Kathy Thomas Write On Business, Write On Wisdom

Too Many Bosses? Three Questions to Ask Yourself

“I feel like running away!” my neighbor exclaimed when I caught up with her after work one day. She added in exasperation, “I can’t do it all.”

Do you feel like hiding from the expectations weighing on you? Maybe your boss has just asked you to work overtime. Now you must arrange pick up for the kids and cancel a social event this evening. Meanwhile, an urgent request sits unanswered in your inbox, and a voicemail from a needy friend pops up in your notifications. Where do you draw the line?

Your packed calendar signals there’s no relief in sight.

Do you serve too many bosses? Asking yourself these questions might help you find peace.

1. Principals—Who’s the Boss? 

Whether you serve one principal boss or answer to an entire chain of command, it’s impossible to satisfy everyone and worse if they contradict one another. Adding to their demands are the loud expectations of our culture. We subconsciously serve the most demanding voices, so we stifle our deep desires and do our duty.

I recently noticed that at every request for my time, I felt angry. I acted grumpy even toward the grandkids. Upon analysis, I discovered the expectations prevented me from spending time on a personal writing project. Are you frustrated? Maybe something has blocked your heart’s desire. 

Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need to be heeded. Then commit to what is important to you. This necessitates prioritizing your values.

2. Priorities—Where to Focus?

Consider the obligations begging your attention. Evaluate which voices need a response. Determine which commitments align with your values, and then commit to doing what is important to you. 

Do you find time to satisfy the desires of your heart? Look at your time use. Does it reflect your priorities? It may not be a time problem but a priority problem. 

If you feel overworked, you might ask your boss to prioritize your projects. Follow their directive and in that way, the responsibility falls back on them.

When making a major time commitment, I find it helpful to ask myself, “What roles do I serve that no one else can?” A wife to my husband. A mother to my children. Primary earner. Reorder your priorities to reflect your most important roles and spend quality time on those.

If you could reorder your priorities, what would be your ideal? What would bring you the most peace?

3. Peace—What is Your Why?

You may have a ready answer for why you do what you do—“I work because I need the money.” “I work overtime because if I didn’t, I’d lose my job.” “I work to provide my children the best educational opportunities.” “I serve my church because no one else is stepping up.”

Someone showed me how to drill down to find my “why.” For each expectation that demands your attention, continue to ask why. For example: “I work because I need the money.” Why? “Because my husband’s income isn’t enough.” Why? “Truth is, we’re in debt.” Why? “We need to handle our money more wisely.” 

In this case, the solution might be handling money better, not earning additional income. Alternatively, you might say, “I work because I enjoy it.” Ask why to discover new things about your desires. Then determine how to satisfy those deeper needs rather than reacting to outside demands.

Make God your boss

Serve One Boss

Make God your boss. It takes resolve and determination to follow Jesus. Your circumstances may or may not dramatically change, and your work boss will likely still ask you to work overtime, but you will be better prepared to give an answer true to your heart.

Kathy Thomas Write On Business, Write On Writing

Your web presence, does it reflect who you really are?

How does someone learn about your professional services? Authors, service providers, and small business owners know they need a platform to promote their offerings to the public. Most often this is done through internet presence and social media. But does your profile and your brand reflect who you really are?
WebPresenceBuilding a platform
I recently contemplated this very thought in seeking to establish a platform for myself as a writer. Yes, yes, I know some of you think of me as a serial entrepreneur. Writing is something I’ve always done, and this is the right career for me since my husband and I moved to Tallahassee a couple of years ago to be with our grandchildren. I’m excited, but I was stressing about having to establish a new identity on social media. I lamented about having to do this all over again. This time, I did something different. Rather than looking at what others were doing out there, I started with soul-searching about my brand.

Where to start
Remember the old Westerns? Cattle were branded with a logo that identified the owner. When launching a business or a web presence, marketing gurus say we must develop a brand. They mean more than a logo, it’s a whole identity. For most of us, our first instincts are to name our book, business, or URL, have a logo designed, get business cards printed, and have a website designed. That would be my first impulse, too, but first I contemplated my new identity. I questioned: “Do I create a brand, or be a brand?” I decided I should be a brand—that my public identity needed to reflect my character and deepest passion, not just a look I create. Does the identity you’re expressing reflect who you really are?

DavidsAppearanceBLK

Consider the verse from 1 Samuel 16:7 when the prophet Samuel was sent to the home of Jesse to anoint a new king of Israel. He did not consider the sons that looked the part—tall and handsome—but rather, God wanted him to select the one that had a heart for the interests of God. Samuel selected the son that was to be the future King David. He was known as “a man after God’s own heart.” Does your brand reflect your heart?

Create a Brand or be a Brand?
Your brand needs to be consistent, recognizable, and most especially, genuine. It should reflect your passion. People can tell if what you are broadcasting is genuine. Your brand is something people can feel. If it isn’t real, they won’t trust you. If they don’t trust you, they won’t purchase what you’re selling. So, what I’m suggesting is that your internet presence needs to have a look and message that genuinely reflects who you are rather than a look you create. To discover my brand, I asked myself some questions.

How to be a brand
I propose that you don’t build a brand, you identify your brand. To begin discerning your brand, identify who you are and what motivates you. Here is a list of the soul-searching questions I asked myself:

  • Who am I? (What would people say about me? How would they identify me? How am I known? Defines my character and characteristics.)
  • What do I stand for? (What is important to me? What guides my life and my responses to my life experiences? Defines my passion.)
  • What do I do? (How do I act on what I stand for? Defines my purpose.)
  • Why do I want to do this? (What motivates me? Defines my mission.)
  • What do I offer? (Products, services, insights. Defines my offering.)
  • What do I want to communicate about me, the product, and the benefit to my customer? (Defines my message.)
  • How do I want people to respond? (Defines my benefit.)
  • What will be my client’s benefit? (Defines their benefit and my impact.)
  • How does this honor God? (Defines how God is glorified.)

Write your answers

After answering these questions, my hesitation turned to enthusiasm as I became eager to set up my blog site and communicate the rediscovered passion that drives me!

Why is this important?
Hopefully, answering these questions for yourself will fire up your enthusiasm for what you do and how you express your brand. Connecting with your passion energizes your message and inspires your audience. It’s contagious! My writing friends, ask yourself these questions in reference to your blogging or book writing. Small business owners, review your current branding to see if it reflects who you genuinely are.

Your turn
Friends, I sincerely hope this exercise has helped you in some way. I’d love you to follow me in my new venture as a writer and share your challenges and what you’ve learned. At the right, click to follow me!

Write On Friends!

Kathy