Downshifting Ambition and Acting Your Wage
Time to create a sustainable pace for work, life, and happiness
“Where have all the go-getters gone?”
The Wall Street Journal recently asked this question in an article about how employers are adjusting to the new norm of less ambitious workers. “Many white-collar workers say the events of the past three years have reordered their priorities and showed them what they were missing when they were spending so much time at the office.”
This priority shift means workers are putting boundaries around their personal life and are no longer willing to “go above and beyond” working nights or weekends without being compensated.
Another reason workers are scaling back their commitment to work is cited in the article: “Many workers say they see little connection between working hard and being rewarded.” This sentiment is reflected in the social media movement to “act your wage.” A clever take on “act your age,” this trend reflects the uneven returns many workers see when they go above and beyond for their employer.
So should leaders be concerned about this downshift in ambition and “acting your wage?” For conscious leaders, this is actually an opportunity to reflect on the overall health of your organization and team members. The workforce is signaling a new standard in work-life balance and how we define success. We can still be extremely successful without sacrificing a healthy, rewarding life for ourselves and our staff.
This is the opportunity to reevaluate how we work and whether it’s truly a win-win-win scenario for every stakeholder. It’s time to consider whether some team members have prioritized ambition to succeed professionally at the expense of their personal wellbeing.
Author Dorie Clark observes that downshifting our ambition can actually be a good thing. “With the stress of the pandemic and the adjustments we’ve all had to make professionally, it’s no surprise that something has to give.” For many, working long hours without promotion or financial gain is that thing that has to give so they can maintain their mental, emotional, and physical health.
Clark shares a few tips for those struggling with being less ambitious than they were in the past:
Think in waves. How you defined and achieved success in the past is changing. The new wave is prioritizing success for your health and personal wellbeing, while still building a meaningful career.
Recognize there’s not a universal timeline. We often set standards of success based on what we see others doing. But we all move at our own pace. And a career isn’t always built like the proverbial ladder that goes straight up. There are many ways to experience success that aren’t vertical. Sometimes we need to slow down, take a break, or reevaluate, in order to realize what we truly want and work towards a new, more empowering goal.
Understand the conditions for growth. What got you to your current level of success won’t necessarily get you where you now want to go. The key is to focus on your growth and rejuvenation. Sure, you could keep doing the same thing and get similar results. But at what cost? Maybe the cost is burnout, stress, unhappiness. Consider what recharges and inspires you. Then do more of that in life and work.
While some leaders may be fretting over this shift in ambition and the “act your wage” movement, conscious leaders can see it as the chance to create a workplace and company systems that will truly set up both the organization and its team for greater happiness and fulfillment.
To answer the Wall Street Journal’s question, the go-getters are still there. They’ve just shifted their priorities to reflect a life of balance and self-care. Smart leaders will recognize and embrace this wisdom and find ways to nurture it within their organization.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
The way we work and build teams is rapidly changing. Leaders often feel unprepared to navigate the transition. As a conscious leadership coach, consultant, and communicator, Meredith helps leaders and their teams create new ways of working and relating so they can prepare for the future by consciously co-creating it.
Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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