Doing Work: CG-1

Taking Work Seriously

The organization, i.e. its management, expects an employee to do work in accord with the contract of employment.  That means using all possible means for achieving. Because these «means» are not normally specified as obligations, they are better viewed as types of expectation. Of course, you now know that the «means» are derived-- from the approaches to decision-making—themselves not widely appreciated among either managers or academics.

Work does not just happen. All employees realize that doing work means deliberate activity and diligent application. Work gets creatively energized by challenges. So it is possible to be creative and energized by the simple trick of seeing work as a challenge Challenge [sRH-G7] is found in the framework of «creativity at work», which will be posted soon.. Determination to do the job well then comes into play, and you are off to a great start. Let's look at this in more detail.

Management Expectations

The framework of achievement revealed that there are 7 hierarchically arranged values relevant to doing work. Each can be seen as a challenge and each naturally corresponds to management's expectations of employees.

THEE Note on Formulae: Each Monad is one Level, so CG1¹ = CL1, CG1² = CL2 &c. The formulae are different because CG specifies a grouping-level in a structural hierarchy, whereas CL specifies a level in its originating hierarchy.

CG1¹: Take action

Management expects action.
Challenging? Yes, getting things done is a daily challenge.

CG1²: Be accountable

Management expects accountability—to enable this, employees should be given a defined set of duties (and rights), and expected to report in a responsible way on anything within those boundaries.
Challenging?  Yes. Being accountable is a tough 24-hours a day 7 days a week challenge.

CG1³: Grip issues

Management expects any issue that arises, whether political or practical, to be gripped: i.e. identified and put on an action agenda.
Challenging? Yes. It is a challenge to identify and define persistent problems that have multiple factors, resist efforts and yet can and should be resolved if properly addressed.

CG1⁴: Set directions

Management expects sensible directions—values, goals, plans, strategies &c—to be developed.
Challenging? Yes. It is a challenge to devise effective strategies and determine useful tactics.

CG1⁵: Use information

Management expects information to be sought, collected, accessed and used.
Challenging? Yes. It is a challenge to know what is going on, to analyses and integrate data, to get useful feedback and to keep all work realistic.

CG1⁶: Channel aspirations

Management expects employees to channel their aspirations in its service.
Challenging?  Yes. It is a constant challenge to make work meaningful and to generate ways (i.e. challenges) so as to feel fully committed.

CG1⁷: Evolve mindsets

Management expects employees to handle personal and organizational changes by adjusting their views, convictions and attitudes.
Challenging? Yes. It is a challenge to properly know one's own mindset, and an even greater challenge to alter beliefs and views appropriately as the environment evolves slowly or abruptly.

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• Consider how the organization gets evidence that an employee is rising to the challenge of the job?
• Imagine how an employee views the 7 types of challenge.

Originally posted: 20-Oct-2011