Why Your Job Doesn’t Lead to Personal Growth
Do you recall learning anything in the trainings you have at work?
You are not alone.
In the book ‘Work Rules!,’ Laszlo Bock, Google’s former Head of People Operations, writes,
“If I look at my years in large and small professional environments, I’d be hard-pressed to point to anything I do differently today as a result of training.”
Most of us would agree with Bock.
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For sure, we learn ‘Skills’ and ‘Knowledge’ at work.
• Skills, like – How to use our office system, how to process a Loan Application, how to Code, how to make PowerPoint, etc.
• Knowledge, like – About our Product, how to reply to Customer Queries, how to Give Feedback, how to Interview, etc.
But Personal Growth is more than that.
It is related to:
• Getting better at ‘EQ’ (Emotional Intelligence) – How to get better at Managing Conflict, managing Relationships, dealing with Stress, etc.
• Understanding your ‘Personality’ – Your Personality traits (like extroversion or introversion, etc.), your Strengths and Weaknesses (process-focused, service-focused, etc.), your Values, etc.
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I have created a slide to reflect the 4 categories.
(It was a big insight for me when I first understood these 4 categories.)
Why getting better at the latter 2 is hard?
Our EQ and Personality traits are fairly set by the time we join work – based on our childhood and college experience.
The pace and pressure of work means that we rely on what is already set.
You can see this at work.
If we’re honest – the way we handle conflict, relationships, and stress – or the way we communicate, persuade, and lead – remains much the same, even after 10 years on the job—as it was when we first started working.
Rarely, has any of this – personal or interpersonal traits – changed.
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Your Company or work is not to blame.
Most of us are never taught about ‘EQ’ and ‘Personality’ because the focus is always on immediate skills and knowledge.
The training attempts that the Company does, like – How to Manage Conflict, How to Communicate Effectively, Leadership Development, etc. – can only give you the STEPS.
A 2-day training cannot change a lifetime of behaviour.
It will take significant effort – awareness and sustained practice on your part – to get better at EQ or understanding your Personality traits.
But that is what real Personal Growth means.
As you go higher up,
1. Skills and Knowledge will become secondary.
2. What will matter is your EQ and Personality (how you deal with others, and yourself).
Now that you know – you can consciously work to get better at it.
Awareness is the first step.
Each step you take from now onwards – toward getting better at EQ or understanding your unique Personality – will be a win.
It will give you a lifetime of advantage, in both, personal and professional areas.