1 thought, 1 quote, 1 tip

‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’

 

1 thought

Since getting fired from Google, I’ve been afraid of getting sacked again. Especially in this economy.

 

Maybe you are too. You are worried about whether you will be furloughed. Or whether you are going to be asked to take a pay cut. Or whether you will be called into the manager’s office and hear those dreaded words… “I’m sorry… but…”

 

 I remember having my first appraisal meeting following my probation. The first 20 minutes were focused on what I had done well. But for the next 1 hour, it was focused on how I could improve.

I thought… this is it. I’m going to get sacked! Again! Maybe that’s your experience too. You’re told about your mistakes…and you worry that this is it. The end of your job.

 

How do you make yourself unsackeable?

 

Do something no one else can do for your organisation. I truly believe that you are unique. That means that you have skills that I would never have.

What is this one skill that people continually praise you for? What comes to you naturally, but not to others? What is so special about you?

Bring that uniqueness to fruit at your organisation.

For example, my skill lies in writing. I offered to write an article for our organisation for DBS Bank (the largest bank in Singapore). That catapulted our organisation’s profile to great heights.

 

What can you do to grow your organisation? Can you offer that today, to make yourself unsackeable?

 

1 quote

“The job is what you do when you are told what to do. The job is showing up at the factory, following instructions, meeting spec, and being managed.
Someone can always do your job a little better or faster or cheaper than you can.
The job might be difficult, it might require skill, but it's a job.
Your art is what you do when no one can tell you exactly how to do it. Your art is the act of taking personal responsibility, challenging the status quo, and changing people.
I call the process of doing your art 'the work.' It's possible to have a job and do the work, too. In fact, that's how you become a linchpin.
The job is not the work.”

Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?

 

1 tip

Bosses love it when you offer to take your own time, your own initiative, and your own skills to benefit the organisation. Offering to help with an organisational pain-point is vital.

 

For this to happen, you need to understand the organisation well. What often comes up when you are around the water cooler, complaining with your colleagues? What does your boss ask solutions for? What matters to your boss?

 

You probably have a list by now. Based on those problems you see, are there certain skills that you can use that can resolve some of these problems?

Offer it in an email. for example,

I have noticed that our organisation has been looking to improve X (rather than saying, ‘I’ve noticed that the company has struggled with…’)

As someone who has trained in Y (blow your own trumpet by listing your skills and credentials such as awards and qualifications you’ve gotten), I would love to…

 

Be unsackeable by sharing your unique skill to an organisational problem.

 

P.S. Unsackeable is a word I invented, so please don’t use it in formal settings. After all, you don’t want to get sacked for using strange words!

 

We are organising a webinar on 'Why and how you can join tech today' with fintech platform founder Kang Liang on 15 Aug, 1600 (GMT+8). There are only 3 spaces left! Sign up today!