By Jason Gray
Professor, Hospitality Management
For anyone who has gone through the Strengths Workshop and viewed any of the videos, you know that the focus is discovering your strongest, most dominant talents and putting them to use to the fullest extent. The supporting research supports that we are at our best when we are engaged in activities we are best at and enjoy doing.
If anyone is like me, as well and good and as easy as this sounds, we know there are times in which we have little to no control over our assigned responsibilities, and sometimes there are tasks we’re charged with completing that don’t mesh with our strengths. In fact, sometimes we flat out don’t like doing them.
Since we can’t avoid or refuse to do work we need to do, what can we do to make those times more positive?
In almost all cases, when we’ve experienced moments when we are at our best, maximizing our talents, enjoying what we are doing, there are definite identifiable environmental elements and variables that are a part of these “moments”. These variables might be so subtle that we are not even aware they’re present, or, they may be quite noticeable.
So, in order to get through the times in which we are engaged in tasks less than desirable, perhaps we can create or add some of the positive environmental elements, either before or during such times.
When we first go through the Strengths Workshop, we are asked to think of and/or recall moments in which we feel we are at our best. Usually when asked to do this, we think of jobs, tasks, duties, responsibilities or activities but sometimes we don’t consider the specific, detailed environmental elements that help make up these satisfying times. Sometimes these elements are quite subtle or are such a natural characteristic of what we’re doing that we become desensitized to them and aren’t even aware they are involved.
If we can identify these environmental elements, ones in which we have control over, ones in which we can create, include, involve in our activities, perhaps we can utilize our strengths and talents during those times of less than perfect activities and make them just a little bit better, or at the very least, tolerable.
In order to do this, we have to turn our brains on and proactively think and observe our environment when engaging in activities we find enjoyable – those times we are in the “moment”. Because these times are so positive, we often take the variables for granted. We sure know and are aware of the times we aren’t in the “moment” because usually they’re times in which we aren’t at our best. But during the times we are at our best, it’s very easy to miss out on why. Sometimes, often really, it has a lot to do with our attitudes and approach of less than desirable activities. We know that our environment has a direct correlation with our attitudes.
So what environmental elements are we talking about? Sound, light, temperature, even the clothes we are wearing can and do contribute to our environment. Obviously we cannot always control the sound or temperature or choose what we wear, especially if we’re required to wear a uniform, but, perhaps there are times we can, or, perhaps we can positively adjust our environment immediately prior.
Here’s an example: I love music, all types. Some music is very inspiring and pumps me up and some is very calming and relaxing. I also love sports and listening to sports talk radio when I’m driving. I cannot listen to music or sports talk radio while I’m at work very often, but I do listen to something on my way to work. One day while listening to sports talk radio on my way to work I noticed I was becoming frustrated. I wanted to call and chime in on whatever topic was being discussed and debated, but, I was so close to work that I knew I wouldn’t have time. Unbeknownst to me, I ended up going into work frustrated, not by the work I was about to do, but because of what I had just experienced. The next day, having come to the realization that morning sports talk, as much as I think I enjoy it, actually creates an attitude of frustration and general underlying negativity, I opted to listen to a play list of music that I know pumps me up, gets me excited and puts me in a good mood. Sure enough, that day when I arrived at work, I walked in with a great attitude and in a great mood.
Nothing else really changed. And, make no mistake, I love my job, but there are times in which I have to do things that don’t directly correlate with my talents, or TOP 5 Strengths. On this particular day, I was in such a good mood and had such a positive attitude that I can’t even recall what activities I was even engaged in. This is just one example of many seemingly insignificant elements that can impact and influence our environment and by doing so, can have a positive effect on our daily tasks.
Imagine how much easier those dreadful tasks or assignments can be if we take some time and think about what, if anything, we can do to make them more tolerable. So the next time you find yourself in the “moment”, try to identify the environmental elements before and during. Perhaps some of these elements can be created and/or controlled prior to and/or during those activities that don’t necessarily mesh with your TOP 5 Signature Themes.