UnconventionalEXPERTS.com
An Employee Workshop for Aspiring Experts
Unconventional Workshop 9
Discover Possibilities
Individual work-process 4
1) Foster curiosity
2) Initiate activity
3) Gain relevant information
4) Discover possibilities
5) Strategize
6) Commit to a project
7) Create ideas
8) Realize ideas
9) Test ideas, find success or failure
10) Use failure as a platform for new and better ideas
11) Repeat part or all of the process
12) Eventually, find achievement
Bonus – Ultimately, gain some level of mastery
What do inventors do? They discover possibilities and then make it possible.
What motivates us to work?
Where do we get our motivation from? Below, we will look at motivation from two different perspectives, comparing possibilities with goals.
Individual work-process motivation
= Possibilities
Repeatable work habit motivation
= goals
Possibilities for Individual work-process
Envisioning possibilities is something only humans can do. Within their work-journey, Unconventional Expert can see possibilities.
Goals for repeatable work habits
Goals pertaining to repeatable work habits are generally predictable. Goals usually reflect a standard path of upward mobility within a particular role, accompanied by a steady increase in income.
Possibilities
Possibilities are discovered. Small possibilities can be found within any of the steps of the individual work-process. Small possibilities influence big possibilities. Big possibilities are usually long term possibilities; a vision of a future reality that is possible.
Goals
Goals are set by both the worker and the company. Worker goals follow organizational goals.
Possibilities
Some level of mastery is the focus. Income follows achievement, assuming the achievement lends itself to profitability.
Goals
Monetary goals goals are very common. Sometimes they are related to compensation and increase with worker value. Sometimes workers make personal goals based on their current or future income.
Possibilities
Possibilities are impossible to track. A new possibility can instantly change everything.
Goals
Goals can be tracked and adjustments can be made along the way. Goals can change, but they are generally stable with small and incremental changes.
Possibilities
Unstructured
Complex
Creativity-driven
Strategy-dependent
Project-oriented
Goals
Structured
Repetitive
Task-oriented
repeatable-process-driven
Possibilities
Fork in road ahead shows different possible direction.
Giant leaps in improvement are possible, with risk.
See life as it could be, if road is taken.
Goals
Road leads to consistent direction.
Slow improvements are expected and desirable.
Can predict life as it will probably be.
Possibilities
Motivation to work takes place within individual work-process.
Goals
Motivation to work comes easier as habits make activity more automatic.
Possibilities
Reward is not instantly guaranteed as failure and the overcoming of failure are parts of the individual work-process.
Goals
Reward and gratification comes with completed work and predictable progress.
Traditional institution-guided experts can easily see what the skills look like within their vocation and mastery is easily recognized. Generally, career goals follow established guidelines and both title and compensation options have industry accepted paths. Leadership responsibilities, in the form of management roles or lead-by-influence responsibilities, can expand career options. Because traditional institution-guided experts can also be Unconventional Experts, expert-treks can expand into unconventional directions.
Unconventional Experts and career goals
Unconventional Experts forge their own path. They inherently commit to projects within their individual work-process. Committing to a project immerses them within their vision and their vision is made up of possibilities. Unconventional Experts can and do commit to career goals, however, it is possibilities that truly motivates them, at every step of the individual work-process.
Unskilled to semi-skilled (non-expert) career goals
It is not unusual for unskilled and semi-skilled workers to advance their careers to expert-level and/or leadership expert roles. Because anyone can become an Unconventional Expert, regardless of educational background, there is always an open invitation to take one’s career in this unconventional direction. Becoming an Unconventional Expert is a possible career goal, however, seeing possibilities is the key to getting there.
Mothers are the world’s most prolific Unconventional Experts.
Structuring the unstructured and instilling good habits is what mothers do best.
Workshop 9 questions:
1) Is it possible to explore possibilities and reach goals, both at the same time?
2) How can the exploration of possibilities help with the reaching of goals?
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