…Then Your Face Will Surely Show It

One of the challenges we all face at certain times is having ‘satisfying work.’ If the job we do daily is not in sync with our goals, values or aspirations, it’s a mismatch. That may be corrected–by changing one’s attitude, changing the job itself or moving into a different surrounding.

In other words, exert some internal or external change to gain more alignment. But I often come across people who are misaligned in two fundamental ways.

The first are those who basically do not like what they do for a living.

They’ve done it long enough to be proficient, often handsomely rewarded. Well paid, seemingly successful, and for all outward appearance, enjoy what they do. But it’s usually a cover. They’ve learned how to give both the management and clients what they want to see and hear. They adroitly cover up their discontent, doing a job they’re not happy about, but feel they can’t do anything else.

Trapped by a good income or inertia, they wait. Maybe the phone will ring, maybe an old or new friend who will pull them out of their misery, seeing their true genius. Maybe, maybe something will just—happen. It’s the old saw of being able ‘to fool some of the people all of the time’, a hard act to maintain long term. The cracks appear, and if nothing is done about it, the cracks turn into fissures, causing a collapse.

The second type are those who actually do like what they do, but don’t show it.

Either taught at a young age not to express oneself too vocally or merely recalcitrant to openly talk about really excites them, they keep an impartial face, thinking that is a better way to behave at work. Their colleagues are not quite sure whether they are all there, regardless of how often they’re in the office.

It’s a mismatch because no one will follow them or give them all their support. We follow people who show their interest; visibly, verbally, physically. Doesn’t matter what your upbringing is or where you’re from.

A visible desire or energy level about a job is simply matching what you have inside to expressing it externally–for all to see. To get executives to better line up their inner with their outer self may sound easy, but it’s the stuff of effective coaching–time, patience, consistent effort and acceptance of what needs fine tuning..

Which one are you?