Groundhog Day at the Office

Punxsutawney Phil, the famous shadow-seeking groundhog in Pennsylvania, came out of his hole today and saw his shadow. While tradition dictates that this means six more weeks of winter, there are a lot of lessons for the workplace on Groundhog Day that have nothing to do with the weather.

Being Afraid of Your Shadow: The Risks of Not Taking Action at Work

The groundhog steps into the spotlight once a year, but real life doesn’t usually follow a schedule. Everyone can be in the spotlight in their jobs, but you may never know when that spotlight is going to shine on you. If you do excellent work every day, you are always ready when the light hits you.

When the groundhog comes out of his hole, he takes a big risk. He never knows what to expect waiting for him, but he still comes out of his house. We all have opportunities to take risks in our career. And, just as Mr. Groundhog doesn’t always see his shadow, you may not be successful when you take a risk. The key to making risk work for you is how you handle the situation when you don’t meet expectations. Keep your boss informed appropriately, and you’ll be able to get extra support. Most importantly, if you are not successful, don’t let it destroy your self-confidence.

Repeating Your Mistakes: How to Stop Making the Same Mistakes Over and Over Again

Everyone makes mistakes. Making one mistake is not a career-buster. Making the same mistake multiple times can be bad. To prevent this from tanking your career, evaluate why you made the mistake. If it was for a technical reason, ask for training and study on your own. Ask a friend for help. If your mistake was for another reason, be honest with yourself and don’t blame others. Ask yourself objectively if you are capable of doing this kind of work and if you have enough motivation to learn the skills needed for the job.

Outcomes You Can’t Control: How to Handle Things You Can’t Impact at Work

While most of your work is predictable, there are always situations you cannot control. How you prepare for and handle these situations is the key to your success.

Try to be proactive. If possible, forecast situations you can’t control, like sabotage, office politics, or economic conditions in your industry. Always keep your antenna up if someone is out to get you. Usually this person has a reputation of doing this to others. If it is politics, make sure you are being protected by your boss and have friends that have input on how to handle the situation.

If economic conditions in your industry are bad, assess whether your job is at risk in the event of a company layoff. It may be time for you to look in another industry – who needs your skills?

When something happens at work that you can’t impact, how you respond is critical. Make sure your boss is informed and knows why you think it happened. Get advice on how to handle the situation; you will find out quickly if your boss is supporting you.

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