Today Bill Hybels discusses the third foundational alignment to filter our former, or any potentially future job, through.
3. Challenge. Pastor Hybels observes that operating at the optimal challenge level brings the deepest job satisfaction. He asks: “At which challenge level do you thrive? The logical answer would seem to be “appropriately challenged.” Wrong.
When people are under-challenged on the job, their skills atrophy and motivation comes to a dead stop. Effort becomes lackadaisical and depression may set in. Most people eventually quit.
At the appropriately-challenged level, people accomplish work on their own power. There is no need to rely on other team members or on God. The required amount of work is getting done, but there’s no sense of adventure or job importance.
If someone stays at the dangerously over-challenged level for very long, something will break. No one is exempt from this law. Something will blow and initial gains made will come crashing down- personally, vocationally, or both.
Pastor Hybels states the best work is done at the level of appropriately challenged- plus. This level is above “appropriately challenged,” inching toward the low end of “dangerously over-challenged.” And it’s our job to get to the right challenge level at work. The author concludes:
“Finding the appropriate level of challenge at work is a key part of simplifying your life. It’s like tuning your engine to operate at peak efficiency.”
Today’s question: At what challenge level would you place your previous job? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Pay versus passion”
