Star Performer But Not Satisfied?

“It's necessary to be slightly underemployed if you are to do something significant.”- James D. Watson

We read every day about people looking for work, not just the right job but any job.  Included in these stories are individuals who have jobs but are underemployed.  In other words, they remain stuck in roles where their experience and education often exceed what is required.  The irony is these individuals often excel in these roles but feel insignificant and frustrated.

When we excel in a role where our qualifications far exceed what is needed we can get addicted to being recognized as a star performer.  An analogy would be an athlete or team competing at a lower level – a false sense of success.  The key is to recognize the situation you are in, a situation you agreed to, and commit to a better future.  You may need help with both the diagnosis and prescription – reach out to people you trust.  Putting it off to another day keeps you in the demoralizing cycle of getting good at something you don’t like.

I have had moments in my career when I felt underemployed, and questioned if I was in the right field. When I joined a new, technology-focused unit in our sales division, I thought this was the exact job I was looking for. But once I arrived, I found the unit was not prepared for the changes I was expected to bring. I wound up sitting in a hallway without any real idea of what I was hired to do. I spoke with my boss and we found a workable solution where I transferred to a different area--one that could use my input even though it was lower profile. What I found was a fantastic work environment where I could put my ideas to use and thrive--I broke out of the cycle.

Three keys to being a star performer at work and enjoying what you do:

Compete Against Yourself
Resist the temptation to measure your success against others – envy is sure to generate strong feelings of being underemployed.  When you tear down others who move on you neglect yourself.  Stars at work with high job satisfaction critique their performance, seek feedback, and own their professional development.  They learn from others but realize growth comes from within.

Initiative
Leadership studies continue to rate initiative as a key characteristic to differentiate individual performance.  Low initiative means sustaining the status quo, and in today’s world that means stepping backwards.  Star performers demonstrate passion and drive themselves and others to new opportunities.  Step forward to seize your opportunity and don’t look back. 

Leader v. leader
“Large L” leaders often use their titles to drive results.  They have studied leadership concepts but don’t always connect with their people.  “Small L” leaders use humility and passion to attract others to follow them, inspiring others at all levels of the organization.  Remember, you have people who follow you – regardless of your title.  You should know why they follow you. 

As the quote from James D. Watson reminds us, being slightly underemployed guards against complacency and inspires us to pursue greater goals.  Keep the focus on yourself, demonstrate initiative, and be a small L leader.  You will move from where you are to where you need to be.