The way we work determines how successful we will be in our roles, promotions and general career.
However, it is rarely discussed in schools, colleges and universities. We are simply thrown into workplaces where it is expected we simply understand the world of work and what is expected from us. You may have had a mini meltdown or doubts within the first 3-6 months in your first roles.
The world of work is complex with too many unspoken rules. However, I am keen to tackle this subject and share my findings and learnings over the last 13 years.
How is talent mapped and spotted
Many organisations have talent management review frameworks. These frameworks are very likely to have a 9 grid box. Please see below visual.
Managers do this assessment at least once a year sometimes twice. Usually facilitated by HR.
Your name is going to end up in one of these boxes. There are many challenges with 9 grid boxes by the way. They are not often easy to understand. This blog is not about it. If you want to learn more about it then you may enjoy this article.
No need to overthink any of these 9 boxes, you simply focus on deciding if you want to be great, average or mediocre in your role.
You decide for yourself, don't leave it to managers to decide for you.
I firmly believe in us being able to understand, assess and do something about our potential. This actually reminds me of a good teacher vs bad teacher in school who has favourites.
This is why take some of this with a pinch of salt, understand how it works in your organisations and do something about your potentially internally where you are or in a new organisation.
What do manager rate highly?
I have facilitated many of these talent sessions. The key learnings are that managers always rate highly below work styles:
completer- finisher work style (do what you said you would do without being chased)
delivery focused (deliver on your promise, close your actions, trustworthy)
proactive (you are not reactive and simply stick to your own actions, you participate, volunteer, suggest, help others etc)
flexible (you adapt yourself to various work styles and situation not just your way or no way)
open to feedback (you are keen to learn)
easy to manage (as in you can operate self sufficiently with minimal to no guidance)
Employees who work as described well always do well in talent mapping processes. Guaranteed!
They discuss WHAT you needed to do and HOW you did.
WHAT is your objectives (what you were required to do in your role) and HOW is how you behaved (usually measured against values, competences or behavioural frameworks in place). This often gets tested in competency based interviews when you go for job interviews.
Many managers also expect above to be in place but struggle to articulate directly to us. This is another key learning I have also realised. So we often wonder what is expected from us through mixes signals and indirect or scripted messages. This is often as there is a lack of ability or knowledge how to deliver feedback in an inspiring and engaging way.
My suggestion is that you always discuss work styles openly with your managers. Ask how they like to work and you then explain how you like to work and meet in the middle to avoid any overthinking. It is this simple. I have always done this with all of my managers which helped me build healthy relationships with them.
You can get download my own Work Playbook in Notion with templates, guides and questions which will help you work more effectively. It is like your own personal onboarding. Full video on YouTube can be found below.
Understanding your work style (and doing something about it)
Here are some sample questions and a rating scale that you could use for your self-assessment:
How do you prefer to communicate with others in a work setting?
1 = Mostly through email or written communication
2 = Mostly through phone or video calls
3 = Mostly through in-person meetings or conversations
4 = A mix of all of the above
5 = Other
How do you prefer to approach problem-solving?
1 = By following established processes and procedures
2 = By trying new approaches and experimenting
3 = By seeking input and ideas from others
4 = By relying on intuition and past experience
5 = Other
How do you prefer to work in a team setting?
1 = As a leader, delegating tasks and making decisions
2 = As a collaborator, working with others to make decisions and complete tasks
3 = As an individual contributor, working independently on specific tasks
4 = A mix of all of the above
5 = Other
How do you prefer to manage your workload?
1 = By prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance
2 = By tackling the most challenging tasks first
3 = By breaking tasks down into smaller, manageable pieces
4 = By creating a detailed plan or schedule
5 = Other
How do you prefer to receive feedback?
1 = Directly and honestly, even if it is critical
2 = Constructively and with suggestions for improvement
3 = In a positive and encouraging manner
4 = Through written feedback or performance evaluations
5 = Other
Based on the ratings provided by individuals in each of the five areas, you can define their overall work style in the following way:
Communication Style: This category relates to how individuals prefer to communicate in a work setting. If an individual scores high in this category, it indicates that they prefer to communicate in a particular way, such as through email, phone calls, or in-person meetings. Individuals who score low in this category may be more flexible in their communication style and adapt to the preferences of others.
Problem-Solving Approach: This category relates to how individuals approach problem-solving in a work setting. If an individual scores high in this category, it indicates that they prefer to approach problems in a particular way, such as by following established procedures or by seeking input from others. Individuals who score low in this category may be more willing to try new approaches and take risks.
Teamwork Style: This category relates to how individuals prefer to work in a team setting. If an individual scores high in this category, it indicates that they have a particular preference for working as a leader, collaborator, or individual contributor. Individuals who score low in this category may be more flexible in their teamwork style and adapt to the needs of the team.
Workload Management: This category relates to how individuals prefer to manage their workload in a work setting. If an individual scores high in this category, it indicates that they have a particular preference for managing their workload in a specific way, such as by prioritizing tasks or by creating a detailed plan. Individuals who score low in this category may be more flexible in their workload management and adapt to changing priorities.
Feedback Style: This category relates to how individuals prefer to receive feedback in a work setting. If an individual scores high in this category, it indicates that they have a particular preference for receiving feedback in a specific way, such as directly and honestly or constructively with suggestions for improvement. Individuals who score low in this category may be more flexible in their feedback style and adapt to the communication style of others.
Based on the overall scores in each of these five areas, you can identify your work style and make adjustments as needed. For example, if you score high in communication style, you may benefit from seeking out opportunities to communicate in their preferred style, or if you score low in teamwork style, you may need to work on being more flexible and adaptable in team settings.
If you would like to discuss further, you can always book a call with me or send me an email on info@focusyourself.co.uk
Best wishes
Sanja Williams