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Give up Being a Good Employee

Written by: Jamie Broughton

Article Overview: Do you think you’re a “good employee?” Today’s article is all about giving that up - there’s something bigger waiting for you instead. Read on to find out…

Give up Being a Good Employee

Don’t be a Good Employee

“You can't solve a problem with the same
kind of thinking that created it.”
~Albert Einstein (1879–1955)


Front-burner projects were all Denis had on his plate. Everything was a priority. He was continually stressed with everything he had on the go and just couldn’t seem to find any downtime. He was being a good employee and doing his best to get everything done.

Denis also wanted to be partner of the firm he worked for. There were lots of perks waiting for him there and the prestige of it really appealed if he was honest.

The problem of course was that he was caught up in the mire of the day-to-day. He said yes to all the things people asked him to do because that’s what employees who want a promotion do, right?

He was getting further and further behind. Projects were late. Clients were getting more and more impatient. What made matters worse is he didn’t want to ask for help because he wanted to prove he could handle it all.

“When you look at all of this stuff you’re up to Denis, who are you ‘being’ when you’re doing it?”

“Huh? What do you mean who am I ‘being’ about it?”

“Think about it. Who are you being when you’re running around frantically trying to keep so many projects on the go?”

It was a confronting question.

“Well, er, I’m doing the best I can I guess. I’m trying to get it all done. I want to make everyone happy. I’m doing what the owners want and trying to please the clients. I’m frustrated and stressed about it too of course.”

“Excellent. How would you describe a person like that? What would you name them?”

“A ‘worker-bee’ really.”

“Precisely, a worker-bee. That’s who you’re being, a worker-bee”.

“I don’t get it” he said.

So you said you want to be partner right? What would a “partner” do in the situation you’re in right now?”

“Well that’s easy. He’d have to get Sylvan’s team to take on the Robinson project. I’m not sure what to do with this deadline issue, so I’d ask John, the senior partner for input. He’d need to push off these two projects until July and August and frankly, this one will have to wait till the fall as they just don’t have the resources right now.” He spouted it off like he was reciting his Christmas wish-list.

The silence hung in the air. The penny dropped.

“I guess if I want to be partner, I should do that huh?”

“Yeah, just maybe,” I replied.


Are you a “worker-bee” or a partner?

When people are asked what’s missing to solve a problem, ninety-nine percent of them will answer with what needs to be done. The difficulty is their answer is generated from the same level of the problem.

Think of it this way. Denis’s actions, what he was doing, were all coming from who he was being - a worker-bee – and he came up with “worker-bee” solutions. Once he shifted to being a “partner” instead, his viewpoint changed and fresh solutions to the problem were created naturally and easily.

Everything we do, all the actions we take, spring from who we’re being. If we’re being frustrated, fed-up, stressed and a “worker-bee”, we’ll do frustrated, fed-up, stressed and “worker-bee” type actions. Naturally, the results we produce will be in alignment with that as well.

So, want to shift your results?

1. Ask, who am I “being” in this situation? Ex. Frustrated, overwhelmed, worker-bee etc.
2. Imagine the ideal outcome.
3. Ask any or all of the following:
i. Who would I need to be to create the ideal outcome? (Ex. Partner, courageous, free etc.)
ii. Who would I be when that outcome was reached?
iii. What’s missing in who I’m being now that would make the difference to get what I want?
4. Standing in that new way of “being” look at your existing situation ask yourself, what would I do differently if I were being X?
5. Do that instead.

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Article Tags: albert einstein, denis, downtime, front burner, prestige, priority, senior partner, worker bee



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