Doubt

The brain is a mysterious, exceedingly complex thing. That it controls our every movement, enables us to think -- a marvel unto itself -- and creates our every emotion makes it among the most astonishing devices known. (Yes, even more amazing than the iPhone and Siri combined.) It is, without exaggeration, an awe-inspiring organ, one we likely take for granted all too often.

And yet, we have a bone to pick with it.

One common product of our brain is doubt, that feeling of uncertainty, that dread that often leads to self-questioning and, in turn, inaction. All in all, an uncomfortable emotion, one that has the power to undermine our self-concept and in the process weaken the very foundation of our identity. (Sorry if that sounded excessively psychological. It's the training. Given the years spent in graduate school, I've got to let it out of the bag every so often. I'll try not to let it happen again anytime soon.)

Said another way, doubt messes with your head, and not in a good way.

So, what is this thing called doubt and what good does it do? If you subscribe to the belief that evolution exists and that evolutionary processes have refined the human animal to increase its odds of survival, doubt must play an important role in our ongoing ability to withstand forces that might otherwise have taken us down. (You might want to reread that sentence; it's a mouthful.)

Like any emotion, doubt has its upsides and downsides. On the upside, doubt may have been a significant contributor to many of us still being alive, or at least being able to walk. To wit:

• Should I try to jump from the top of this building to the next one? After all, I'm only 10 stories up.

• Can I ski down this quadruple black diamond run? Looks like there's only one cliff to traverse.
  

• I wonder if I should eat this wild mushroom I just found in the forest? It looks okay.
  

• Hey, if he can do a backwards flip on his bike, shouldn't I be able to?
  

• Think she'll like a clock radio for her birthday?
  

If doubt made you think twice, question your sanity, protect you from physical danger, and/or cause you to choose another course of action -- and you lived to tell about it -- there's something good to be said for the emotion. There's also something good to be said for doubt if it kicked up your game and helped you perform to or beyond your capabilities. Either way, give doubt appropriate props if it contributed in any way to you still being alive and in full control of your bodily functions.

On the downside, doubt has an insidious way of causing uncertainty at our very core. And not in a good way. Often after receiving 'feedback' at work, or from a friend or from a family member, resulting in some potentially foundation-weakening thoughts:

• I thought I was doing this job well. Why doesn't my boss think so?

• Aren't I smart enough to understand what's needed?

• I used to be successful. What happened?

• Is there something wrong with me?

• I thought I had what it takes. Now, I'm not so sure.

While we applaud questioning and believe self-reflection to be a very good thing, the idea that doubt can cause you to undermine your self-concept, your sense of purpose -- change who you are -- is that bone we have to pick with the brain. Question, yes. Self-reflect, sure. But we urge you not to allow doubt to lessen your belief in yourself. There's nothing like a diminished sense of self to ruin your whole day or, for that matter, the rest of your life.

There's an effective way to combat doubt, especially that caused by negative feedback. Consider this 3-step approach:

1. First seek understanding. Why did the person provide that feedback? What can I learn from it? What can I do to improve? And, importantly, did I show appreciation to the person for having the courage to share the information with me?

2. Seek to grow. Take the most useful input to heart. Attempt to modify your behavior to demonstrate a capacity to learn and to honor the person who provided the feedback. Try to adapt. Despite the old adage, you are never too old to learn new tricks. Remember, evolution is an on-going process, something the dinosaurs didn't understand.

3. Then seek more feedback. After you've attempted to incorporate the feedback, ask the person who provided it: How am I doing? Have you seen improvement? Have any suggestions to help me improve further?

By doing these things, you'll have eliminated the nasty side of doubt, demonstrated the capacity to learn, likely improved yourself, and gained or bolstered the respect of others. You'll have also elevated yourself above the vast majority of those who would have reacted with scorn and resentment upon receiving negative feedback.

All in all, a very good day. Don't doubt it.

The SCQ

If you ever want to see a brilliant example of Corporate Speak, take a look at nearly any job description.

[A quick time out for a glossary of terms:

'Corporate Speak' refers to a style of communicating which purports to tell nothing but the truth about things at work but often fails miserably to impart anything of importance, including the truth.

'Job description' a document that contains ostensibly all essential information about a specific job, including: Duties, responsibilities, requirements (e.g., education, experience, skills, etc.) and, possibly, pay.

Now back to our program, already in progress.]

When reviewing a job description, what you'll find, at best, is an approximation of the true job. Sure, you'll learn from the description if 'a strong customer service orientation', project planning, basic Microsoft Office skills, a fluency in a second language, 15 years of hands-on management experience, or, say, a working knowledge of neurosurgery are required. (By the way, what is 'a strong customer service orientation' and how might one demonstrate or assess it?) You'll also know what licenses, certificates, and/or level of education are needed or desired. The job description may tell you where the job is located, what type of technical skills 'the successful candidate' (love that expression!) will need, and just possibly, what the job pays -- beyond the notorious and completely amorphous 'Pay commensurate with skills and experience' promise.

When all is said and done, you might have a sense of what the job actually is and how qualified for it you might be. This from a document that is intended to provide a true description of the job. I wonder how the authors of those job descriptions would describe a 'red barn'. (A topic of a future blog, to be sure.) Never accuse HR of not having a sense of humor. They should be writing for Saturday Night Live.

But what the job description will never tell you -- and why would it? -- is the one thing every job applicant should and must know. That one piece of information so vital, indeed, so critical to every job seeker, even the most desperate. Possibly the most valuable job-related data point of them all. Even more important than, yes, work hours, attire or pay.

That critical piece of information? The speed and extent to which the job will crush your soul.

At TJOW, we call that The Soul Crush. It has an official name because every job in every workplace has the potential to crush a part or all of your soul. The only questions are these: How much of your soul will be crushed and how fast will it happen?

[Another quick time out. As cynical as that last paragraph might be, it is, unfortunately, accurate. Every job in every workplace has, without doubt, the potential to crush your soul. It's the potential that varies, along with the percentage of your soul that might be crushed. Tell us we're wrong.]

Lest you think we've gone all metaphysical on you or are delving unduly into religion, we consider 'soul' to be that part of you that keeps you alive, provides drive and hope, balances you, adds depth and complexity, and helps fuel a belief that you're a strong, capable, worthy person. In short, your sense of identity. Who you are.

The problem is, most jobs in most organizations have the capacity to damage the soul, to undermine your sense of self. How, you ask? Let us count (some of) the ways:

• Micro-managing, second-guessing managers, who cause you to question the very expertise the company is paying you for
  
• Workplace rules and regulations that suggest that you are less than an adult and, worse, one not to be trusted
• Being, for whatever reason, excluded from discussions related to your job duties and responsibilities
  
• Strictly defined job boundaries designed to confine you and, in the process, define you within a category or label
  
• Performance appraisal processes that artificially define most workers as 'average' -- regardless of level of performance or contribution
• Promises made regarding, say, bonus or promotion, that are not fulfilled
  
• Hierarchies preventing lower-level workers from involvement in processes to improve performance or, worse, fully precluding them from offering ideas at all
• An excessive amount of Corporate Speak
  

And those are just some of the many dynamics in the workplace that can and do damage the soul. Each in its own diabolical way has the potential to cause you to question your skills and abilities and, in turn, your sense of self-worth. It is that questioning that often damages the soul.

As a public service, then, and to provide truly valuable information to job applicants everywhere, we propose that all job descriptions contain a Soul Crush Quotient (SCQ). Using the Nigel 'Turn it up to 11' Tufnel scale, an SCQ of 0 indicates the job will likely have no negative impact on your soul. This is good. In contrast, an SCQ of 11 screams of severe danger and that the job may place your entire soul in serious jeopardy. This is bad. (There is the possibility of a negative SCQ, though it is exceedingly rare. Such a score would suggest that the job actually nourishes the soul. Negative SCQs are typically found in volunteer work -- especially those involving children or animals -- and most often in jobs without supervision, internal politics, excessive rules or performance reviews.)

What influence does money have on the SCQ, you ask? Little. Research indicates that money has an inverse relationship with time when it comes to The Soul Crush. The higher the salary the lower the speed of any soul crushing. Although slower, any negative impact on the soul provided by the job is inevitable and as powerful. The pain is as strong. It just takes longer to get there.

So, as informative and useful as the SCQ might be, don't expect it to come to a job description near you anytime soon. It's simply too revealing.

It Can Get Better

We have two things for you this week. And, no, one of them is not a Valentine's Day reminder. You're on your own there. Another is not the Clint Eastwood-Chrysler Super Bowl halftime commercial. We loved it. Just something else that separates us from Karl Rove.

This week, we have an appeal for involving employees in the economic recovery and a salute to, of all organizations, the San Francisco Police Department.


Accelerating the Recovery

As the economy continues to improve, we thought it an ideal time to poll 50 randomly-selected non-management workers from throughout the country in a variety of industries to collect their views of their company's future. Their observations?

1. Our company is on the mend, but we're missing opportunities to improve.

2. Let us help!

Yes, it was only 50 people. And, yes, it's hardly a representative sample. Even so, our bet is that we could talk with 50,000 people and get about the same results. Because, as we've written so often, most workers are proud of where they work and are eager to help their organization thrive.

The problem: Only a small minority of companies allow their employees to get involved in a meaningful way. Show up on time and do your job. Help? Nah, we've got that covered.

Too bad, too, since not enlisting workers in the pursuit of performance improvements has two critical costs:

1. Significant opportunities for immediate and on-going improvement are missed. Indeed, data we've collected over more than 20 years of consulting from thousands of employees clearly indicate that much of the low-hanging fruit, so to speak, is left untouched. Broader, even more potentially powerful gains are also unrealized. Talk about those proverbial dollars that might drop directly to the bottom line -- but don't! Your employees hear a great deal about those mythical dollars. Why not let them help you find them? Why not, indeed.

2. Employee commitment is weakened. Electing not to involve employees in fixing the organization sends the message, whether intended or not, that they're not truly an important, valued part of the enterprise. And once this message is communicated, again whether purposefully or not, it's a long road back for any employer concerned about employee engagement and retaining key contributors, high potential individuals, or anyone else they'd hate to lose. Our suggestion: Do not, under any circumstances, send this message. It will cost you. (Actually, it probably already is.)

We agree with the 50 we spoke with last week: Let them help! And here's how.

The Schnur Consulting Group has developed a controlled, skillfully-facilitated, employee-driven process that unleashes creative ideas and leads to the development of bold recommendations to achieve dramatic and sustainable bottom-line gains.

A process we call FUSION.

FUSION taps the knowledge, insight and expertise that exist within every organization. It is a contained, step-wise reaction requiring an exacting process and expert facilitation. A quantum leap from typical OD processes, FUSION demands unparalleled objectivity, authenticity and a keen understanding of business processes only a very few can bring. (Remember, after all, that we're licensed professionals.)

And the challenges our clients' FUSION teams have tackled -- and achieved? Amazing ones:

• Growing revenue by 20% to $1.0 billion within 2 years while reducing costs by $2.5 million
• Reducing time to market by 25%
• Improving customer service ratings by 20%
• Eliminating two weeks from the year-end books closing process
• Reducing voluntary turnover among top performers and high potential employees by 25%
• Increasing market share by 15% in 2 years
• Decreasing the time required to fill job vacancies successfully by 50%
• Decreasing the learning curve among new hires by 50%
• Becoming a Fortune Top 100 Places to Work company within 2 years

As some might say, not too shabby. Not too shabby, indeed.

There's more. FUSION not only has the power to improve performance substantially, it also has the power -- by design -- to change an organization's culture, its very fabric, in profound and sustainable ways. For FUSION creates a climate where on-going performance enhancement is expected. A continual search for new ideas and new ways to do things to help the organization win becomes what we do here, how we operate. Thus, once in place, FUSION continues to pay back the organization for years.

We hope our enthusiasm for this process shows. It's exciting. It's a game-changer. And it produces dazzling results. Give us a call and we'll show you how FUSION might be able to help your company find those dollars just waiting to fall to the bottom line. And restore your employees' belief that your organization is the place to be.


A Shout-out to the San Francisco Police Department

Following in the footsteps of the San Francisco Giants, the first professional sports team to produce and air an anti-bullying public service announcement for the It Gets Better Project, the San Francisco Police Department has created one of its own. The SFPD is, notably the first law enforcement agency in the country to do so. In many ways, it's an amazing public service announcement and worth, at the very least, a few minutes to review. And as you do, consider that the spokespeople are police. As appropriate, consider forwarding it to anyone in need, regardless of sexual orientation. The Giants' PSA is also included. Both provide support to our steadfast belief that, given the opportunity, people will and do step up to help those in need around them. Cops and ball players included.

Makes one proud to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. More importantly, makes life wonderful, no?



One last thing: Pitchers and Catchers report this week. The long wait is nearly over.

Four Questions

This week we ask you, our dear, loyal readers, for guidance. We have questions without answers. Help us by clarifying what we can't seem to grasp.

1. Who are the 'Anyone But Obama' people? We've met them. We've talked with them. We've tried our very best to understand them. Really, we have. And yet we fail to see beyond their stubborn belief that President Obama is an evil, a true evil, requiring eradication. The primary concern -- at least the one they'll admit to -- is that Obama is unequipped to deal with the economy. To that we ask:

• Did anyone have successful, hands-on experience resurrecting an economy that was in the state of ours when Obama was elected? The economy he inherited was, arguably, the second-worst economy in our nation's history and it took World War II to improve the #1 most horrible economy our country has ever faced. Thus, we argue that no one has ever had to address the economic issues of this magnitude -- and live to tell about it.
  

• We now have five -- count 'em, 5 -- months of consecutive declines in unemployment. Might this be a trend? And, if so, how many months of declines will it take for his detractors to admit that Obama may be on the right path? Six? Sixteen?

But, of course, actual evidence of economic improvement means nothing to those who choose to be blind, deaf and dumb. Because it's not about nation healing or getting people back to work. It is, instead, about getting that Muslim, non-American, Socialist out of office. Right?

And while this may sound pro-Obama, it is not intended to be. It is, instead, about understanding those who can't see beyond their own predispositions.

Please, help us understand.

2. Why do we close so many doors? Why is it that we spend much of our lives closing doors, eliminating possibilities? Children -- us, years ago -- saw endless possibilities. We could aspire to become a rock 'n roller, a doctor, an astronaut, a firefighter, a ball player -- all in the course of a week. (Okay, we were stupid, but that's beside the point.) As we grew, we systematically nixed options, citing a lack of desire, questionable talent, the need to live in Houston (to be an astronaut). All reasonable and reality-based. Yet, we wonder why closing doors seems so much easier than opening doors. Are we, as a species, predisposed to a fear of failure? Are we excessively unadventurous? Do we prefer to dream rather than do? Are we more concerned about how we might look rather than how we might feel? Do we listen too closely to those who tell us not to try, not to reach, not to climb? Is it somehow dangerous to explore? Are we simply lazy?

Help us, for we do not understand.

3. What's up with promises made, promises not kept? What is it about executives who make clear, public commitments to their employees and then either do not follow-through or, worse, renege -- and then are baffled when performance of their company suffers? Who are these people? Don't they know that the very essence of leadership is trust? That trust is a requirement of a strong, vibrant company (assuming, of course, that the company is filled with humans as opposed, say, to machines). That employees make choices every day about how they perform their jobs and that those choices are based on their views of leadership? That trust in leadership can either strength or weaken one's emotional commitment to work? That lack of trust kills companies?

Unfortunately, this is a more commonplace occurrence than one might think. Sad, but true. Just ask your friends and family who work in other companies.

Help us, for we do not understand.

4. JC Penney? For those who find these things fascinating, JC Penney, the once venerable, all-but-done, stuck-woefully-in-the-60's, wouldn't-be-caught-dead-in chain is working hard -- and creatively -- to change its image and, in the process, claim a piece of our heart.

Quietly, JC Penney has become jcp. They are 'praising fresh air', as in their own need for. Especially after 110 years. They're promoting treating people 'fair and square'. They claim to 'keep dreaming up new ways to make you love shopping again'. Why? Because 'we want to be your favorite store'.

Wait, there's more.

Their latest Sunday newspaper advertisement insert was, according to those in the know, hip and, shockingly, cool. Yes, cool. Their merchandise -- and how they present it -- is fun, remarkably current. The text is engaging. The font and print colors are inviting. The models are a cross between Gap, Banana Republic and United Colors of Benetton (but in a good way). As one acclaimed shopper noted, 'They're out-Targeting Target.' Apparently, high praise indeed.

And that astute shopper is right. The new image jcp is attempting to create is that of a cool, hip, young, honest friend. Somebody you can trust. Someone who is dedicated to being your good friend. Someone who will always treat you fairly. To whit: jcp is telling anyone who will listen that they have only 3 price categories: 'Everyday prices (great prices everyday)', 'month-long values (best stuff of the month on sale for the entire month)', and 'best prices (discounts every 1st and 3rd Friday)'.

[Full disclosure: The Job of Work has no professional relationship with JC Penney. TJOW or The Schnur Consulting Group -- which has absolutely no legal connection to this blog, nor approves of or even claims awareness of, the ideas, concepts or points of view of this blog -- is currently not engaged with or has any contracts pending with the JC Penney Company. Not that we wouldn't like to, but largely because we haven't been asked.]

Might jcp replace Gap? Might it out-Target Target? First things first, though. Might jcp get even a few more people to walk through those wouldn't'-be-caught-dead-in doors?

It's a story worth watching.

(We know, that last question wasn't really a question. Deal with it.)

Have a good week.