Category: Improving Yourself

This post is a little different folks, it’s about searching for a position as a training designer, or training specialist. It’s my personal journey in the search for said position. I have been looking for a career position for almost 18 months. I started in January, 2009 one semester prior to graduating with my Masters of Science degree from Northern Michigan University – located in Marquette, MI in the Upper Peninsula. I started early in this search because I knew the economy was going south and I wanted a job in May, 2009 when I finished. Well I am still looking!

I have tried very hard to stay positive and up beat throughout this search. I have been submitting at least 6 resumes and cover letters on a daily basis and have had approximately 5 interviews (only 2 in person) and the rest over the phone, I have spoken with recruiters, career coaches, my mentor Dr. James Suksi, the career center at NMU and have gone to various job fairs, linked in profile, career transition groups, Jobs Education and Training through the Department of Human Services (they asked why I was there)! Still nothing. Still trying to keep positive, mood is dwindling quickly at this point…

Now let me say this, I have excellent references, am fairly smart (my former employer says I’m brilliant) I love training and development, I love problem solving, I have a B.S. in behavioral psychology with a double minor in human services and substance abuse counseling. So I am reasonably educated. I have grad certificates in facilitating training and performance improvement. I have given a presentation to the U.P. Chapter of ASTD (Knowledge management) I am comfortable presenting. I am so terribly frustrated.

I am sure there are others in my position, I just am so sure that I can offer so much to an organization and I have done a lot of practical stuff in school involving real organizations, (they were mock presentations but real problems). I seem to have hit a brick wall. Now I am considering going to Schoolcraft college and getting certified as a welder (not even remotely interested in this but perhaps I could make a living at it). This is not what I want – I want a job in the training field I was born to do this I swear! I went back to college later in life, but I finished both my degrees before I was 50 (a goal I beat), I am a hard worker, love to work and give everything I have to my job. I want to work, I need to work. I am now at the point where I am placing the blame solely on my shoulders but that is not doing much for me either. I even had to move in with my very supportive parents (that was humiliating)…

Well thanks for letting me vent.

As always, Happy training and for those in the job search I feel for you. For those reading this who are in a hiring capacity call me! Concerns, comments and guests are always welcome.

Leigh

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

– Looking for an expert in training and development or human performance technology?
– Contact me: Leigh Dudley – Linkedin – 248-349-2881
– Read my blog: Training and Development

There are many reasons that contribute to this movement around spirit in the workplace. Here are a few reasons I’ve found on why it began.

Employees want more from their organizations and organizations demand more from their employees. With all the corporate downsizing and restructuring, employees who are left tend to work longer hours. As a result, they want to bring more of their outside self to work. As organizations continue to struggle to find and keep talented employees, they need to offer more than just “a job.” Employees yearn to feel part of a mission, to add value and to contribute in a meaningful way.

Previous movements in the 1980’s and 1990’s such as the new age, work/life balance, simplicity and others have paved the way for this one as well as newer ones like the green movement.

Different generations are contributing to it as well. The majority of the population, 78 million baby boomers, are reaching mid-life and looking at spiritual issues such as: What is my legacy? What is my purpose? What is really important to me? Generation Xers are driven toward a what’s-in-it-for-me mentality and are willing to make organizational changes to meet those needs for work-life balance. Generation Y is the other dominate generation with 76 million. This value-based, team-focused generation is influencing the workplace in many positive ways, one being wanting flexible workplaces that provide meaning and growth opportunities.

In general it is also a reflective time in society as we experienced the first decade of the millennium. As we are living this momentous time in history, society as a whole is reflecting on matters related to spirituality, ethics and humanity.

Why do you think the spirituality in the workplace movement began?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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I taught an Ethical Leadership class at Virginia Tech and posed a question to my students the first day of class- “What is a well lived life for you?” It is worth considering. People have various answers for this, but most talk about having good relationships with family and friends, leaving a legacy of something done well, or making a difference in someone’s life.

In my class of senior management majors, very few said making a lot of money was a primary determinate of living a well-lived life. Not that they didn’t want work that was challenging, meaningful or successful. It’s just that money wasn’t their driving force. Maybe this says something about those in an ethical leadership class or that in the end most people won’t look back on their life and rate the quality of their life by how much money they made.

When I later heard the news of former Texas governor Ann Richards’s death, I reflected on a graduation speech I heard her give at the University of Texas back in the 1980’s. She was a powerful and delightful speaker to hear. One point that I most remember from her speech is that she told the graduating class to have a life and not worry so much about having a career. She said- “No one ever laid on their deathbed wishing they spent more hours at the office”.

So true her words are, yet how many of us get caught up in taking care of all the details of our work that we forget to live, or maybe more precisely, we forget what’s really important to our life. Here’s a way to see if you are busy making a life or a living. Check out which idea you were raised with- Do you work to live or live to work? How you answer that question will tell you a lot about the focus of your life energy and what you consider a well lived life.

What do you consider a Well-lived Life? How does your work fit into your definition of having a well-lived life? What role does spirituality play in your well-lived life?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Research shows the impact spirit in the workplace can have for individuals and organizations. Here are five key outcomes that everyone can benefit from:

1. Boosts morale. Engaging in practices that support spirit in the workplace can uplift the spirits of everyone involved.
2. Influences satisfaction. Since spirit in the workplace encourages each individual to bring their whole self to both work and home, it increases the satisfaction level in both areas.
3. Strengthens commitment. Being aligned with an organization that fosters the essence of who you are enables you to feel and display a tremendous sense of loyalty.
4. Increases productivity. When you feel a greater sense of connection to your work, you are more motivated to produce good work. Which in turn increases the overall productivity of an organization.
5. Improves the bottom line. According to a nation-wide study on spirituality in the workplace, organizations which integrate another bottom-line into its practices – like spirituality – actually increase the financial bottom-line. These organizations believe that spirituality could ultimately be the greatest competitive advantage.

For example, Southwest Airlines is often described in terms that would identify it as a spirit-driven organization. This was the only airline to be profitable after the September 11th tragedy that had an incredible financial impact on the airline industry and continues to remain profitable. They have a triple bottom line – People, Performance & Planet. “It takes a lot of dedication, perseverance, and hard work to do the right thing for our Customers, Employees, and Planet. We began operations in 1971 with a revolutionary idea that everyone should be able to afford to fly instead of drive and to enjoy the Safety, comfort, and convenience of air travel. For the past 38 years, we have devoted ourselves to meeting that goal. ”

Since 1987, when the Department of Transportation began tracking Customer Satisfaction statistics, Southwest has consistently led the entire airline industry with the lowest ratio of complaints per passengers boarded. Many airlines have tried to copy Southwest’s business model, and the Culture of Southwest is admired and emulated by corporations and organizations in all walks of life.

According to their Southwest Cares Report: Doing the Right Thing, “To better understand why we at Southwest try to do the right thing, it is important to understand how we do business and how we integrate our Core Values into everything we do. It is the Southwest Culture that sets us apart.

The 35,000+ Employees of Southwest Airlines are the heart and soul of our Company. Doing the right thing for these Employees includes providing them with a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. As we “Live the Southwest Way,” our Employees are recognized through several Employee recognition programs for the hard work and caring Spirit they show to each other and our Customers. Not only do we work hard with what we call a Warrior Spirit, we work smart.” Part of living the Southwest way is also by having a servant’s heart and a fun LUVing attitude.

How have you seen the value of spirituality in the workplace play out for you individually or in your organization?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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You may feel compelled to shy away from who you are as a spiritual being when you are at work. Of course for some of you that might be the equivalent of deciding not to breath. You may not divide yourself into “spiritual” at home and “not spiritual at work”. Others of you may be struggling with what exactly it means to bring your spiritual self to work. I invite you today to step more fully into sharing your authentic self while at work. You just never know who you’ll impact or how.

I was in a leadership program as a participant with some government workers. For the warm up exercise we each had to say what some of our hobbies were. Well my hobbies are almost all focused on spirituality so I figured there was no way out of talking about this subject. I said that I did drumming and Sufi dances (Dances of Universal Peace). I wasn’t sure if anyone knew what Sufi Dances (Dances of Universal Peace) were so I figured I’d just put it out there and see what happened.

On the break a very large, middle aged Sheriff came up to meet me and say hello. Picture in your mind a heavy set Sheriff wearing his full gear, with bullet proof vest and pistol, approaching me. I had no idea what was going to happen next. He wore the sweetest smile when he asked me if I had been to the Coleman Barks program the year earlier at our town. Coleman Barks is the poet largely responsible for bringing the Sufi poet Rumi to a wider audience of Americans. I was surprised that this sheriff had attended the Rumi program. He said that he and his wife went to the program and that he was into all sorts of drumming. We talked for about 20 minutes about how marvelous the Rumi program had been and later swapped titles of CDs we had of world drummers. I’m so glad to this day that I took the risk to share my gifts and passion and meet with wonderful man. I believe in the process I was able to help him claim his own gifts and passion more fully.

Examine what parts of yourself you feel you need to hide at work. What holds you back and what would help you feel more comfortable sharing your authentic self at work? Are there areas of your spirituality you would like to share with others at work? Try one thing this week that would help you stretch your comfort zone and step more fully into Who You Are at work. Share here what happened when you more fully claimed your authentic self. You just never know who else at your workplace is on the same path. Here’s to the Magical Mystery Tour we all dance to.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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It’s an honor to be co-hosting this blog with Linda and we look forward to exploring this meaningful topic with you! Linda shared with you her insights on what spirituality at work is and I’m going to do the same. As I’ve been studying and living out this topic for the past 15 years all I know is that I’m grateful to have this passion because it’s changed the way I work and live.

What is it?

Some refer to it as a sense of enthusiasm. Others relate it to interconnectedness. Some describe it as the whole self. Others think it is associated with religion. So what is “it” that people have different interpretations of? It is referred to as spirit in the workplace.

My description of spirit in the workplace is that it allows you to feel a greater sense of connection by bringing your whole self, the essence of who you are, to a supportive environment. It is not associated with religion. Let’s explore some key elements within this description.

Connection. People are yearning to connect with others. Connections provide people with meaning and a sense of belonging to something greater.

Whole self. The whole self concept encourages people to look at their life holistically – that they aren’t one person in their personal life and then another person in their professional lives. In fact, business poet David Whyte explains how most of us only bring 60 percent of ourselves to the workplace and leave the other 40 percent of our real self in the car.

Essence. Essence is about getting to your core, your inner self. Author Alexandra Stoddard said that “your spirit, your essence, is at the heart of everything about you.” The only way that you can get to the core is to go within and find your heart’s deepest desires.

Supportive environment. The other key piece is the environment. Whether it is at home or on the job, a supportive environment is how the spirit is embraced and fostered.

Not associated with religion. Spirit in the workplace does not promote a specific religion, it promotes an all-inclusive and interconnected view similar to spirituality.

How about you? We invite you to share your perspective!

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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The Wall Street Journal Online recently published an article entitled “Ten Things Human Resources Won’t Tell You.” The ten things mentioned seemed to run the gamut of topics from the dangers of being fired by postings on social media to stating that HR is not the employee advocate. Ninety percent of the comments (up to 26 total by the time of this post) made in response to the article are slams against HR in support of the negative messages set forth in the article. It appears from the number of negative comments, that HR departments haven’t made much progress in building credibility since the 2005 article, “Why We Hate Hr.”

Of the ten things mentioned, “In some companies, we’re not very useful at all,” may be one of those emotion-provoking comments that infuriate some HR folks. However, instead of letting your emotions take over your open-mindedness, ask yourself these ten questions:

1. How valuable am I to the organization?
2. How have I communicated that value to the organization’s leaders?
3. How have I communicated that value to the organization’s employees?
4. What measures am I using to determine success?
5. How are the HR programs aligned with the goals of the organization?
6. Do I advocate for employees fairly and consistently?
7. Do I know how to balance the competing interests in the organization to provide a fair viewpoint?
8. Do I clearly communicate the reason behind my position to employees, managers, and company leaders?
9. Am I an example to those within and around the organization of its key values?
10. What can I do today to serve my customers?

As always, your comments and questions are encouraged!

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is currently employed as the Human Resource Manager at EmployeeScreenIQ, a global leader in pre-employment background screening.

The center of the flower provides an offering of nectar for the bees to use. This nectar gives life to other plants. Similarly, we make contributions to the well being of others and the world at large through our service. When we work spiritually we provide our gifts as an offering so that we make the world a better place by our being in it.

Just like the petals of a flower show the beauty of the plant, our beauty naturally bursts forth when we offer ourselves in service to others. As the poet Rumi says, “Let the beauty of who you are be what you do.” Working spiritually is about fulfilling your life purpose or larger mission with passion, using your gifts in service to others. When you do that others will benefit from your beauty and gifts.

Our beauty may even serve as inspiration to others whether we know it or not. We work spiritually when we make our unique contributions, in our own corner of the world, that enlivens and enriches others. When we make the world more beautiful by what we do, we find greater wholeness and meaning for ourselves and greater connection with others.

How do you find beauty in what you do? Can you find beauty in those who work with you? How is your work a spiritual offering?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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I usually start my workshops by asking people why they are interested in the topic of spirituality and work, and have them say what kind of work they do. One woman said she was a bus driver as well as a Reiki Master. When I asked her about that unusual combination she said it was a perfect fit for her. She could drive around the town sending Reiki (healing energy) to people in her community and get paid to do it! I loved this example of someone understanding her gifts and purpose and finding ways to offer her gifts to others in service.

Here’s another examples of how someone shared her gifts and passion in service. I met a woman some years ago who had worked as a waitress at Cracker Barrel. She told me the story of one night that was really busy and the wait staff was flying all over the floor trying to keep up. Everyone was harassed and orders were arriving late. It was turning into a miserable night. She noticed how stressed out everyone was feeling and how chaotic it was getting and decided to do something about it. After taking a few deep breaths, she started saying to herself “I’m a Light, I’m a Light, I’m a Light”. She said that to herself several dozen times to help bring herself back to a place of balance and composure.

After she started feeling more grounded and peaceful she then focused her energy on her co-workers and the customers. She again repeated “I’m a Light” only this time she envisioned that she was sending that Light out to everyone in the room. Her night went so much smoother after that. As some point, still in the middle of the busy rush, one of her customers commented how peaceful she looked and that she seemed to have a sort of glow around her. He asked what she was doing. They struck up a short conversation about related topics and she realized the man understood what she was doing.

After things died down, she went back to talk to him. He asked her why she was working as a waitress. He challenged her to use her gifts in some other way to do other kinds of healing work. From that conversation she started thinking about how she could come to work every day and work from that place of peace and balance. She eventually got trained in energy healing work and moved to the town next to mine to start her business. You never know what you will discover when you stay true to your gifts, purpose and passion.

Please share a story from your life when you’ve stayed in touch with your purpose and was able to offer your gifts for others. Was there a transformative moment when you realized you could use your gifts to serve a larger purpose or were truly living your life purpose in your work?

When we use our gifts in alignment with our passion and purpose, that offering is done as spiritual service.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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In my travels around the country providing workshops on the topic of working spiritually, I’ve found consistently that people are looking for ways to have their work make a difference and to feel energized in a richer way in their work. I want to explore here a few ways that you might examine spirituality in your work.

I provide a framework in my first book, “Path for Greatness”, for aligning your gifts, passion and purpose so you can be of service for the world. (to see more about my book on Spirituality at Work go to: http://www.amazon.com/Path-Greatness-Work-Spiritual-Service/dp/1552124983/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

First idea to explore is – what feeds you spiritually? You need to continually till your spiritual soil so that you can keep energized and inspired. Take some time now and write down 3 things you do each week or every day to renew yourself.

Second, what does spirituality mean to you? What three words do you use to describe times when you feel spiritual? See how you can integrate those words and ideas into your work day. In my workshop I have people write out all the words they can to describe a spiritual experience. Those words may include joy, peace, bliss, serenity etc. I then ask, ‘Would you like to work in a place that has this?’ To a person, they all say yes.

OK then, how do you help create this in your work? What small step can you take to bring such feelings into your workplace? Please share your ideas here on this post of how you work spiritually or how you’ve seen others do this.

Three words that I like to use for working spiritually are: wholeness, meaning and connection. When we feel a sense of our own wholeness, we come from a place of greater authenticity and energy. We generally find greater meaning in what we do when we are doing it for a larger purpose than feeding ourselves or our organization. Think of how you can be your best FOR the world.

Finally, when we connect to others in a deeper way, we often feel greater compassion or joy in our relationship with them. We can strengthen all that we do when we connect with our own Source of inspiration, in whatever ways we connect with this Source.

I wish you many blessings on your journey to find and cultivate spirituality in your work.

Namaste.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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