Before we knew that America runs on Dunkin’, we met Fred the Baker. He was the central character in an ad campaign that Dunkin’ ran for 15 years. Fred was a
round-faced man with a narrow mustache who repeatedly said, “time to make the donuts.” He got up in the pre-dawn hours so that he could have the 52 flavors of sugary goodness ready to delight customers. Fred was dutiful, yet robotic and bland.
Can you relate? There have been times in my career when I felt like Fred. I got things done but didn’t feel inspired or filled up. We know that our connection, or lack thereof, to the work can be measured in terms of workplace engagement. Gallup reported that in 2023, only about one-third of U.S. employees were engaged, the remaining were disengaged. And 16% of the disengaged population were actively disengaged – those were the folks who did not even show up to make the donuts.
Research shows that we pull back rather than push forward for several reasons. There truly are more than a few engagement responsibilities that organizations have collectively. But what about you? You can take a broader view and make steps to press on so you can win.
Take an Inventory of Your Roles. Make a list of the roles you have, outside of work, that are important to you. Are you a parent, a caregiver, a board member, a volunteer, etc. How does your role at work add to or take away from those other roles? Maybe you’re a parent of school-age children and the flexibility of your role at work enables you to participate in school or extracurricular events. Acknowledge what deserves to be celebrated. Decide on changes you can make, or advocate for, that will help you experience more balance and well-being.
Seek Clarity and Meaning. The degree of clarity we need in our work responsibilities differs from person to person, and it may change for us as individuals over time. Our ability to comprehensively understand expectations of us and the influence we have on those we work with can bring the meaningfulness we need to keep going and keep growing. If you feel like you’re on autopilot, where can help you get more context about your organization’s vision, strategy, or goals so that you can be your own dot connector? Is it a direct manager, project team, or a mentor? Pursue this until you know how your work is helping you, your business, and how it helps the world become a better place.
Reframe. What is one of the most uncomfortable relationships or problems that you are dealing with at work right now? That one thing may be such a significant detractor that it is difficult to find your work joy… your mojo, your zone. Reframe that situation. Imagine that it is working for you rather than impeding your progress. Think about that strained relationship or problem as an opportunity for you to learn something that will help move you towards your next. It is your gift to unwrap – no matter what happens, you will end up with something you need.
Create a vision of what could happen if you experienced more alignment, clearer understanding, and successfully repurposed tough issues as welcomed opportunities to learn. Consider the outcomes if your team, your organization did the same. This is the work behind the work. More wins = more impact!
In Partnership,
Denise
Grow People for Impact
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