Tackling “Now what?!?”: The role of Professional Health

We recognize “Now what?!?” is a perplexing question to answer. So why bother? Is this anything more than an existential exercise or some novel navel gazing?

Why does this question require our urgent attention?

Despite my career success, I continued to be plagued by anxiety, stress, and frustration. Coupled with a hollow feeling and nagging restlessness, this emotional turmoil festered inside. I did my best to ignore the symptoms, assuming they were normal in the fast-paced achievement culture.

I put on a good front, but deep down I was a wreck. No professional accomplishment made the inner turbulence go away. This chronic condition takes a toll on us.  It is corrosive and will not heal itself. Sure, we can tolerate it, but do we want to live our lives this way? Really?

Other successful leaders revealed similar struggles indicating to me that this storm inside is more commonplace than we might imagine.

On the flip side, answering “Now what?!?” can be the key to unlocking our potential. It can deliver the true meaning and purpose we seek from our work and the fulfillment and peace we desire.

Clearly this is a question worth addressing. So where do we begin?

Over my years helping others solve for “Now what?!?”, I have found the common thread among them is inattention to our Professional Health.

Physical fitness is top of mind for many of us. We recognize when our body requires preventative care or medical attention. Unfortunately, we are less attentive to our professional condition. Professional Health encompasses a richer state of being; our ambitions, hopes and dreams, identity, purpose and meaning. More than just the rational, intelligent component, our Professional Health is a holistic condition emanating from our core.  

Proper Professional Health can be the difference between surviving and thriving, achievement and fulfillment, success and significance. If we are in robust professional condition, we are highly engaged, passionate and joyful.

Professional Health is not defined by circumstance. One can be successful, wealthy and influential and still be unhealthy professionally.  Many of us are either unaware of the problem or ignore the indicators.

One sign of flagging Professional Health is wrestling with the question “Now what?!?”

We can appraise our Professional Health along four fronts: Actions & Behaviors which everyone sees, Emotions & Attitudes, which may or may not be visible to others, Wants & Needs which we may or may not be clear to us and at the foundation, our Core Beliefs.

Actions & Behaviors are straightforward – the decisions, priorities and communications we make daily. Actions are what we do and Behaviors are the manner in which we take the actions (ie. enthusiastically vs. reluctantly, passionately vs. passively).

Typically, we consider Actions & Behaviors as rational steps generated from business objectives or a well-conceived cost/benefit analysis. Actually, our Actions & Behaviors are a product of our Emotions & Attitudes, Wants & Needs and Core Beliefs. This is particularly true when we are under stress. In the crucible, Actions & Behaviors can be driven less by what we want to do and more by who we are. The tone and delivery of our interactions is as important as the content. If our intentions are not pure, our actions can be misinterpreted.

Actions & Behaviors are the gauge of our Professional Health. When our condition is deteriorating, we can be more directive than usual, delegating less and micromanaging situations. Our decisions may be rushed or impulsive often made without adequate input of others. We can be prone to second-guessing of others and even ourselves. Our words can say one thing while our tone and manner communicates another. We may find ourselves condescending, less forgiving or intolerant of mistakes. Relationships with management or colleagues can be strained. Collaboration is a chore. The workplace may seem more political, full of turf battles and conflict over resources. In this state, days are filled with firefighting leaving us exasperated, exhausted or disengaged.

A step back can reveal to us what others already notice; our Actions & Behaviors are not the best they can be. Unfortunately, simple modifications will not suffice. We need to better understand the influence and impact of the other facets of our Professional Health. Emotions & Attitudes, Wants & Needs and Core Beliefs are the underpinnings of what we say and do and require additional exploration.

In the coming weeks, we will examine each of these facets more thoroughly and their role in solving the challenge of “Now What?!?”.