Written by: David Lutes, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You have a natural and/or learned set of skills at varying stages or degrees of ‘can’! Latent, undetected, emerging, blossoming; obvious, evolving, or well-developed – and/or finely honed. From early on in your life someone – a relative, parents, teacher, coach…someone – has commented on you. They observed abilities, style, quirks, or knacks – physical, mental, relational; sport, Math/Science, perception, warmth of friendship – and said something about it. You know what I mean and get the idea, I’m sure.
Just Because You Fit, Doesn't Mean You Belong
And at least one of them drew a conclusion about what you might be when you “grow up”.
Over time, of course, you further developed, nurtured, and strengthened certain Abilities. Your confidence grew, your choices were shaped, and your work and life’s direction became clearer as you were able to identify your unique skills, capabilities, and competencies – leading you to be able to say…
“I can be that! I can do that!”
We’re talking about hardcore, obvious, and defined abilities…abilities that someone will pay for you to use, and others may try to exploit. You may not always like doing those things, using that skill, but it doesn’t take away from the reality that you can. Learned and developed, or natural and nurtured, they are part of what makes you uniquely you. And some of that uniqueness may be demonstrated and easily recognized by your attitude toward it and/or your behavior when you’re using it.
Employers want to know more about these combined factors…or, if they’re smart, and care about building a healthy culture and committed workforce…at least they should want to know. They should not only want to know about how you blend and harmonize and align education, knowledge, and skill, but also about how you see yourself using them – and how your attitude towards them allows you to ‘fit’ in the team, the department, or the organization.
Do I ‘fit’? Do you ‘fit’?
Does your ‘can be’ and ‘can do’ fit with why and where the organization needs you? Does your skill and ability have a purpose – and does, how you use that skill fit with the culture’s expectations, values, and the ‘personality’ or configuration of a team? And do they see potential in you – not just to do certain ‘job things’, but also the willingness and the ability to learn, grow and improve?
But it starts with your own understanding of, confidence and assurance within yourself about what you can be and can do.
Bear in mind, you may actually have natural, God-given abilities that you seldom use – or not had the opportunity to use (which may be a cause for considerable work and career frustration). When you reflect back on your life’s satisfying achievements, activities, projects, or events, you may have a warm feeling of satisfaction, pride, and real joy – even many years later.
Your friends and family may not see those moments or occasions the same way as you do, but for you and only you, you can say…
“I did that. I was that. That was my doing, my gifting and ability – my effort, my contribution, my passion, my ‘thing’ – in action and that made it possible”.
You might be very surprised at what you know and can do!
You could/should really try to break down your collection of can be’s and can do’s using the following markers listed below. Make a list. Ask those who know you – inside and outside of work – and who will be completely honest with you – to help you compile the list.
Natural (God-given; born with; genetic)
Learned (knowledge applied; converted to action/doing and practice)
Soft (normally relational or communal; people skills, e.g., communication, collaboration, empathy, serving, discipline, time management, etc.)
Technical (e.g., normally specific to your occupation and specialist discipline; engineering, IT, energy, teaching, medical, etc.)
Based on ‘External’ core competency profile (using external standard, compliance benchmark, etc.)
Based on ‘Internal’ core competency profile (using internal, company-specific expectations, standards, and needs)
Not only at work but also in private/social life – you may have the chance to be and do things with natural abilities or learned skills outside of work that are not needed by your company but which you can legitimately put on your list of skills
What are your 1-2 truly unique, special inner qualities that endear you to people or that helps you connect.
The above list and your ability to talk about it will shape your job application cover letter, CV/resume, and interview when that next appealing or ideal job opportunity appears. It will also fuel your dreams.
Personal comment
To be honest, the following types of cheap, and only mildly helpful quotes, have always bothered me.
“Don’t pick a job, pick a boss.”
“Choose a boss, not a job or a company.”
Blah, blah, blah…! Definitely not helpful, and borderline nonsense, especially during a financial crisis when jobs are at a premium. And a boss is only a ‘good’ boss when s/he also ‘fits’, thrives and is ‘good’ when they are in a, and contributes to, a healthy organizational culture. Sure, do your homework on the company’s values and culture as best you can – and perhaps develop some probing questions for the interview when you are finally told and asked by the hiring manager, “What attracted you to this role?”
But, simplistic jargon like the two on-liners above that are shallow and unrealistic and the stuff of Ted-ex conference hype really don’t help much.
“You don’t hire for skills. You hire for Attitude. You can always teach skills.” – Simon Sinek
Really Simon Sinek!? Plain nonsense (in my opinion). Except for maybe an entry-level role. You hire for Knowledge, Skill, Ability, Attitude and ‘Fit’ – and maybe some specific technical competencies. You invest in people with a balanced eye on timing, potential, type of learning culture and budget. How can a talent acquisition team, reviewing CVs/resumes read ‘Attitude’ between the lines – not least because it is more than likely fed into a keyword search and analytics app and given about 35 seconds of perusal.
It is naïve in the extreme to simply focus on Attitude which is usually and largely subjective on the part of the hiring manager. And, sorry to pop some ‘authoritative HR guru’ bubbles, if we’re truthful and honest, as much as 70% of the hiring decision is based on ‘chemistry’ and ‘gut feel’ – assuming the basic job skills and qualifications are there.
[Interviewer]
“We only have a few minutes left…do you have any questions for me, David?”
[David]
“If you knew you were going to be your boss, why or why not, would you have applied for the job? Why
[David]
“In terms of style, humor, relationships, communication, personality…what type of person fits and thrives in this department or organization – and works best with you – or not?”
[David]
“How would you describe your leadership and management style when the pressure at work is on?”
[Interviewer]
“Uh, sorry but we are out of time…thanks for coming in!”
And then, there is the widely quoted Confucius…
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
As much as I respect much of what Confucius has said, somehow, I don’t think, back in 500 B.C., he really had a grasp on the 21st Century global economy and job market. He does have a point though. As long as we don’t think of a ‘job’ as a collection of tasks – and as long as we naively live in the illusion that we are the ones that can pick and choose the ideal job – and the hiring company has little to do with it.
Phrase it anyway you like, but still, at the back of your mind and somewhere in the recesses of your heart, you wish you could be saying…you probably are saying…
“I want more than just a job!”
“Growth can be painful. Change can be more painful. But there are few things more painful than staying stuck somewhere you don't 'fit' or don't belong.” – David Lutes
The Man in the Arena
Theodore Roosevelt
“It is not the critic who counts – who earns the credit. It’s not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again…
…because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.
But the one who actually does strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…
…so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
David Lutes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
David Lutes is a global talent management, organizational development and leadership coach, consultant and trainer. A former church pastor, he is radically and passionately committed to helping people discover their meaning, purpose and direction for their life and career. He has been described as a 'gift and latent skill detector and developer', as he helps people and the organizations they work in discover the wealth and richness within their people.
