What’s really keeping you from loving your job?
Learn why Denise developed her free, powerful online quiz and what it can do for you
What originally inspired you to create the quiz?
Denise: If you don’t love your work, there are specific things you can do or change if you know where to focus. When I start working with clients it's often hard for them to really dig into what those areas may be. There's a general sense of helplessness and frustration. Often, when someone starts working with me, they're at the point where they feel like they have to quit their job—and that’s the only option they have. That’s a big, disruptive step.
The quiz is a vehicle to help people get clear about what might be interfering with having a good experience at work. Using a lot of the available research around what makes work enjoyable and engaging, I developed the quiz to examine six specific areas. Once you get clear about where the job is chaffing you, you can start getting empowered to fix those specific issues. So, the quiz allows you to figure out where it's not working. There's also response levels—a ranking scale—which gives you the opportunity to formulate specific steps to take to improve your situation at work.
“Once you get clear about where the job is chaffing you, you can start getting empowered to fix those specific issues.”
Many folks feel powerless if they also feel that their boss isn't good, or their company isn't doing exactly what they want. But there's a lot that people can actually do, and the quiz can help reframe that feeling. It opens up the door to what actions they can take to start crafting the job to work better for them—so that they can be fully engaged and have fun again.
Interviewer: As opposed to just quitting, and taking the risk of the same problems happening in a new job...
Denise: Yes, and what often shows up is whatever’s getting in the way at the current job doesn't get left behind. People take the issue with them. So, figuring out what you need and what you can do to get what you need at your job can give you the freedom to stay or leave. And if you do leave, you’ll have a new set of skills.
Interviewer: In a previous conversation, you mentioned that people's issues in the job are often in one area, sometimes a very small area. Does this quiz help pinpoint those kinds of issues?
Denise: Yes, it does. It has six sections. For example, one of those is leadership. The leadership section is related to how you're interacting with the person you directly report to at work. Do you feel like you're getting the direction you need? Do you understand what you're expected to do? Surprisingly, if you review a national survey, a huge percentage of people are unclear about what's expected of them on a day to day basis. That’s a frustrating situation because if you don't know exactly what you're supposed to be doing, it's hard to get enthusiastic around a task that seems pointless, or how it fits into the company’s mission.
Leadership is a big part of job satisfaction, but even if you have a boss who doesn't articulate the vision well or doesn't give you clear signals, there are steps you can take. You can start asking really clear questions to dig into what success looks like for your tasks.
Interviewer: Let's say I took the quiz and we figured out that that was the issue, what would I do next?
Denise: When you get the quiz answers, I provide specific books and articles to study, along with questions you can ask yourself. If you're ready, there are also questions you can ask your leadership to get the information you need to do your job.
Interviewer: How long does the quiz take?
Denise: At the most, ten minutes. It's your gut response. You shouldn’t spend a lot of time deciding on the right answer. It's what the right answer is for you right now. The quiz allows you to indicate where you are in your job right now, and where you would really like to be. Because sometimes you're not in a good spot, but you can live with it. For example, one of the questions is if you have a work buddy. If you don't have a work buddy, but it doesn't really bother you, then don't worry about it and don't work on that issue. The quiz encourages you to only work on the issues where there's a big gap between where you are and where you would ideally like to be.
“It’s your gut response. You shouldn’t spend a lot of time deciding on the right answer. It’s what the right answer is for you right now. ”
Interviewer: When someone takes the quiz, what are their next steps? You have the resources for them to review on their own, but what happens if they need further guidance? What does the coaching entail, and what are the advantages of beginning coaching with you?
Denise: If someone finds a big gap between where they are and where they would like to be, everything I offer with the articles and books as a remedial action is already familiar. They've probably read similar books already. The folks I work with are smart and are not coming to me out of a dark cave where they don't know about self-help books and good articles. Often, they've even done a lot of work already. So, while I remind them about some of the steps they could take, actually taking those steps is something that good coaching really helps them accomplish.
Interviewer: I recently heard a quote to the effect of, "If you know something, but don't do it, then you don't really know it!"
Denise: Coaching helps people get very clear about what they really want. It’s not about the should of their lives, it helps get people to what will feel right to them in their gut. Coaching also gives people a chance to play out different scenarios in a really safe place. A lot of my clients like to do role play. How do they talk to their boss? How will they ask the questions that they really need to ask in a safe way that will get their desired outcome? It's pretty scary to try that alone, and coaching can provide a chance to try different ways to approach the situation.
Coaching is also about accountability. My clients are invited to define steps to take before we talk again, and it's a little nudge that helps them actually do what they know they want to do and to take the steps that they actually want to take. They know we’ll discuss it the next time we have a call!
“While accountability is big, I think the biggest advantage of good coaching is that it’s a chance to really be heard—it’s rare in our lives.”
While accountability is big, I think the biggest advantage of good coaching is that it’s a chance to really be heard—it's rare in our lives. Usually, when we mention a challenge to friends or family, they immediately come back with a lot of advice. And you've already thought of all those things, and are still facing the challenge. Being truly listened to is very rare, and I think coaching gives you the space to sort out what you are prepared to do so that you’re once again fully engaged and enjoying your work.
After taking the quiz, if someone wants to try coaching, the first hour of my time with a potential coaching client is complimentary. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn if coaching works for you or not. It’s only an hour of your time, and I think you'll see the power of it. Most of my clients who have decided to continue with me find remarkable progress in just a few sessions. It doesn’t take months and months of their lives, we find changes that can be made in just a few hours of good coaching.