The alphabet of your professional career: the P is for joy

Website design By BotEap.comWhen you talk about your career, joy is probably never mentioned. However, to keep a team engaged, or yourself, there must be some element of fun. This helps build a collaborative culture by socializing with others. It also gives everyone the opportunity to learn new things that are not in a structured format like a training program. The free flow of ideas can foster creativity and innovation while also making the workplace more interesting. Unfortunately, some don’t see the value in this.

Website design By BotEap.comEach generation views work, rewards, and learning differently. Most traditionalists view work as “do a good job and you’ll get paid.” They also want to learn the skills necessary to do their job, but nothing more. Younger generations like Millennials and Gen Zers want to connect with others. They are also very project focused; they thrive on projects that are fast and interactive.

Website design By BotEap.comSo when you evaluate your own career, do you find yourself motivated like others of your generation, or do you tend to be an outlier? Either way, what drives you to want to learn new things to further your career? It should be noted that some people, including some of my clients, tend to take courses of a similar nature all the time thinking that the more degrees they get, the better they are at getting ahead. In some occupations that may be true, but others use that type of education as a distraction to other forms of learning. They may also use it as an excuse for not having time to do other things, for example, “I have work to turn in so I can’t stay late.”

Website design By BotEap.comInstead, try something new. If you usually take college-level in-person courses, try webinars or mini-retreats. There are many webinars on a wide range of topics, and many are free. In some cases, you can see the other participants to make it easier to participate. Mini-retreats can offer a convenient way to meet others who have a similar interest; some of these are now even offered remotely.

Website design By BotEap.comAfter trying a class, determine if it was right for you. Many people are visual learners, so you may gravitate towards a class that has videos, images on PowerPoint slides, etc. Some like many words in a power point to be able to consult them at another time. Others may like a game aspect where they can compete against other classmates. Whatever works for you is up to you, but the most important thing is that you retain what you are learning and keep it “playful” so that you are involved all the time.