What’s Your Policy?

Ever been to a store that tells you for some reason it’s not their “policy” to do something that seems perfectly reasonable? It’s almost as if they’re saying “It’s our policy to treat customers badly.”

It can be frustrating, and your only recourse is to make it YOUR policy not to go back there again!

Yes, businesses have policies, but you have “policies” too, and you express them every day.

For example, what’s your policy on how you treat donors? I’ll bet it’s your policy to treat donors nicely … or at least with respect.

It could be that the only difference between your policies and the store’s policies is that they write theirs down … and you just know yours.

Right now, take a few minutes to write down your personal policies for dealing with people. What’s your policy on treating people who treat you poorly? Do you respond with revenge? Indifference? An apology? How about people who help you? Do you help them, or do you take the help and go? My guess is that you have policies that you don’t even realize you express. My guess is that you’re pretty inconsistent with them, too, depending on your mood and place. I know I am.

How is this a career move? Because like a business, people know you for your “policies.” Like a business, your policies build your reputation among the colleagues you know and especially among those who have only heard of you … and could offer you, or connect you, to your next job.

Do You Want the Job That Isn’t Offered?

I hear from a lot of candidates that the job at hand is their “dream job.” I don’t doubt their sincerity, but the problem is that while I may hear that from five candidates, at least four of them are going to be disappointed. While all five think the job is their dream, the prospects of hiring most of them aren’t dreamy for the organization — for any number of reasons.

But let’s say that, by accident or miracle, you get your dream job despite the fact that you aren’t the dream candidate for the employer. Then what? I’ll tell you this: get ready. Unless you and your employer agree that you’re the best candidate for the job, it could well be a rough, short tenure.

Why is this a career lesson? Because even in these tough economic times, having a poorly fitting job may not be better than no job at all. Yes, you’ll have a paycheck, but there will be a price to pay in mismatched expectations, micromanagement, and stress. It’s a choice you need to balance, with real consequences.

Gray Hair vs. Spiky Hair

Do you have gray hair, spiky hair, or like me, increasingly no hair?

My wife reminded me not long ago that there was a time in my career when I lamented that I didn’t have “enough gray hair” to be taken seriously when working with planned giving prospects. I remember having that concern, but looking back, I’m not sure that my brown hair had much to do with it.

What I realize now was that my personal maturity most likely held me back, not the outward sign of that maturity — my hair color.

So I challenge you to ask yourself: Am I mature enough for the job I want?

When I say “maturity” it’s not a code-word for “old,” but a statement about one’s “settled-ness” regardless of one’s age. Are you a little less emotional? Do you make decisions with detachment? Are you patient with those who challenge you?

Yes, age helps in the maturity process. After all, much of what we think of as “maturity” is a reaction to what we call “hard knocks,” and a lot of hard knocks get collected over time. But time is not determinant. I know a few very mature 25 year olds and many immature 55 year olds.

So when you when you look in the mirror, do you see the hair of the maturity under it?

Non-Convenience, Inconvenience, and Convenience

When did it start? Was it with the drive-in movie? Maybe the carhop? We definitely should have seen it coming with the first bank drive-through. When you add wireless computers to food drive-ups and mobile telephony, getting out of the car becomes increasingly unnecessary. Yes, Americans love convenience — and our physical health and career health show it.

For example …

I’ll let you know right now that I tell anyone wanting to give me a paper resume to keep it. Having paper is very inconvenient for me. If I want to keep it, I’ll need to scan it into my computer — which is a lot of wasted time in my opinion — and that’s annoying. It’s much better if I receive it electronically. I simply store it in my hard drive file for resumes and scan the file when I need to find someone. I appreciate the convenience.

But that said, while sending an email thank you note for an interview is convenient for the interviewee and me, a handwritten thank you note carries a special appeal. In fact, it is the non-convenience that impresses me. The candidate took the time, resources, and effort to show that s/he cared.

The career lesson? Convenience and non-convenience impress, but inconvenience is never welcome.

Just a Touch of Expectation

You’ve seen the commercials. There’s the seasoned, gray-haired guy who gets passed up for the job because he’s perceived as “too old.” In a flash he’s back “with just a touch of gray.” (Funny, these spots aren’t directed at women, who for decades have been told that coloring one’s hair is okay — even expected — but that’s for another week.)

No, the career move here isn’t to run out and buy a bottle of your favorite hair color! It’s to ask yourself how much you feel you want, or need, to meet the expectations of others to have a successful career.

Think about it for a moment … You’re filling their job, but it’s your career. Where is the line between the two?

In fundraising it may be that those who raise the most money have the thinnest line. That’s not to say that you should work 24/7/365. But for those who buy into the organization’s mission, work doesn’t seem like work, but a calling. And that’s an advantage over someone who just shows up for a paycheck.

So this week consider answering the call. It’s not found in a bottle on the store shelf, but in the faces of those you serve.