Out with the Old - today's workplace requires a new way of thinking

by Robyn D. Clarke

Today's workplace requires a new way of thinking. Embrace the changes or risk being swept under the rug.

WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME OF GREAT SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL transformation. Thus, clinging to outdated beliefs about work is a sure road to nowhere. We have to replace them with thinking more in tune with today's business needs and core competencies. What follows are updated philosophies that will help you create and navigate your way through a successful career.

OLD BELIEF #1: Change is to be avoided. Change is another word for loss.

NEW BELIEF: Change is exciting. Change is another word for opportunity.

This old mind-set poses change as something to fear--nothing but trouble. True, change does involve loss--such as the loss of familiar ways of doing things, comfortable relationships, perhaps status or even a job. But it also presents opportunities to grow and achieve success. Embrace change and look for the possibilities it brings.

OLD BELIEF #2: Mistakes and failures are disasters.

NEW BELIEF: Mistakes and failures are learning experiences.

The old belief discourages risk-taking, stifles creativity and limits the opportunities to learn and improve. Organizations that reinforce the fold belief by punishing people who make mistakes are losing market position to companies that encourage risk-taking and innovation. Organizations need to adopt the new belief if they are to survive in today's competitive world. You also need to embrace it if you are to be successful. The new belief frees you to explore, to change and to grow. It supports the core competencies of entrepreneurism and an optimistic, can-do attitude.

OLD BELIEF #3: What can you do for me?

NEW BELIEF: What can I do for myself?

This old belief reflects dependency and passivity, however, you can't Shift your dependency needs to an organization. You may look to your manager for guidance and support, but you are in charge of your performance. The new belief is about being independent, taking an active, assertive posture and taking responsibility for making things happen yourself instead of waiting for others to do them for you. This new belief and the next two that follow, underpin the core competency of having an entrepreneurial attitude.

OLD BELIEF #4: Look for something or someone to blame when a problem occurs.

NEW BELIEF: Take responsibility for solving problems--even those you don't create.

The old belief--another that reflects dependency--is about assigning blame, not about fixing problems. The idea that it is management's responsibility to fix things is old thinking. The new belief is about ownership, being accountable, taking responsibility and being solution-oriented. Don't use your energy to complain and fingerpoint; use it to fix things and make them better. If you see problems, don't simply inform your manager; instead, present your recommendations for solving the problems.

OLD BELIEF #5: Wait for "them" to decide and tell me what to do.

NEW BELIEF: See what needs to be done. Make decisions and take action based on the facts known at the present.

Many people think management has all the answers. The truth is that you have answers, too. In fact, you probably know more about what is needed than your manager does. The new belief reflects the entrepreneurial attitude. Instead of waiting for your manager to tell you what to do, take the initiative and do what needs to be done to make the organization successful.

OLD BELIEF #6: Identify with a job title.

NEW BELIEF: Identify with a team for which everyone works toward the same set or goals.

Many people confuse their job title with their identity. Doing this focuses only on performing the tasks in your job description with no consideration for how your actions contribute to the organization's goals. Some managers perpetuate this thinking when they tell employees, "You just concentrate on what you're supposed to do and let me worry about the big stuff." Identifying beyond your job title means contributing to the team effort; it frequently encourages cross-training that adds to your skill set. This new belief and the one that follows relate to the core competency of collaboration and teamwork.

OLD BELIEF #7: It's not my job.

NEW BELIEF: I'll pitch in where I can.

The old belief limits your responsibility, reduces participation and creates feelings of isolation. Imagine a second baseman and a shortstop arguing about who should dive for the grounder: "That's not my department!" Instead, both players go after the ball because both have a stake in the outcome; both are focused on the team goal of winning the game. In today's workplace, success requires removing the focus from "What is my job?" and applying it to "What is it that needs to be done?" Thinking in this broader way also shows you how your actions beyond the boundaries of your job can have an impact on the company's success.

OLD BELIEF #8: Ask "Why?"

NEW BELIEF: Ask "Why not?"

The old belief is an excuse to resist change. "Why?" comes from a defensive and self-protective posture when you are feeling threatened by change or by other people's way of doing things. Saying "Why not?" breaks down the defensive posture, reframes the situation and opens your mind to other options, new opportunities and new possibilities. The new belief reflects an entrepreneurial mind-set, as well as an optimistic, can-do attitude.

OLD BELIEF #9: Security comes from loyalty to your company.

NEW BELIEF: Security comes from having skills that are needed in the marketplace.

If you have been laid off or told your job is being eliminated, you've had firsthand experience with the destruction of this old belief. Showing up faithfully day after day is no longer enough. Now you must bring to the table the skills and attitudes employers need. This means you must take an active role in identifying and acquiring those skills and attitudes and updating them as employers' needs change. The new belief redefines security and recognizes that you create your own security; a company does not bestow it upon you.

OLD BELIEF #10: There is no need to continue one's education after getting a job.

NEW BELIEF: Life involves continuous learning and retraining.

This new belief ties into the previous new belief about job security. You educate yourself to get a job; you must continue to educate yourself to keep a job. Education is a lifelong process; it's more important now than ever before because your skills will become obsolete if you don't stay current. People often date themselves not by their age, but by their unwillingness to keep learning and growing.

OLD BELIEF #11: I am an employee. My current job is the only option and there are no choices.

NEW BELIEF: I am employable. My current job is my choice and is one of many options I have.

Shifting from old to new beliefs represents taking responsibility to make yourself attractive to employers by acquiring the skills, knowledge and competencies they want. In his book, Job-Shift, author William Bridges suggests taking this one step further and thinking of yourself as an employer, the CEO of a company called "You & Co." Being employable means you know how the essence of your contribution counts, not the number of hours you have logged or how busy you are.

OLD BELIEF #12: The company is responsible for its employees' future.

NEW BELIEF: I determine my future.

The old belief reflects helplessness and a dependency on others. The people who cling to this belief are abdicating responsibility for managing their careers. Sometimes they then blame the company, or feel victimized or betrayed, if their careers do not progress as they had hoped. The new belief reflects empowerment and being in charge of your career and your vision of your future. Your manager may advise you or support your career goals, but you have to be the active director or your career.

Adapted from Scenarios for Success: Directing Your Own Career by Rochelle L. Teising with Catherine Joseph, Copyright [C] 1999. Reprinted by arrangement with Upstart Publishing.