week.  Baffled by this overwhelming workload (overwhelming at least in my opinion), I sought the perspective of another person who explained that we should all want residents to work so much to ensure exposure to as many medical situations as plausible during their three year residency.  While this is a logical argument and I can’t dismiss it entirely, I also can’t help but wonder if this structure is the best for these doctors or patients who receive their care.  After all, if a doctor works 80 hours in a six day work week, they are essentially working over 13 hours per day.  This only leaves them 11 remaining hours to recharge their batteries in another environment.  If a doctor is approaching 13 hours on their shift, do you want to be the patient receiving this care?  Yet, on the flip-side, I am forever indebted to the labor and delivery nurse who worked beyond the end of her shift to ensure that my first-born son entered the world safely.  So, kudos to her for the passion and dedication to medicine!  I give this example because I know nothing is ever all good or all bad…after all, inspired employees are the backbone to thriving companies.  This is certainly not a forum to encourage laziness!

But what happens when inspiration goes down the slippery workaholism slope?  Does workaholism even have to be found in the number of hours the person works?  What about the person who works a “regular” schedule but cannot mentally let it go when they leave their employer?  They aren’t as engaged in their normal life, because the subtle preoccupation with works prevents them from fully engaging in the present moment.  This would describe me in my former work life.  While I worked a part-time schedule, I found myself constantly torn by the requirements of my job while I was at home.  I would field emails and phone-calls during my days “off.”  I wore this as a badge of honor.  I was needed.  I was helping the lives of the employees at my company.  I was a champion for justice, right?!  But, what about the justice that my home-life was seeking from me?  Why wasn’t it enough for me to be present right at home with my three little ones?  Therefore, even with an ideal part-time, flexible work schedule, I made the decision to quit this job and dive into full-time mommyhood.  I am not advocating that women need to be at home to avoid workaholism, but I am a living example that workaholism can take many shapes and sizes.  Have we paused to consider if these scenarios might be workaholism?

…The truck driver who is technically driving under the government hour requirements, so he dismisses the danger of taking energy drinks while driving on the road sleepy and tired.

…The pastor who attends every congregation visit so not to tax the church members to find more volunteers, while the pastor’s wife quietly holds down the fort at their own home.

…The principal of a school who attends every single school function, because the students and parents absolutely must see her presence, even though her own children would love to have more time learning under her care.

…The police officer who signs up for as many overtime shifts as possible to help protect and serve, while he secretly drowns in his own oppressive depression.

…The retail manager who works every holiday shift to give his staff a break, but never sees his own parents or siblings on the holidays.

This isn’t intended to shame anyone or send anyone on a guilt-trip.  Rather, it is to acknowledge that workaholism is a real issue, and it isn’t just delegated to the CEO of a company.  When we revere people for living on five hours of sleep for pursuing work goals or praise professionals for climbing the corporate ladder at the detriment of their outside lives, we perpetuate the cycle.  We encourage the myth that this is admirable and maintainable without costs in other areas of life.  Perhaps we should be more careful about what badges of honor we choose to wear and which we choose to award other people.   Props to those who have found a way to balance the delicate pendulum of working diligently and also embracing the other facets of life.  This is a true badge of honor.

Changepoints:

We might knowingly or unknowingly engage in workaholism, because:

• We are used to constantly juggling life and don’t know how to truly relax.
• We are driven by money or prestige more than we care to admit.
• We are more comfortable with our work lives than any of our outside identities.
• We are afraid of lay-offs and the economic downturn of past years.
• How can you establish healthy boundaries to protect yourself when you are moving from passion to pitfall?
• Which people in your life can act as a support system or referee when you are placing too much emphasis on your work?

 Be a great worker, but also be a greater achiever of life!
 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Air Quotes

Sometimes all you need is someone to tell you not to use air quotes when describing yourself and your profession.  Air Quotes: The quirky little gesture we do with two fingers to frame something we are saying when we don’t really believe the message we are giving.  Sometimes a stranger simply saying, “Don’t do that” is all it takes to realize that when you use air quotes to describe your profession, you are essentially minimizing yourself.  After all, if you don’t believe the message, why would your audience?  This week I met Tom Swartwood, a wonderfully animated Assistant Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship at Drake University.  He clearly loves to encourage, challenge, and refine business owners.  And, he isn’t afraid to tell you not to use air quotes when you speak.  Thanks to my pondering about air quotes, this site was born. 

My dear friend, Stephanie Majeran, is in the early stages of creating her business, WellRun Results LLC, and when we exercise in the early morning hours, she speaks highly of Tom and the insights he continually provides her as she develops her business model.  Intrigued, I asked if I could attend crash a morning coffee with them.  Within five minutes of meeting Tom, I knew my time would not be wasted.  Early in our conversation he asked me about myself, and I answered by basically giving him a verbal rundown of my resume.  BORING!  Or, at least that is what I quickly figured out.  He took about a nanosecond to tell me that regurgitating my resume and using air quotes told him nothing about me.  WOW!  I had to quickly decide if I was going to be insulted or inspired.  I decided to be inspired by the candor of this stranger (but someone who is going to become my mentor…he just doesn’t know it yet).

Throughout our conversation, he challenged me to think about the way I define myself.  What do I really do (or what do I really want to do)?  Who is my audience?  Where is the value?  As I pondered these questions it became clear that fluffy answers weren’t going to hack it with Tom.  He cut to the chase and challenged me to be succinct about defining myself, and then owning the definition in an authentic way.

Now as I begin to develop my vision for outSIGHTin LLC, I have a better understanding of how I need to move forward.  At the very least, no more air quotes from this professional!

Changepoints:

We tend to use air quotes (both literally and figuratively) because:

• We don’t want to seem overly confident or arrogant.
• We don’t want to buck the status quo.
• We don’t truly know what we are about or where we are going.
• We don’t want to create false expectations or disappoint others.
• We don’t want to address our fears.
• Why might you be using air quotes in your life? 
• What person or action could you use to help better define yourself?

 Say good-bye to Air Quotes.
 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.