Managing Oneself

1. Discover and leverage your strengths through feedback analysis

The only way to discover your strengths is through feedback analysis.

Feedback analysis method: Write down expected outcomes before making key decisions or taking significant actions. Compare actual results with expectations after 9-12 months. This practice reveals your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Actionable steps:

• Concentrate on your strengths
• Improve your existing skills
• Address knowledge gaps
• Overcome intellectual arrogance
• Remedy bad habits

By consistently applying feedback analysis, you can identify where your talents lie and focus on areas where you can produce the best results. This approach allows you to build on your strengths rather than struggling to overcome weaknesses, ultimately leading to greater success and satisfaction in your work.

2. Understand your performance style: reader or listener?

Eisenhower apparently did not know that he was a reader, not a listener.

Reader vs. listener: Knowing whether you absorb information better through reading or listening is crucial for effective performance. This self-awareness can significantly impact your communication style and decision-making process.

Examples of performance styles:

• Readers: Process information best through written materials
• Listeners: Grasp concepts more effectively through verbal communication

Understanding your performance style allows you to adapt your work environment and communication methods accordingly. For instance, readers may prefer written reports and memos, while listeners might benefit more from face-to-face meetings or audio presentations. Recognizing and accommodating these preferences can lead to improved productivity and better decision-making in both personal and professional settings.

3. Identify your learning style and adapt accordingly

Schools everywhere are organized on the assumption that there is only one right way to learn and that it is the same way for everybody.

Diverse learning styles: People learn in various ways, including writing, note-taking, doing, talking, and listening. Recognizing your unique learning style is essential for maximizing your potential and effectiveness.

Common learning styles:

• Writing (e.g., Churchill)
• Taking notes (e.g., Beethoven)
• Learning by doing
• Talking to oneself or others
• Listening and absorbing information

By identifying your preferred learning method, you can tailor your approach to acquiring new knowledge and skills. This self-awareness allows you to create an optimal learning environment and choose the most effective techniques for personal growth and professional development. Adapting your learning strategies to match your natural inclinations can lead to faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable learning experiences.

4. Align your values with your work for maximum effectiveness

To work in an organization whose value system is unacceptable or incompatible with one's own condemns a person both to frustration and to nonperformance.

Value alignment: Ensuring that your personal values are compatible with your organization's values is crucial for job satisfaction and peak performance. This alignment goes beyond ethics and encompasses the fundamental principles that guide decision-making and priorities.

Considerations for value alignment:

• Short-term vs. long-term focus
• Approach to innovation and improvement
• Organizational culture and mission
• Interpersonal relationships and management style

When your values align with those of your organization, you're more likely to feel motivated, engaged, and fulfilled in your work. This harmony allows you to contribute more effectively and authentically, leading to better results and a sense of purpose. Conversely, working in an environment that conflicts with your core values can lead to stress, dissatisfaction, and underperformance.

5. Determine where you belong based on self-knowledge

A small number of people know very early where they belong. Mathematicians, musicians, and cooks, for instance, are usually mathematicians, musicians, and cooks by the time they are four or five years old.

Self-awareness for career fit: Understanding your strengths, performance style, and values is essential in determining where you belong professionally. This knowledge enables you to make informed decisions about your career path and work environment.

Key questions to consider:

• Do you work best alone or in a team?
• Are you suited for a decision-making role or an advisory position?
• Do you thrive in structured or flexible environments?
• Are you better suited for large organizations or small ones?

By answering these questions and gaining a deep understanding of yourself, you can identify the types of roles and organizations where you're most likely to succeed. This self-knowledge allows you to pursue opportunities that align with your natural talents and preferences, leading to greater job satisfaction and career success.

6. Define your contribution to make a meaningful impact

Knowledge workers in particular have to learn to ask a question that has not been asked before: What should my contribution be?

Defining your contribution: To make a meaningful impact, it's essential to determine how you can best contribute to your organization or field. This involves assessing the current situation, leveraging your strengths, and setting achievable goals.

Steps to define your contribution:

1. Analyze the situation and identify needs
2. Consider your strengths and values
3. Set specific, measurable goals
4. Develop an action plan with clear deadlines
5. Focus on results that make a difference

By clearly defining your contribution, you can focus your efforts on areas where you can have the greatest impact. This approach allows you to set meaningful goals, prioritize your work, and measure your progress effectively. A well-defined contribution not only benefits your organization but also provides a sense of purpose and direction in your career.

7. Take responsibility for relationships and communication

Whenever someone goes to his or her associates and says, "This is what I am good at. This is how I work. These are my values. This is the contribution I plan to concentrate on and the results I should be expected to deliver," the response is always, "This is most helpful. But why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Proactive communication: Taking responsibility for relationships involves understanding and adapting to the working styles of your colleagues, as well as clearly communicating your own strengths, methods, and expectations.

Key aspects of relationship responsibility:

• Recognize and respect individual differences
• Adapt to others' working styles
• Clearly communicate your own strengths and methods
• Seek to understand others' goals and expectations
• Foster open dialogue and mutual understanding

By actively managing your professional relationships, you can create a more harmonious and productive work environment. This approach involves both adapting to others and clearly expressing your own needs and expectations. Effective communication and relationship management can lead to improved collaboration, reduced conflicts, and better overall performance for both individuals and teams.

8. Prepare for a fulfilling second half of your career

We will see many more second careers undertaken by people who have achieved modest success in their first jobs.

Career longevity: With longer working lives, it's important to plan for a fulfilling second half of your career. This may involve starting a new career, developing a parallel career, or becoming a social entrepreneur.

Options for the second half of your career:

1. Start a new career in a different field
2. Develop a parallel career, often in nonprofit work
3. Become a social entrepreneur
4. Continue current work while reducing time commitment
5. Volunteer or engage in community service

Preparing for the second half of your career requires proactive planning and self-reflection. It's important to start thinking about these options well before reaching mid-career to ensure a smooth transition. By actively managing your career trajectory, you can maintain engagement, find new challenges, and continue to make meaningful contributions throughout your extended working life.

Last updated: January 22, 2025