How happy and productive are you at work? Some people love where they work and their boss. Unfortunately, that is not the case for the majority of workers.
A major reason that clients seek my help with executive coaching is better work/life balance. A great number of the lawyers I coach struggle with having a life and a legal career. My accountant coaching clients are now gearing up for tax season and you can feel the stress begin to build.
It's hard to be fully engaged and perform at a high level unless the work environment supports your success. Are you fully engaged and supported at work?
Since 1997 the Gallup Organization has surveyed approximately 3 million employees in three hundred thousand work units within corporations. This survey consists of 12 questions—called the “Q12” — that measures employee engagement on a five-point scale indicating weak to strong agreement. The analyses of survey results show that those companies with high Q12 scores experience lower turnover, higher sales growth, better productivity, better customer loyalty and other manifestations of superior performance.
Gallup's 12 questions (Q12):
1. Do you know what is expected of you at work?
2. Do you have the materials and equipment you need to do your work right?
3. At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
4. In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for doing good work?
5. Does your supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about you as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages your development?
7. At work, do your opinions seem to count?
8. Does the mission/purpose of your company make you feel your job is important?
9. Are your associates (fellow employees) committed to doing quality work?
10. Do you have a best friend at work?
11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to you about your progress?
12. In the last year, have you had opportunities at work to learn and grow?
The Q12 items are protected by copyright of The Gallup Organization, 1992-2004.
How would you answer these questions?
I used to offer organizational development and executive coaching services and I found that the Gallup Poll was a terrific launching point for conversation. Now that I work as a coach to executives (and other high achievers) who live with chronic illness and want to keep working - I'd add another question to the Gallup Poll:
13. Is there anyone at work with whom you would discuss chronic illness symptoms that are getting in your way of delivering your top performance?
Posted by: Rosalind Joffe | February 12, 2008 at 12:37 PM