How Defined Are Your Filters? By Kathleen Kuffner, RN
fil-ter (noun) 1. Any porous substance as cloth, paper, sand or charcoal through which water or other liquid may pass; a strainer; a device for purifying; to purify by causing it to pass through.
How often do we as healthcare professionals take the time to reflect upon our reasons for our career decisions? When we accepted that position 3, 5 or 10 years ago, what were the criteria or filters by which we judged the “fit” of the job? Hopefully we had those clearly defined and if so, there was a higher probability of success and satisfaction. So what about our filters? How effective are they in sifting out the “bad fit” type of positions?
When counseling healthcare executives in transition, I always address this issue because it is not about securing “a” position, it is about securing the right position. Therefore getting into the client’s head is critical. First there are obvious criteria of title, role, compensation and benefits, and reporting structure. But so many other criteria surface such as: size of the organization, for- profit, faith based, financial stability, reputation, location, driving distance, amount of travel associated with the position, executive team members, mission, social responsibility, service excellence, quality indicators, and of course values. Values are often difficult to get your arms around because they are so subjective and certainly specific to each one of us individually. They might look something like this: autonomy, commitment, community, creativity, integrity, joy, leadership, loyalty, personal growth, learning, orderliness, power, recognition, risk, security, self expression, spirituality, and trust. The values of an organization must be in alignment with your values if you are to be fulfilled in your work. To resonate with an organization is vital so that you can make the maximum contribution. In the words of Woodrow Wilson, “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
Often we see professionals that don’t seem to fit in their job and we wonder “what were they thinking when they accepted the role”? Perhaps we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Organizations change, people change, reporting structures change, and cultures change as they are impacted by costs, reimbursement, board and leadership. All we can do is control what we can, and make the best choices at the time using filters that will insure the best fit. Then,“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”. Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Kathleen Kuffner is a Senior Consultant at First Transitions, Inc., a corporate-sponsored career transition and executive coaching firm specializing in the healthcare field. She can be reached at 630/571-3311, 312/541-0294 or at kkuffner@firsttransitions.com. You can also visit the website at www.firsttransitions.com.
