Maria, second in charge of a well-known nonprofit, wanted to pose as a leader. Her vision was to create a new model for working with vulnerable women in Boston's urban communities. She gained insight through feedback from her team, colleagues, boss, and civic leaders, who described her best qualities as a strong relationship builder with an excellent reputation with clients. They said Maria's best skills included community marketing programs, people management, and implementing programs that helped women transition from public assistance to work.
But Maria lacked key leadership skills such as strategic planning and fundraising. It was holding her back. His boss, reluctant to take a chance, assigned him the same old projects and his work lost its challenge. Rolling out of bed with less enthusiasm for the work day ahead, Maria worried about the future and felt stuck. She could never become the head of this non-profit organization as long as her manager was in the lead role. He made it clear he was here to stay. She felt she had two choices:learn new skills in her current job or leave for another nonprofit.
Related: When to say “I quit”
But there was a third option. Maria had to answer three questions, which would make her feel more engaged at work:
How could she…
Find more fluidity in her current job so she can recapture her passion and the sense of challenge and accomplishment she once felt?
Provide a valuable service or result to the organization, so that could she be even more successful in achieving her vision and goals?
Preparing for the future, so she could move forward into what she envisioned next?
By answering these questions, Maria devised a win-win plan and had a heart-to-heart with her manager. Knowing that her manager needed to free up some of her time to focus on legislative matters that impacted nonprofits, Maria offered to take over some aspects of the organization's finances that were consuming her time. and energy, including preparing and delivering segments of Board presentations. She also offered to take a more active role in building relationships with board members, which would benefit her strong skillset, while giving her the opportunity to participate in strategy discussions.
With each step, she was getting closer to her vision for her career.
His manager saw the win-win and they implemented the plan. With each step, she was getting closer to her vision for her career. When an opportunity to lead another organization presented itself, she was ready. Today, she is the executive director of a nationally recognized nonprofit.
If you want to feel more engaged and inspired at work, try the following:
Write down a work aspiration for your current job for the next six months to a year.
Find your next proximity or exciting activity that sits in the nexus between your employer's perspective and your own.
Think about your organization's needs for the next six months to a year. Think about visions and goals, and how you can fit into them.
Related: How to find meaning in your work
Adapted from Take Charge of Your Sight:Career Advice You Won't Get From Your Boss by Lisa Prior This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of LadiesBelle I/O magazine.
