Workplace Instincts and Honing Your Craft
Do you trust your gut? Do you use workplace instincts to guide what you’ll do next?
People often assess what they’ll do next based on what they often call, gut feel. Is this a learned process or something more instinctual?
A bright light, and you look away. The sun heating up your skin to the point of discomfort so you seek shelter. A loud noise and you cover your ears.
Are these instincts or learned responses?
Behind closed doors the boss is critical of someone’s work. In the meeting the next day the boss seemingly ignores that same person. One week later the boss won’t make eye contact with you.
Paranoia, or some really insightful observations? What do your instincts suggest? What’s in your gut?
Everything that we do in the workplace is likely a learned behavior. It may stem from childhood, the place you worked at before this one or something that you’ve picked up about the organizational culture.
What should you do with all of this data? Are you overreacting?
Workplace Instincts
Workplace instincts help you every day. They help you to analyze the scope of the conversation. They cause you to filter your expressions, use more kindness, or suppress an anger rage.
Your next contribution, the ideas presented in the brainstorming meeting, or the gratitude expressed for a job well done will be based on what you’ve learned.
Observation is data collection, analyzing the data and making adjustments should become part of future behavior.
There may be a fine line between what is truly instinctual and what is a learned behavior.
Honing your craft is always smart course of action.
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
