Libra Season: Career Edition!

 

Libra Season is about investing into relationships, getting rid of crippling indecision, and reviewing what “fair” means to you.

Some things to try at work during Libra Season:

1 - Purposefully Build Relationships

Are you a task-oriented person? Someone who spends their day moving from one meeting to another and busily working through your to-do list?

    If yes, this is your celestial reminder to spend some time purposefully building work relationships.  So many issues that would provoke a battle in a meeting room are peacefully resolved during a friendly lunch.  So many careers get a boost because you’re “likeable” (whether it’s fair or not).

    Book that coffee! Or that lunch! Build at least one new professional relationship this Libra Season. 

    Sign up for a professional development course - you will get an added benefit of networking.

    Or, get yourself on a cross-divisional (or international) project your company is working on. You will build so many useful professional connections that are outside of your immediate working circle!

    2 - Consider Your Personal Definition of `Fairness`.

    True, your company will have its policies. And there will also be decisions made based on someone’s judgement call of what is fair.

    Earlier in my leadership career, I had a much coveted flex arrangement to give away at work. (That was well before the pandemic and working from home!)

    But, only one person on the team could get it.

    A single mother showed up in my office. “You should give it to me”, she said. “I can then register my son for that karate class he really wants. I can’t now, because the class runs during the day, and I don’t have anyone else to take him there”.

    My best performer showed up right after. “I’m hoping you will select me,” she said. “I’ve been on every challenging assignment since this department started. I feel like I’ve contributed much more than some other people in the department, and that’s why I deserve this perk”.

    Well….which one would you pick? A dictionary definition of fairness is “impartial and just treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination”.  But – we all have our own perception of fairness. Is yours needs-based (give it to the one who needs it the most), merit-based (give it to the one who has contributed the most), or equalizing (treat everyone the same, regardless of needs or contributions?)

    Libra the Scales invites you to consider what “fairness” means to you.

    3 - Break Out of Paralyzing Indecisiveness 

    I'd come out of my boss' office in happy spirits. Yes, he saw my point of view and agreed with my proposal! It was a good meeting!
     
    The very next day, he'd call me into his office. He was now thinking we should go in a different direction. OK, the new approach had merit, too. I could see myself getting on board. He was my boss, after all....
     
    A few days later, he'd stop by. He was now thinking of yet another approach!
     
    Eventually, I figured out what was going on. Several people stopped by his office after me, and presented an equally compelling point of view.
     
    Then, I figured out his date and year of birth. He had a Libra Moon... 

    Being able to see other points of view is a beautiful thing. But, if you have too much Libra energy, it can lead to the chronic state of indecision, or changing your mind. Yes, you thought you had a plan forward. And then someone stops by your office and presents another point of view. And…it makes sense…and you’re back to replanning…and then the next person shows up, with some compelling arguments.

    If you’re the boss, your team might be spending too much time “repositioning the ship”, because of your ever-changing direction.

    Give yourself a timeframe to collect feedback that will help you troubleshoot your approach. And then make a decision, based on the information available to you at the time. Even if it’s not perfect, it might be better than not deciding at all!

    4 - Try "Yes, and..."

    Try collaborative language when you're disagreeing with someone. Replace "yes, but..." with "yes, and...". Watch defensiveness disappearing and the synergy of two points of view coming in. 

    What to know what astrology says about your career or business potential and what your next 3-5 years will bring professionally? Try this reading.

     

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