Thanks for sharing this article, @Janet Stiles! I read it through the lens as someone who partners with medical schools to solve organizational culture problems (even though I recognize the author is speaking to individuals who are likely self-assessing their own career development).
I agree with @Janelle Stevenson that there's more nuance than a binary "interested" v. "committed" mindset. Although I don't believe it's the intention of the author, the "committed" mindset as Liebross describes it sounds like a recipe for a toxic co-worker. "Someone who is committed has decided they will achieve the end goal, come hell or high water" can translate to leaders and teams who bypass collaborative or strategic process in the name of efficiency and results. This form of myopic thinking can be detrimental to the long-term success of the work (and could end up creating employee disengagement over time).
The questions I was hoping the article would answer are: What is the value of being committed in your work? Why is a higher level of interest important?
For me, distinguishing between interest and commitment is likely to be less helpful than looking for signs of meaningful employee engagement (e.g., how people collaborate, are they showing up to meetings with creative/constructive ideas). Engagement generally improves the employee's work-life satisfaction and produces better work that supports their organization. While the individual has a responsibility over their own mindset as the author mentions, leaders have a responsibility to ensure the structure and support is in place to recognize and celebrate the work people do (e.g., when people offer creative/constructive ideas, they are considered respectfully). Strong leadership and management practices builds committed teams, not convincing a group of people to change their mindsets.
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Carolyn Brayko
Director, Member Organization Solutions
Association of American Medical Colleges
Learn more at:
https://www.aamc.org/mos------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-29-2024 10:10:41 AM
From: Janet Stiles
Subject: Question of the Week: Are you "committed" or just "interested" in your job?
In a recent Fast Company article (subscription may be required), author and professional coach Andrea Liebross suggests that being "interested" in your job and "committed" to your job are two very different mindsets. And, by the way, that people around you can observe the difference.
To understand where you might be right now in relationship to your job, Liebross recommends asking yourself these questions:
- Am I focused on obstacles or results?
- How would I feel if I no longer got to do this job?
- Do other activities consistently prevent me from achieving my work goals?
- Do I consider it others' responsibility to motivate me to do this job?
What do you think about this concept? Could someone's mindset towards their job be a bit more fluid than this?
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Janet Stiles
Sr. Director, Member Engagement & AAMC CareerConnect
Association of American Medical Colleges
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