Michelle King - How To Advance At Work Without Losing Yourself
Oct 4, 2023
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Michelle King, workplace expert and author, discusses navigating the new world of work, the importance of self-awareness and developing soft skills, and redefining career success to make work more meaningful.
The future of work requires a balance of technical and social/emotional skills for successful collaboration and achievement of outcomes.
Navigating the informal nature of the new world of work and actively managing informal networks are crucial for career success.
Self-awareness and understanding one's impact and perception in the workplace are essential for personal growth and navigating organizational dynamics.
Deep dives
The Fix: Introduction to How Work Works
In this episode, the host discusses the release of her new book, How Work Works, which explores the concept of career advancement and finding meaning at work. She emphasizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the new world of work and the need for a more inclusive approach. The host emphasizes that the future of work requires advanced social and emotional skills, as well as technical skills, for successful collaboration and achievement of outcomes. The episode also highlights the challenges of navigating the informal nature of the new world of work and the importance of managing one's informal networks, accessing informal information, and learning on the job for career success.
The New World of Work: Greater Demand for Social and Emotional Skills
The host explains that the new world of work is characterized by increased demand for both technical and social/emotional skills. Advanced technical skills are necessary due to automation and AI, but research shows that about 83% of people need to work with others to achieve outcomes, highlighting the importance of social and emotional skills. The host emphasizes the need for collaboration, the diversification of talent, and the challenges posed by the hybrid/virtual work environment. The episode also discusses the shift towards less hierarchical and more informal workplaces, with self-managing teams replacing mid-level management roles.
Managing Informal Networks for Career Advancement
The host emphasizes the significance of informal networks in career advancement and discusses strategies for managing them. She advises listeners to diversify their networks, actively reach out to people who are different from them, and build a network of mutually beneficial relationships. The episode highlights the importance of identifying those who have a person's best interest at heart and investing time and energy in those relationships. The host also suggests having a mix of close relationships and acquaintances in one's network and underscores the role of informal networks in accessing job opportunities.
Developing Self-Awareness and Informal Information Sharing
The host highlights the importance of self-awareness in the workplace and provides practical strategies for developing it. She suggests a daily exercise of reflecting on what went well, what didn't go well, and what could be done differently. The episode emphasizes the importance of seeking feedback and information from others to gain a better understanding of one's impact and perception in the workplace. It also emphasizes the value of informal information sharing in building self-awareness and understanding the organization's dynamics and culture.
Meeting Career Needs and Finding Meaning at Work
The host discusses career success and the importance of meeting one's needs at work for both satisfaction and meaning. She identifies five primary needs: physical and psychological safety, a sense of belonging, the ability to make a meaningful contribution, freedom to learn and develop, and recognition as a competent professional. The episode emphasizes the need to manage one's own career, advocate for oneself, and build a positive reputation. It also highlights the role of paying it forward and engaging in acts of kindness to create meaningful connections and derive fulfillment from work.
Based on my work, I know for sure that at one time or another, most of us have lost our belief in work. We have felt the pain of being excluded from informal networks, the stress of trying to keep up with the pace of change, or burnout after putting in countless hours to get the next promotion, only to be overlooked or disillusioned with cut-throat corporate cultures. We are tired of accepting the myth that individual advancement must come at a cost to ourselves and the people we work with.
Aside from sleep, work is where we spend most of our waking hours over our lifetime. How we experience work is how we experience a considerable amount of our lives, which is why managing the meaning we derive from work is essential to our overall life satisfaction. Knowing how your workplace works is how we can begin to make it work for everyone.
