Kim Allen, P.Eng., IntPE, FEC, FCEA, MBA

Do you put more time and effort into your work life than your personal life?

Are you always the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave?

Do you work most weekends?

Do you never seem to quite manage to take your full quota of holiday entitlement?

Do you compulsively check your work emails at all hours of the day and night?

Do you take pride in out-working others?

Are You A Workaholic?

Workaholic

You are a Workaholic.

Crossed the Line

There’s a pretty good chance you’ve crossed the line between simply being a hard worker, to being addicted to your work

Hard Worker

You are a hard worker. Be careful, it is a slippery slope to crossing the line between simply being a hard worker to being addicted to your work.

Not a hard worker.

You will not be view as being a hard worker. You may wish to consider putting in some extra effort.

Is it time for a better job?

We respect your privacy. We do not save your responses.

Are you worried about your company’s health?

I think my company is circling the drain?

The company is doing OK.

Things are good at my company, we are growing.

Do you have room for advancement?

I have a clear succession path.

There is little room for advancement.

There are no advancement possibilities for me.

Does it seem like you’re always the last one to hear about what’s going on at work?

No, I am kept fully informed.

From time to time, I am out of the loop.

I am treated like a mushroom and kept in the dark.

Do you know more than your boss?

No, I learn a great deal from my boss.

We are on about the same level.

Yes, I do.

Do you have a bad boss who isn’t going anywhere?

No, I have a good boss.

I have a bad boss, but I expect them to be gone within a year.

Yes, I do.

Do you dread going to work?

I get a case of the Mondays from time to time.

Even thinking about my job fills me with dread.

Have you lost your passion for the job?

I love my job.

I am indifferent about the work that I do.

It’s not worth the effort , I hate the work.

Do you experience unhealthy job stress?

No, I do not take the stress of job home with me.

From time to time, I feel stressed about my job.

I think my job stress may the cause of (any one) depression, insomnia, headaches, frequent illness, or worse.

Are you stressed and miserable when you come home?

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Is it time for a better job?

You current position is a good fit for you.

If you are a perfect fit, there is no room for growth! You need to find ways to stretch your skills. You may get bored in six or more months and then leave. A better approach is set in my insight How to Make Yourself Indispensable at Work https://allenvisioninc.com/indispensable/

Your position may not be a good fit for you.

It is time to update your personal development plan. Start by assessing your strengths and identifying your passions. Should you work on filling the gaps in your talent stack (knowledge, skills, accomplishments, wisdom and behavioural traits) to become a better fit or should yo take your talent stack to where it is a better fit as is.

Start looking for a better job

Choosing to leave a job can be a gut-wrenching decision. You need to know that you are making the right choice. You will want to land a better job. Create a personal development plan, where you consider your passions and your talent stack (knowledge, skills, accomplishments, wisdom and behavioral traits). Fit the best-fit job that need your talents. If there are gaps start working on them now. Invest 10-15 hours per week to make your next move really worthwhile. Good luck!

About the Author

Kim Allen brings clients a big-picture view that balances innovative thinking with the practical mindset that can only be gained by leading organizations. He draws on his 25+ years of accomplishment as a chief executive in the public, private, regulatory, and association sectors and experience across all major business functional areas. As an agile leader, Kim works with business leaders around the world to build and strengthen governance, strategy, organizational alignment, and operational excellence. Also, he works with clients to find and develop exceptional leaders. Kim cares about the people and understands the bottom line.

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When workers describe the best and worst bosses they have ever worked for; they focus on qualities that are entirely under the boss’s control, such as passion, insight, and honesty. All bosses can learn and improve.

My boss puts people first

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss shows a commitment to excellence in everything

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss shares information and is a great communicator

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss puts a lot of thought and effort into hiring

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss respects team members time and the reality that people have lives outside of work

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss is empathic

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss demonstrates accountability

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss delegates effectively

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss shows appreciation, says thank you, looks for and celebrates success

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

My boss builds talent and creates leaders

Always

Often

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Do You Work For A Good Boss?

A Great Boss

A great boss is aware of their own style and makes the effort to learn how their style actually comes across to their team. They learn to flex their leadership style to individual team members so that they communicate and behave in ways that motivate and inspire.

A Good Boss

A good boss makes his/her team members realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.

A Regular Boss

Regular Boss views their role as a job. The best bosses aren't bosses - they are leaders — for a leader their position is a career. Remember the difference between a boss and a leader; a boss says "Go!" - a leader says "Let's go!"

A Bad Boss

A bad boss creates fear — a leader creates confidence. A bad boss fixes blame — a leader corrects mistakes. A bad boss knows all, — a leader asks questions. A bad boss makes work drudgery — a leader makes it interesting.

How can we help you?

Suggestion to add to the list of things mentally strong people do

Calculate Your Indispensability Quotient

We respect your privacy and do not save your responses.

0%

Do you specialize in something at work?

Yes, only I can do it.

Yes, but I am not the only one.

No, but will try to gain expertise.

Not possible for me to learn.

Have you offered solutions to problems at work?

Yes, a lot of times.

Yes, a few times.

Nobody asked me.

Not my responsibility.

Do you mentor junior colleagues?

Yes, often.

Yes, sometimes.

No, but can try.

Not possible for me.

Have you learned a new skill recently?

Yes, I keep learning new things.

Yes, but not recently.

No, but I am trying.

Never attempted.

Do you volunteer to do more than your assigned work?

Yes, most of the time.

Yes, sometimes.

No, but will try.

I don’t have time.

Do you have good relations with colleagues and seniors?

Have a very good rapport.

Normal cordial relations.

Problems were sorted out.

Not on very good terms.

Do you know your organization’s top three priorities?

Yes, I know the priorities and focus my effort to contribute to achieving them.

Yes, I know the priorities.

No, I am focused on the priorities of my job.

No, I focus on what I am told to do.

Are you full accountability for what happens?

Yes, I invite criticism and take personal responsibility.

Yes, I take personal responsibility.

No, I focus on correcting the problem.

No, I defend that it is not my fault.

Do you maintain impeccable standards and the best quality possible?

Yes, I am committed to meticulous excellence.

Yes, most of the time.

No but I try to maintain standards and quality.

I just get my job done.

Do you perform well under stress?

Yes, I avoid unnecessary worry and am sensitivity to criticism.

Yes, but I worry if this will work out.

No but I try.

I worry and am sensitivity to criticism.

Do you honor your interpersonal commitments?

Yes, I maintain high-minded convictions and play by honourable rules.

Yes, most of the time.

I try my best.

It depends on who is asking.

Do you have good relations with customers?

I have a very good rapport with my customers.

Normal cordial relations.

Problems get sorted out.

Not a requirement of my job.

Indispensable at Work

Indispensable

Congratulations! You are an asset to your company and indispensable to the organization. A bright future awaits you if you continue with the good work. But the knowledge that you are indispensable should not make you arrogant or complacent.

Valuable

You have done fairly well and are considered valuable by your company. Though you are not really indispensable, you can make yourself valuable by making some changes in your attitude at work. Any improvement can easily get you into the safe zone.

Not a Valuable Resource

Your performance is mediocre and the company does not treat you as a valuable resource. You need to immediately improve your attitude and application to work. Unless you improve, you could be in the firing line soon.

Dispensable

You are a dispensable resource. If there are job cuts in your company, you may be asked to leave. It is difficult, but you could change your attitude, improving your interpersonal skills and be more proactive at work.

What do you think about the effectiveness of personality assessments in performance?

Choose Right or Wrong for each of the following statements:

0%

A personality test can reliably predict that the candidate will fail to meet your expectations on the job more than 50% of the time.

Right

Wrong

Correct! Wrong!

A personality test can reliably predict that the candidate will meet your expectations on the job more than 50% of the time.

Right

Wrong

Correct! Wrong!

A personality test can reliably predict that the candidate will exceed your expectations on the job more than 50% of the time.

Right

Wrong

Correct! Wrong!

Knowledge of Personality Assessments

Predictive Validity

Personality tests alone had an incredibly low rate of success (6%) in predicting job fit, or either excellence or failure in actual job performance. SuccessFinder can predict success with up to 85% predictive validity.

Kim Allen, P.Eng., FEC, MBA

Bold Visionary | Entrepreneurial Leadership | Inspirational Leadership

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Professional Associations

Private Sector Service Organizations

Crown/Municipal Corporations

Education

Designations

Boards and Advisory Roles

Boards

Advisory Boards

Advisory Committees

Advice — Federal & Provincial Governments

Kim Allen, P.Eng., FEC, MBA

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