Before His Experience
Raj is driven, passionate and committed. He personifies a 'champion employee' in the most positive manner possible. His technical skill set is unmatched. Okay, he can be long-winded at times, but given all of his other qualities he is the person you wished you had more of. Raj knows this. He is a confident individual.
Raj has what he describes as, 'A great family, great friends and a job that I love!' He also has stress, uncertainty and the headaches that come with both. As Raj states,
Time management is defined by how much I can do in a day. Instead of managing time I find my job controlling it. I realize that I am responsible for this, but given all of my other responsibilities this one tends to take a back seat. As far as work/life balance is concerned there isn't any. I feel that to get it too many things (at work) will need to change. I'm too committed (to work) to make these changes.
This is where some of his stress comes from. The rest of it rides along with uncertainty. Uncertainty is driving. Stress sits in the passenger seat. Borne out of a lack of clarity in where his career is going uncertainty pulls at Raj on a daily basis. It impacts him personally and professionally. Needless to say it is a big deal.
Raj has been feeling this pull for several months. He wants to believe that the company he works for is going to relieve him from it. He questions when.
During His Experience
Raj begins his Experience by identifying what he wants more and less of in life. His list includes:
More
- Control of career
- Stock options
- Awareness of position
- Time
- New home
- Job responsibility
- Defined future at my company
- Training (in everything)
Less
- Stress
- The impact of items I cannot control
- Frustration
- Doing favors that take me away from who I need to be for myself
Raj is asked to describe what he does for a living. As with every client Raj doesn't hesitate when providing his answer. He easily articulates more than a dozen responsibilities.
Raj is then asked to describe who he is. He makes two statements, a dozen less than he did above. One of his statements describes what he is; leaving just one response to the original question. This is one better than most as a vast majority of individuals cannot accurately describe a single characteristic that defines who they are. Raj quickly sees a correlation between his work/life balance and his work/life focus and resulting understanding.
Raj is asked to describe someone else. No one in particular; just someone he knows. As he does you get a clear image of who the individual is, and in particular, who the individual has been for/with Raj. When finished Raj is asked, 'From your description, would someone know what the individual does for a living? Would they know what the individual's job title is? Would they know what material things the individual possesses?' Raj realizes that an individual wouldn't know any of this. What they would know is who the individual has been for Raj. Raj is asked, 'If this is how you describe others, wouldn't others describe you using the same reference points?'
Raj awakens to two realities. Firstly, his focus has been misaligned to his goals. If he is to get more of what he wants while getting rid of what he does not need he must care as much about who he is being as others do about who he has been. Secondly, how can he care about something he isn't aware of?
Through his sessions Raj comes to know his self. He defines who he needs to be to fulfill his potential. He learns the output of this definition; what it looks, sounds and feels like in his written (primarily email) and verbal communication. Between sessions 2 and 3 a customer asks Raj, 'What do you do?' His old answer: the one that describes what Raj does for the company he works for, is replaced with one that describes what Raj can do for the customer. As happens with such a response Raj is asked, 'How will you do that?' This is where the conversation really gets going. Raj doesn't respond by telling the customer how he will do it. He responds by asking the customer how he wants it done.
Over a 7 month period, from the time Raj's experience began to the time it ended, the uncertainty in his job remains. Little else does. As Raj states,
I still do not have clarity in where my position is going. What I do have is clarity in where I am going, regardless of my position. I have taken control of the one thing I have control over; my self. Improving this relationship has improved the relationship with everyone in my life.
This includes relationships with major prospects and clients. Raj tells the story of one account that the company had been working on for more than 2 years. Due to Raj's experience in the program he was able to step in and help secure an account worth £600,000.00 a year to his company. Raj estimates it to be 30x the average deal size.
Uncertainty has moved from the drivers seat to the trunk. Its impact, primarily stress, has moved with it. As Raj states, "Stress has dropped dramatically, while work/life balance has improved tremendously. I am still driven, passionate and committed. I've simply focused my energies on being someone and allowed the doing to take care of itself."
After His Experience
Raj knows that old habits die hard and that he must work hard on his self to keep them at bay. He is doing a great job. In the first month following the end of his coaching he tells of a situation with a prospect where he told the individual what he needed to hear versus what others wanted him to hear. The situation involved a conference call with several members of a prospective account, to include the CFO. Raj recommended a solution that was not what was originally proposed; one that would initially bring in less revenue. Hearing Raj's response the prospect stops the call to ask, 'Who just said that?' After Raj identifies himself the prospect states, 'That is the first honest answer I have received in over 5 years of doing this.' Raj's response, and subsequent questions asked of the prospect in a follow-up call not only help secure the deal, they impress the prospect to the point of referring PAETEC to another opportunity.
When asked what he would like his management team to know about his experience Raj states;
The effectiveness by which it makes okay, good and even great people better employees, regardless of their current level of performance. The program can truly benefit a variety of different positions throughout the company; making people better employees thereby making the company better. It is something that should be integrated within our new hire training program.
When asked what he would like others to know about his experience Raj states;
Everyone can improve through the program, in all areas of one's life, regardless of how good they believe they are in any one area.
Why did Raj change? In his words, "Because I am always looking for and therefore open to new ways of doing things."