Tweet

John was sitting at his desk at work one day, when his boss walked up to him with an ominous-looking black box.

“John,” his boss said, a concerned frown on his face, “I need you to do something very important for me.”

His boss set the box on John’s desk and snapped open the lid to reveal a large button, made of metal and painted red. It was two or three inches in diameter and buffed to an incredible shine.

“I need you to do something very important for me,” John’s boss repeated. “I need you to push this button.”

Let’s pause in my story for a second. What is the thought running through your head right now? If you were John, what would you say?

I think, for most of us, the immediate thought is this: “What happens if I push the button?” For all you know, pushing the button could kill 1,000 kittens. Or it could make candy fall from the ceiling.

You probably have other questions as well. Why can’t your boss push the button? What if you decide not to push the button? Does the button have to be pushed now? Is pushing the button in your best interest? Is pushing the button in the company’s best interest? Could the button be better pushed by someone else in the company?

They’re all valid questions to ask. If you were John, you’d never push the button without asking them, right?

Right.

Except you probably do, every day.

Every day, most of us push buttons - that is, complete tasks that are assigned to us - without really understanding the consequences. We rely on others to make the decisions and just do as we’re told. We don’t know why certain choices were made, and we don’t ask. The description of workers as cogs in a corporate machine is used for a reason - we all play our part, but we don’t always ask to see the big picture.

I’m not suggesting that you suddenly start questioning your boss’ every move or refusing to do tasks, but sometimes the smartest career move you can make is to ask what happens if you press the button.

The company where you work - how is it structured?

When you’re finished with your part of a project, who makes use of it and how?

Are there more efficient ways of doing things and if so, why aren’t things done that way?

Ask all these questions and more. Learn about your job and your employer. Understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it - and really examine if this is the best way to do it for both you and for the company. Believe it or not, I wasn’t always a freelancer. I used to work in an office environment, and even as the very lowest rung on the corporate ladder, I spoke up. I asked questions, voiced my opinion, and brainstormed ways to make the office more efficient. And you know what? Just before I left to work for myself, I was asked to apply for a much higher-level job that was coming open. I’m confident that had I not left, I would have been offered the promotion.

Even more importantly, by understanding why I was pushing the buttons, I grew to enjoy my job more. The corporate environment is just not for me, but I didn’t hate going to work every day. I liked knowing that I was making a difference in the overall strength and productivity of the company. It felt good that my boss and co-workers could rely on me and even turn to me for help. I wasn’t just a cog in a machine.

Changing how you approach your tasks can make all the difference when it comes to getting ahead in your career and enjoying the work you do.

So ask yourself this: what buttons am I pushing, no questions asked?


Like what you read here? Stay connected with the After Graduation community and receive a free copy of Career Oomph!, a weekly newsletter to help you stay motivated to find that perfect job:



  1. Judy Helfand (Reply) on Tuesday 5, 2024

    Alli,
    I so enjoy reading your posts. Today I wish I had worked with you. We would have gotten along famously, because I, too, always asked questions. You learn from your questions, as do your co-workers. They come to appreciate your willingness to step up. I would counsel my co-workers: question each request as if your life depended on it. Do not be afraid to stand your ground for the betterment of your work ethic and the company.

    This past Sunday I watched 60 minutes. There was a segment about the mortgage/banking crisis…and I just kept thinking to myself why didn’t any worker ask questions or write an anonymous letter. Button pushers…and now we find ourselves (all of us) touched by the results of greed and schemes.

    Judy

    • Allison (Reply) on Tuesday 5, 2024

      I feel like sometimes we let things go, don’t ask question, because it’s just too hard, too much trouble for us to bother. But then, aren’t we as guilty? I think so.












              General Career
              
    Motivation
              
    Goals
              Job Hunting
              Tips and Tricks
              Reviews
              Opinions
              Site News

    Escaping the 9 to 5 Maren Kate's site is all about leaving the rat race to own your own business. She talks a lot about gaining freedom from the traditional work atmosphere and using virtual workers to achieve your entrepreneurship goals.

    Kommein An important part of job-hunting in most industries is social networking. Deb Ng's site is my favorite resource for learning more about using Twitter, Facebook, and other sites for more than telling people what you had for lunch and sharing party pictures.

    JobMonkey If you're at a loss when it comes to knowing what you want to do in life, JobMonkey is a great site to learn about career options. Their guides cover everything from truck driving to banking. They also have info about the training you'll need to work in these fields.

    Brass Tack Thinking At Brass Tack Thinking, Amber and Tamsen walk you through the process of making things happen, from developing your personal philosophy and brainstorming ideas to implementing those ideas to see real results in your life.

    Lifebeat Lifebeat is a weekly podcast from Nathan Hangen with music by Oleg Mokhov. Every Tuesday, you can listen to some energizing music along with motivational conversation and debate/discussion about concepts applicable to entrepreneurs and employees alike.


    You can find reviews I've done in the past at the following places; I'm always interested in doing more, so if you have something you'd like me to review, feel free to contact me.

    Higher Education This book by by Kenneth Jedding is about the feeling of failure you might feel as you're struggling to find the right path after graduation.

    Billing Boss If you're a freelancer or entrepreneur, Billing Boss is a tool you can consider to meet your invoicing needs. There are both pros and cons to the Billing Boss system.

    How to Write a German CV This ebook is specific to those job-hunting in Germany, but gives you a lot to consider for the non-US job application process in general.

    As you may know, I'm also involved in BlogWorld Expo, which is held annually. I've done some travel-related reviews which you can see here:
              -Border Grill
              -Tender
              -Mix

Switch to our mobile site