Usually when people talk about work-life balance, they are talking about the need to make sure that work does not interfere with the rest of your life outside the office and vice-versa. Today, I want to address a different type of work-life balance. Balancing the lessons I learn in one with the needs I have in the other.
What exactly do I mean? During the leadership coaching that I received between the time just before I officially started my new job full time on April 1 and earlier this month, my coach provided me with a lot of food for thought. In so many ways, things about communication, figuring out what is important, and relationship building are key both in the workplace (for which she was coaching me) and at home for which I can often use some help. My leadership coach didn't necessarily give me things to read or think about that everyone would see as applying to the rest of life as well as to work, but I always was looking for connections. And finding them.
Today, I began reading yet another book this colleague had recommended. This book is called, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There". It is a book about behavioral issues that people have that may actually have helped them earlier in their careers as they advanced but that actually hinder them from moving forward any further. And this time, I didn't even need to look for connections. Instead, the book came right out and said that the same behaviors can be problems at home.
Overcommitment has been, is, and will likely (to some degree although I hope less) be one of these issues. I think that my oldest inherited this tendency a bit. However, during the course of this summer I have witnessed him pulling back from two things that lead me to believe there may be hope for him.
I have mentioned it before, but the intertwining of work and the rest of life is something I find fascinating.
What exactly do I mean? During the leadership coaching that I received between the time just before I officially started my new job full time on April 1 and earlier this month, my coach provided me with a lot of food for thought. In so many ways, things about communication, figuring out what is important, and relationship building are key both in the workplace (for which she was coaching me) and at home for which I can often use some help. My leadership coach didn't necessarily give me things to read or think about that everyone would see as applying to the rest of life as well as to work, but I always was looking for connections. And finding them.
Today, I began reading yet another book this colleague had recommended. This book is called, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There". It is a book about behavioral issues that people have that may actually have helped them earlier in their careers as they advanced but that actually hinder them from moving forward any further. And this time, I didn't even need to look for connections. Instead, the book came right out and said that the same behaviors can be problems at home.
Overcommitment has been, is, and will likely (to some degree although I hope less) be one of these issues. I think that my oldest inherited this tendency a bit. However, during the course of this summer I have witnessed him pulling back from two things that lead me to believe there may be hope for him.
I have mentioned it before, but the intertwining of work and the rest of life is something I find fascinating.
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