~Trying for the birdie, playing to get the job
In Avoiding the Agony of a ‘Bogey’: Loss Aversion in Golf — and Business (November 11, 2009 in Knowledge@Wharton), the author writes, “Tiger Woods and other golf superstars who stand to win millions on inch-long putts apparently are subject to the same fear and aversion to risk that can afflict investors and managers [and I would say also, those who are looking for work]. Taking the safe route, however, has its own costs, according to new Wharton research.”
“In a working paper titled, Is Tiger Woods Loss Averse? Persistent Bias in the Face of Experience, Competition, and High Stakes, Wharton operations and information management professors Devin Pope and Maurice Schweitzer examine putts during pro golf tournaments and determine that even the best golfers systematically miss the opportunity to score a ‘birdie’ — when a player sinks a ball in one stroke less than the number of expected strokes for a given hole — out of fear of having a ‘bogey”‘– or taking one stroke more than what is expected. According to the researchers, for many, the agony of a bogey seems to outweigh the thrill of a birdie.”
As applied to seeking employment, it would seem we ‘job hunters’ are trying to say ‘just the right thing’ often in looking for work, having performed job hunting tasks perfectly and followed some unwritten but somehow mysterious set of ‘rules’ for finding work. In so doing, I wonder if we aren’t doing so out of fear of ‘having a bogey’ [not getting the job] rather than ‘trying for the birdie’ [playing to win the job]–that is, by presenting our talents with clear and pointed attention to what those talents are (our features) and the positive results prior employers have derived from their use (the benefits), having first carefully researched and identified even more clearly what the needs an employer has.
The fear of not getting the job–loss aversion–combined with lack of preparation for articulating and demonstrating our talents may actually be the major deterrent to success in landing the new assignment. What must we do mentally to prepare ourselves to ‘sink a birdie’ ever time we interview? It would appear that banishing our fears and focussing on ‘sinking the putt’ may be our only real obstacle.
Ken:
I agree with your assessment that we, as a nation of 10% job seekers are more afraid of not getting a job, rather than failing at attaining one that fits our strengths, as well as challenges our weak areas.
I once worked for a supervisor back in 1984 at Mobil Oil who would challenge me with the very thing that I lacked experience in……..and measure my taksis success from the agreed datum of ignorance. This was true supervsion, whereby the supervisor was doing his job by challenging me at learning new things and exercising my brain, like our muscles.
I quote this history of mine, because I think the current trend in the workplace is not well suited for job hunters who are more afraid of not being hired. The reason for this stoic paranoia is not all their fault. I believe that the Job Market and culture at the workplace has changed significantly for the worse, with supervisors expecting the employee to be perfect at each task assigned, with the competitive culture akin to almost setting each of us employed, up to fail, with another replacement waiting in-line, to be challenged with the same task.
A good project manager and supervisor will tend to make a plausible effort to understand his/her understudy’s strengths and weaknesses, so as to place them in a proper teaming position.
Team spirit in the Workplace does not exist, and most highly guarded positions are loners, who take most all of the responsibility for mistakes.
Team failures are few and far betwee in the workplace also because of the cultural changes with-in the economy over the last few years.
Understand that in my experiences, there will need to be significant changes in the workplace culture, before employees can become more confident in themselves, focusing on sharpening their putting talent in strive for the Birdie, in lieu of being afraid of getting the bogey.
Sincerely;
Doug