Four Key Pillars To Be Your Best Self at Work
Our ways of being in the workplace can have a fundamental impact on how we experience our daily interactions with others and, equally important, how we experience ourselves.
We develop resilience.
Our awareness becomes fine-tuned when we take time to notice who and why we are.
We are less judgemental of coworkers and ourselves.
Let’s take a closer look at the four fundamental BE pillars.
Be mindful
Mindfulness gives you the ability to detach and see things from a different perspective. We learn to let go of how things must be or should be and discover new outcomes we had not considered possible. We build our resilience by learning that in anything and through everything, we usually find a way.
Mindfulness allows us to accept things for what they are and—perhaps more importantly—to let them go.
Through mindful practice, we can reduce stress and improve our memory. Mindfulness leads to increased focus and emotional stability. Best of all, a mindful person finds an increased sense of satisfaction with the day-to-day life routine. Why? Because mindfulness is noticing what makes that day unique.
People like being around mindful coworkers. There is less judgment, more appreciation, and a sense of security in their presence.
Be aware
People are constantly searching for control in life. Awareness is a secret ingredient to control.
You may not be able to control what the boss says or does, what your colleague commits the department to accomplish, or what the government is appropriating from you in taxes – but you can control how you respond to it.
If we invest time and effort to observe and acknowledge our behaviors and personal reactions to situations, we influence how future situations unfold and their outcomes. We stop the rinse and repeat effect because we are aware of and learn from our mistakes.
The key here is to pinpoint certain thinking patterns and hopefully determine why you are inclined to think or react in certain ways. Could there have been a better approach? Is there room for improvement? Probably, yes.
You control how you interact with your colleagues and how you choose to present yourself in the world and the workplace. This is how you show up in the world.
Emotional Intelligence
Self-awareness is a key function of emotional intelligence. We reflect objectively and regularly on who and how we are. By making it a habit of delving deep and attempting to understand what motivates our behavior and reactions, we contribute to making positive changes in our lives. Overinflated egos and miserly self-appreciation are mediated by emotional intelligence. We see ourselves in the light of healthy self-esteem.
Be authentic
Don’t be afraid to show that you are only human. There will be times when you don’t have it all figured out.
By showing you are not always perfect and that you make mistakes, you help others to trust your authenticity.
Behave and speak in a way that aligns with your values and philosophy. When you demonstrate a solid, genuine version of yourself through actions and communication in the workplace, you will be impacting those around you, as well as influencing them to do the same.
You don’t need to be following the crowd and expressing viewpoints you are expected to express. Rather, by sharing your uniqueness, you can offer a new perspective innovative solutions that are unexpected, even to yourself.
Your authenticity will inspire others.
Be rational
Don’t be so quick to judge or blame coworkers because of their behavior.
It’s easy to jump to conclusions and assume that a coworker’s behavior in one circumstance reflects who they are. You and I both know what it’s like when others judge us in a moment when too many pressures collided at once. We may have missed the mark or responded less than stellar. But is that who we are 95% of the time? Why would we want to put others in such a limited light? It forces a repressive environment and is detrimental to team cohesion.
We call this the “fundamental attribution error” – or our human tendency to blame or judge a person based on their behavior without considering the circumstances. If you want to destroy the workplace morale, let this tendency go unchecked, and where you work becomes toxic in a hurry.
Try to become aware of being judgmental with your coworkers. Watch yourself when you think you are about to label someone as this way or that. Instead, take the time to consider what might cause them to act in a certain way. Give the understanding you want them to give to you.
More to the story
If possible, try to speak to your coworker instead. Before you determine you know the reason for the problem or the behavior, practice the art of active listening and learn more before you speak. You may be surprised by how much there is to the story. And there is always something more to the story!
Be your best self for your best life
How we decide to be in the workplace can have a lasting effect on our personal and professional wellbeing. It can also greatly influence how coworkers experience us and how and if they choose to be around us. There is a great deal that we can all do for ourselves and each other. It will start with some personal effort and reward you with a much richer life experience at work and in your personal life.
