Sometimes all it takes is one idea, one inspirational story of someone else’s happiness at work to make a positive change. Check out some wonderful happy@work profiles here.

First up is Nikki Pender - a very successful and prominent New Zealand Barrister. You can find out more about who she is and what she does on her website http://www.legalempowerment.co.nz

My Happy@work profile

I love my work most when one or more of these things are at play:

I’m learning and doing new things.
I’m being challenged intellectually.
I have problems to solve.
I’m helping others in a constructive way.
There’s an element of public speaking involved.
I’m part of a group of impassioned, motivated people


My unique passion point

Skills –
Problem-solving,
Intuition and perception
Communication (oral and written)
Motivational

Interests
Justice,
Personal development
Public law & politics,
Entertainment

What motivates me
Deadlines: and they better be real ones, because I push them hard!
Purpose: a sense that something I’m about to do makes some sense
and will be useful.
Novelty: the prospect of learning or starting something new.

No wonder a career in law fighting for justice suits her!

To demonstrate how unique everyone's happy@work profile is here is one a past client of mine completed - he prefers to stay anonymous:

Your Happy@work profile

1.)In the space below summarise the happy@work themes that are beginning to stand out for you. Remember to refer to this summary when deciding on possible career options. You may wish to use heading such as: “my values; my interests, my needs, when I am most happiest, my joys, career options that inspire me, my personality preferences”, or anything else relevant for you.
1. My Values

I enjoy helping others and I want to do something that is worthwhile. I don't have a huge go and dislike pretentiousness and snobbery.

2. My interests

Challenges, music, sport, health, travelling and adventures, languages, photography, people, history, socialising.

3. My needs

My main priority is my work environment and those who I work for. At the bottom line I need to work for an organisation that supports and nurtures me with great workmates and levelheaded superiors. Little things like when the boss says thanks for your help today, really means something. Feeling appreciated is a great thing.
I need mental stimulation but I also need to be able to see my work and what I produce.
I'm still not sure whether my need is to work outside or whether it is in the office but I prefer to have both at this stage.

4. When I am most happiest

I am most happiest when I have a several clear goals that I am working towards in different areas that are all giving me joy. I need lots of variety in my job and it has to bring a sense of achievement. I am happiest when I am working in a respectful environment where I want to work for my superiors. I like project-based work the most. I do need goals outside of work - that is just as important as working itself. I need lots of challenges throughout the year to look forward to as that energises me. Having nothing to work towards makes me dull and takes my edge away.

5. My joys

Any challenge - physical or mental - such as learning a language or competing in a race.

Doing things I have never done before.

I love being outdoors and exercising it can be anything mountainbiking, running, tramping, surfing - but in the sun - and even better with friends or family.

Writing something that is just right.

Taking a great photo.

Travelling and meeting new people from different cultures and learning about them.

Helping others to achieve their goals.

Achieving my own goals and making my visions happen.

Socialising and conversation with family and friends.

Listening to or playing music.

6. Career options that inspire me

Marketing employee for a respected sporting organisation like a premiership football team.

Adventure tour guide

Thoroughbred horse breeder

Farmer

Photo journalist

Athlete

Your Unique Passion Point
2.)Your unique passion point is where your skills, interests, and motivation intersect. Surrounding this is also the external market where there may be a demand for the things you offer. Create your unique passion point , and external market, in the space below.

I have a unique passion point being that I have excellent written and oral communication skills. I can also take great photos. I am interested in sports and music. I could use this to become a marketing or communications manager for a sporting organisation or record company where I could also use my interpersonal skills.
Your vision for the future

3.)A vision for the future can be big or small, and it can be about work or about your personal life, or both. The source or sources of achieving your vision may be from any or all of the five worlds - spiritual, physical, mental, emotional or cultural.

Some say people are driven by six basic needs, with all our choices and behaviours based on the urgency for survival, power, love, belonging, freedom and fun. In putting together a vision it is important to consider your needs and the real you - including your journey to this point, your priorities or central values as they are today, your interests, passions and desires, your skills, and what gives you a sense of meaning and purpose.

In the space below make a mind map to draw together the themes that are beginning to stand out for you as a vision for your future development and fulfilment. You may wish to create your vision on a board or dedicate a whole wall at home to help you keep your vision alive.



What I can see is me standing outside my house in the country with my family - it is peaceful. I work from here mostly but often travel both nationally and internationally with my job. I have worked through a number of marketing jobs to get to this point but now I have more time for enjoying my life - it's not all about work.
We have a nice house but it's not a mansion. There are also some animals and a garden. From here I can get out into the countryside mountainbiking or tramping although we are close enough to the city to enjoy that as well.
Inside my house are all the memories - the photos of family and friends, places we have travelled to and reminders of the successes that we have had. We are happy with what we have got and we have worked hard for it - but we are not egomaniacs.
We are fit and healthy too which means we can enjoy our lives even more. We are looking forward to more challenges......


Hi -I don't mind it going on your blog but I'm not that keen on my name being on there.

I'm not sure if it's a dream, it could be yeah, it's a vision as well I think.

It's been quite funny recently I have been thinking about you know the saying if you can dream you can do it and how important it is to dream a bit about things because that is where everything stems from.

The label visionary (you know people say he/she is a visionary in their field) makes so much sense to me now, before it was just a word.

It's funny how you know creating visions helps but sometimes you just forget because you have so many things going on.

I have been trying to dream up what I want to happen next. The thing is you need the inspiration first from something and sometimes you can search for ages and you just can't find it - and then one day you are onto something and you are away! You need a calm environment.

It goes back to that quantum physics as per the dvd "what the bleep do we know"

Labels: Career Creation, Happiness