Last month we talked about why employees lose their hustle. Specifically, we covered three of the six most common reasons people tell me they have fallen out of their groove – lack of challenge, not feeling financially rewarded, and geographic mobility. This month we are covering the other three reasons (which will make last month’s reasons seem like child’s play!) and the big-picture take-aways about how to regain your hustle.

1. Organization dysfunction
Every once in a while I have a phone call that sounds like this:

Bob: Hey, Claire, I gotta get out of here. This place is dysfunctional. It makes the government seem like a well-oiled machine.
Claire: Zoinks. What kind of dysfunction? Is change possible? Can you be part of it?
Bob: Oh, you have no idea! It would take a miracle worker (or a board that is paying attention) to solve these problems.

The sad truth about organization dysfunction is that it is incredibly difficult for any single employee to correct alone. It almost always boils down to senior management problems and a board that either isn’t paying attention or doesn’t want to get its hands dirty.

If you find yourself in a dysfunctional organization and you don’t see any obvious ways to improve the situation, you may want to dust off the resume and start looking elsewhere.

2. Burnout

It’s not unusual for me to have conversations that sound something like this:

Bob: Claire. I’m burning the candle at both ends. I’m completely overworked and I feel as though I spend all my time in one endless meeting.  I work such long hours that Gretchen  growls when I come home because she doesn’t recognize me. I gotta get out of here and regain my sanity.
Claire: Is Gretchen your dog or your wife? In any case, have you told your boss you’re overworked? What did she say about it?
Bob: No, I figured it was obvious. I think half the staff feels this way.

Not so fast, Bob. Your boss may not realize just how overworked and overwhelmed you feel. But before you barge into her office and tell her as much, make sure you think critically about what the problem is. According to the Harvard Business Review article Employee Burnout Is a Problem with the Company, Not the Person, there are three common culprits of workplace burnout:

–Excessive collaboration – Too many meetings, emails, and interruptions

–Weak time management disciplines – An organizational culture that makes it difficult to say no to low-value meetings and other time-wasters

–Tendency to overload the most capable with too much work

Once you’ve identified which of these factors are at play, it’s time to talk to your boss and explain the situation. Make sure you come armed with solutions such as reducing meeting frequency, eliminating time-wasting practices, hiring additional staff, or offloading some of your work on another employee. You might also suggest that the organization employ the use of software such as Microsoft Workplace Analytics, which can track how much time is being spent on meetings, emails, etc.

Of course, this is no easy conversation to have. You may find yourself standing up to a powerful organizational culture that values overwork and excessive meetings. Be prepared for the “You’re not a team player, Bob.” response.  If your boss favors the status quo to improving efficiency and production, you know how to reach me!

3. Irreconcilable differences
The phone rings. You know who it is.

Bob: Claire, I don’t think I’m in the right place. My boss and I are like oil and vinegar, I don’t fit in with the organization’s culture, and I’m just not ethically comfortable with some of the tactics our organization employs. Now, I know what you’re going to say: I should talk to my boss, right?
Claire: Bob, you’re a quick study. But, ironically, I don’t think you need to talk to your boss this time. I think you should send me your resume and we’ll explore opportunities.

Bob and his employer are facing what divorce lawyers like to call “irreconcilable differences.” It’s highly unlikely that a conversation (or even 100 conversations) will lead to a situation in which Bob and the organization are on the same page. In circumstances like this, it’s probably best to move on to a place that is a better fit for you.

So, now you know the six most common reasons employees lose their hustle. But what about the big-picture take-aways? I’m glad you asked.

1. You CAN change things!
There is a very real chance you can have an influence on the very things that made you fall out of love with your job in the first place. Your proactivity may help you fall back in love and regain your hustle.

2. The grass is not always greener.
It may be that you just need to hit “reset” in order to appreciate where you are. Remember the Pina Colada song? It’s possible that you already have a great job in an organization with a healthy culture and stellar people. Finding those things in the next opportunity is not guaranteed.

3. Communication with your boss is critical.
If you complain to your friends, spouse, and strangers on the Metro, but you aren’t proactive at work, then you can rest assured that nothing will change. Communicating with your boss can work wonders. And if it doesn’t, then you can  move on with confidence in knowing you tried to make it work.

4. Don’t give up on the free-market nonprofit world because of one dysfunctional situation.
There are plenty of healthy, high-functioning organizations out there — many of which would love to hire you! So, think twice before leaving the free-market universe!

Of the six reasons I cited that people lose their hustle, you’ll note that “lack of fulfillment” wasn’t one of them. That’s because I never hear from people inside of our world who are unfulfilled. Yet, I hear from countless people outside who are clamoring to get in! Bottom line: we are lucky to be working for liberty!

At the State Policy Network Annual Meeting earlier this month, I had the privilege of being on a panel that discussed why we lose our hustle, including lessons on resilience, strength, and creating a career that lasts.  In case you missed it (which was a big mistake because we served Prosecco….and the panel started at 3!), I thought I would share some of the key take-aways with you here.

You start a new job bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, excited to wake up every day and git-r-done, right? But as time marches on, you may find yourself lacking the hustle you once had. So, what do you do? Well, first you need to understand why you lost your hustle in the first place. Then, you need to ask yourself whether there is anything you can do to turn the situation around and get your hustle back.

Below are three of the six most common reasons people tell me they have lost their hustle, along with thoughts on whether changing things is within their control. Next month we’ll cover the other three reasons and the big-picture take-aways about how to regain your hustle.

1.       Lack of challenge or room for growth
It’s not uncommon for me to have calls that sound like this:

Bob: Claire, I want to look for a new job. I no longer feel challenged at work. I’ve hit a ceiling.
Claire: Sorry to hear this. What did your boss say when you told her how you feel?
Bob: [long pause] Uhhhh. I haven’t told her yet. I guess I should.

Turns out most people get frustrated about not feeling challenged but plum forget to open the lines of communication with their supervisors. So, I like to suggest that an employee proactively sets up a meeting with his/her supervisor to discuss the situation. But I also encourage the employee to come to the table with possible solutions — not just a complaint about the problem. Now, imagine this follow-up conversation:

Bob: Claire, I wanted to update you on my situation. I talked to my boss and suggested that I expand my responsibilities to include some of the items that were weighing her down. Turns out she was relieved to get those things off her plate. Now, she’s happy because she’s less stressed out and I’m happy because I feel challenged again.
Claire: Boom goes the dynamite!

Now, things may not turn out so rosy, but it’s a good thing to try before heading out the door. And if there truly isn’t room for growth at your current organization, maybe it is time to find your hustle elsewhere.

2.       Feeling inadequately rewarded
Now, picture this conversation:

Bob: Claire, I’m getting underpaid and want to consider other opportunities.
Claire: Bob, that’s unfortunate. What did your boss say when you approached her about this?
Bob: [long pause] Uhhhh. I haven’t brought this up with her. I guess I should.

Once again, it’s wise to engage in a dialog with your boss before jumping ship. But don’t just walk in the bossman’s office with your complaint. Come armed with the following: a list of ways you have added significant value to the organization, including specific things you’ve done to exceed expectations; empirical evidence of comparable salaries; and your new desired salary.

The follow-up call often goes like this:

Bob: Claire, thanks for the advice! I talked to my boss last week and got the raise I wanted! I’m back in hustle mode, baby!
Claire: Wonderful! You owe me a beer!

I’m a sucker for happy endings, but it doesn’t always end up this way.  If a heart-to-heart conversation with your boss doesn’t lead to your desired outcome, you may want to look for an organization that financially rewards you for your performance. And Talent Market is happy to help you find a new home!

3.       Geographic mobility
The phone rings. It’s you-know-who again.

Bob: Claire, I want to move back to my home state. So, I’m on the market.
Claire: Good to know. Your boss said working remotely isn’t an option?
Bob: [long pause] Uhhhh. I didn’t ask that yet.

You’d think Bob would pick up on the trend by now, huh? Before updating your resume (and long before packing up the U-haul), have a conversation with your boss about whether working remotely might be an option. If you are self-motivated and have a job that doesn’t require being in the office every day, it’s quite possible you can take your work with you.  If your boss is skeptical about remote work, offer to engage in a six month trial period to prove to him that you can create value outside a standard office. And if he says “no”? Reach out to Talent Market!

…..TO BE CONTINUED

Next month we’ll cover the other three common reasons employees lose their hustle and what can be done about them. Hint: think organizational dysfunction, burnout, and irreconcilable differences! Don’t miss it!

 

Have you ever wanted to tell your boss to take a long walk off a short cliff or post something incendiary on social media about your former employer? Have you daydreamed of walking out of the office for a lunch break never to return? Did the movie Office Space strike a chord with you?

We’ve all been there. You’re so frustrated that you’re tempted to burn a bridge.

I’ve witnessed the destruction of many-a-bridge in my career, and they all have the same unhappy ending. Once the smoke clears, that’s one overpass you can never cross again.

Now, for Peter Gibbons in Office Space, it all ended well. But it may not for the rest of us. So, here are some of the most common bridge-burning techniques we’re seen and why you should avoid them like 37 pieces of flair.

• “Ghosting” a Potential Employer
A couple of years ago we helped a candidate land an amazing director-level job. The candidate seemed excited and the employer was thrilled. But as the start date neared, communication from the newly hired director trailed off. Calls, emails, and online messages weren’t returned. We started to worry that something terrible had happened. I remember combing local accident reports and news stories fearing the worst.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks: the candidate wasn’t being held against her will in some remote locale; we had been “ghosted” (to borrow dating terminology).

What never made sense to me is why the candidate didn’t simply pick up the phone (or write an email) and explain she no longer wanted the job. Things change; these things happen. Despite the pain of rejection, the client would have surely understood. And if the candidate handled the situation correctly, there is a good chance we would have left the door open for future possibilities. Instead, she burned the bridge.

The lesson here is to have the decency and maturity to tell an employer that you are no longer interested in pursuing a job — whether it’s before or after an offer has been made. If you go radio silent, I pinky swear that your future options with the organization will be nil.

• Quitting a Job without Ample Notice
Employers feel the sting of rejection when they lose an employee, but they typically get over it with time — unless the departing employee ends things unprofessionally or leaves them in a lurch.

A client recently told me about an employee who just stopped showing up for work. No call. No email. No note. What? I’m having a flashback to how I broke up with my boyfriend in fifth grade. (Sorry, Rusty. I was young and foolish.)

This immature and short-sighted behavior will no doubt come back to haunt this gentleman. What happens when a future employer asks for a reference from the organization? Another bridge incinerated.

The moral of the story is to give ample notice before leaving a job. It’s the respectful thing to do. Two weeks is standard courtesy, but if you’ve been on the job for several years, more notice will may help you maintain a healthy relationship with your soon-to-be-former employer.

• Unloading on Social Media
Years ago I was working on a search and thought we had found the perfect candidate. The client was just about to draft an offer letter when he decided to sniff around on the candidate’s social media sites. Lo and behold he found a post in which the person had trash-talked a former employer. Then, faster than you can say, “short-term thinking can cost you a job,” the client moved on to another candidate.

Not only had the candidate burned the bridge with her former employer, but she had inadvertently let the fire spread to other bridges — many of which she may never know were burned.

The take-away here is to always be professional on social media sites when it comes to former employers. Just remember mama’s advice: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

• Telling off a Boss
We’ve all had that boss. My first job out of college involved working for an unethical, dishonest, unresponsive, unprofessional jerk (to put it nicely). It took me all of three months to figure it out and then I knew I had to get out of there. I had all sorts of grand machinations to tell him off in dramatic fashion, but ultimately decided to be professional — as much as that pained me. It was the right move not only for my career, but also for my conscience.

The key point here is to not let your emotions in the heat of the moment get the best of you.  If you have irreconcilable differences with your supervisor, you should look for another job. And when you leave, there’s no need to tell the bossman how you really feel. Just put in your notice and move along.

So, the next time you’re tempted to pull a Peter Gibbons and not show up for work or emulate Joanna and let flair get the best of you, remember the power of long-term thinking.  It’s a small free-market universe; the things you say and do today will work for (or against) you in the years to come.

Forget the red state/blue state debate for a minute. If you’re in the market for talent, you really need to be thinking about the yellow state/blue state phenomenon.

The map above (courtesy of United Van Lines) illustrates whether states are experiencing inbound, outbound, or balanced migration. For those of you in the blue states, congrats! Finding talent is likely a bit easier for you than your friends in the yellow states. But all is not lost for you, my yellow-hued pals! You can always consider a virtual hire to significantly expand your talent pool.

Not surprisingly, Talent Market’s experience reflects the map quite well. For instance, a recent search in blue Washington state yielded three times the number of candidates as a nearly identical search in yellow New York state.  And for another similar search that allowed for a virtual office, the client had five times more candidates than the Washington state search!

Now, of course, other factors were involved (reputation, pay, job details, etc.); but the numbers certainly reinforce the yellow state/blue state map. And they hopefully will provide inspiration for you to consider hiring virtually.

If you haven’t yet jumped on the virtual hiring bandwagon, here are some things on which to ruminate.

• If a virtual employee works in a forest and no one is around to see it, does he accomplish anything?
Let’s face it: one reason employers are wary of virtual work is that they won’t be able to see the work getting done. You’ll need to shed this way of thinking if you want to modernize your workforce. By focusing on work product and results (instead of who is best at water cooler talk), it will be easier for you to determine who your most valuable employees are.

• Not every job can be done remotely, but many jobs can be done (at least partially) from a virtual office.
Some jobs lend themselves to remote work (e.g. researcher), while other roles seem virtually impossible — pun intended — to do from afar (e.g. office manager). Many roles, however, can be handled at least partially from a home office. For instance, a communications director might benefit from being in the office to strategize and coordinate with staff, and being at home to write, edit, and engage in social media outreach. If you doubt me about the viability of remote offices, look at State Policy Network. It’s a well-oiled machine with headquarters in Arlington, but the majority of employees are spread around the country.

• Infrastructure and communication are key.
If you’re going to hire remotely, make sure you have the infrastructure to do it. Your remote workers will need the basics (a reliable computer, phone, internet connection, file-sharing capability, etc.).  And because distance will separate you, communication is critical. You’ll need to step up the phone calls, video conferences, and emails to keep the lines of communication open.

• Great virtual employees are simply great employees.
I’ve talked to some nonprofit leaders who have been burned by a virtual hire. As a result, they are hesitant to try again.  But in asking questions, I often discover that the virtual hires who failed weren’t top-tier talent to begin with. And putting them in a remote offices with the focus on work product only highlighted their weaknesses. This is why it’s important to put only great employees in virtual settings. Self-motivated, results-oriented individuals with keen judgment are your best bets. And you may just find that you get more out of them working remotely…which brings me to my final point.

• Watch the productivity increase exponentially!
We talk about working 8 or 10 hour days, but if we knew how much of that time was actually spent on work, we might be shocked. Consider the time spent commuting, chatting with cube-mates about weekend plans, attending justify-your-job meetings, lunching with co-workers, etc. It adds up! I’ve been working virtually for eight years and am still amazed about how much more productive I am now than when I worked in an office setting. And while I spend more hours working than before, the stress is gone — probably because I’m not distracted and I don’t have to sit in traffic and shout expletives at people who cut me off (not that I would do that).

For more on this topic, I suggest reading Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. As always, I welcome your feedback on this topic. If you’ve had a great (or horrendous) experience with virtual work, let me know!

It’s May. If you close your eyes and listen hard enough, you can almost hear “Pomp and Circumstance” playing in harmony with a collective sigh of relief from parents and an occasional squeal of excitement from graduates eager to set foot in the real world.

As such, now is as good a time as any to offer advice to our new graduates who will soon enter the workforce.

1. Present Yourself Like the Professional You Want to Be
After one of my first post-college interviews, the potential employer pulled me aside to offer some advice: “Lose the purple lipstick. It’s unprofessional.” My first thought was “Purple? This isn’t purple! It’s mauve!” I later pulled out the tube in good lighting. I’ll be darned if it wasn’t the shade of Grimace.

I was mortified. But more importantly, I was lucky that someone had shaken a little bit of that collegiate overconfidence out of me. I needed to be reminded that the way I had presented myself in college was not appropriate for the real world. In addition to tacky lipstick, young professionals should ditch casual clothing, short skirts, flip-flops, super-tight skinny pants, revealing tops, and other unprofessional attire.

Remember: if you dress like a college kid, employers will probably treat you as such. But if you dress like a professional, you’ll likely be taken more seriously.

2. Clean Up Your (Social Networking) Room
I hate to sound like your mother, but you really need to clean up your room — your social networking room, that is. Online behavior that was fine for a college setting may not necessarily be acceptable to a potential employer.

Scrub your social media sites of inappropriate posts, comments, and photos. If I had a dollar for every employer who passed over a candidate because of something unsavory that was found online about him, I’d have a yacht docked next to Richard Branson’s.

And while you’re online, make sure to join LinkedIn. It may have seemed pointless in college; but from now on, it will be an invaluable networking tool if you use it wisely.

3. Don’t Job Jump
Cliff Clavin fun fact for the day: Did you know that the average job tenure is seven years for Baby Boomers, five years for Gen X, and only 18 months for Millennials?

This is a troubling trend for employers. After all, why would they want to hire someone who will leave shortly after he has been properly trained — and perhaps even before he has started adding real value to the organization?

But it’s also a troubling trend for recent graduates. Why? Because staying on the job for a year and a half doesn’t give them an opportunity to actually dig in, build a significant portfolio of accomplishments, and truly make a difference. After all, you don’t want your knowledge to be a mile wide and an inch deep.

Many of the nonprofit hiring managers we work with won’t even talk to someone whose resume screams, “I jump jobs with the frequency of a cheap ham radio.” Don’t let that be you!

4. Try Not to Reinforce the Millennial Stereotype
In a recent discussion with friends about managing people at work, I got an earful about Millennials and how challenging some of them can be. Among the complaints:

? Millennials need constant praise and rewards – One friend complained of an entry level staffer who wanted to be “rewarded for coming to work on time, completing tasks in a timely manner, and  taking only a 30 minute lunch.”  The take-away? Don’t expect accolades for meeting basic expectations.

? Millennials feel entitled – Another friend told of a junior level staffer who thought he was ready for a senior management role — despite the fact he was struggling to perform the duties of his current role. Make sure you’ve mastered your current role before proclaiming your ability to run the show.

? Millennials are more comfortable in front of screen than a human – One friend lamented that the art of in-person conversation is lost on Millennials. Email is efficient, but know when to walk down the hall and have a face-to-face conversation with a co-worker or boss.

5. Remember the Importance of Reputation
If you interned or participated in a conference, workshop, or seminar in the liberty movement during college, you’ve already started sharpening one of the most useful arrows in your career quiver: your reputation.

The good news: if you worked hard and produced quality work, people are talking about that  — and it will likely help you land a job in the future. The bad news: if you slacked off and copped an attitude, that news is traveling twice as fast.

With every new job, project, and relationship, you’ll have a chance to build your name. If you develop a positive reputation now, it will open countless doors for you throughout your career.
Feel free to forward this along to recent graduates. And don’t forget to encourage them to get connected with Talent Market (http://talentmarket.wpengine.com/candidates/sendyourresume/) if they have an interest in a free-market nonprofit career!