Your Mojo and The Workplace

By Annabelle Reitman

“Mojo” as defined by Wikipedia is ones self-confidence or self-esteem. It is really the level or strength of belief in oneself in a situation.

Do you radiate self-assuredness in the workplace as you interact with your colleagues, staff, and/or supervisor? What about your clients or customers? Without mojo or with a weak one, how can you expect someone else to have confidence in you or your capabilities to do your job?

With a strong mojo, you have a better chance to handle a work situation that maybe difficult or frustrating as well as dealing with any negative results. When you believe strongly in yourself and your abilities, you are able to manage yourself and future actions, change or influence what you can, and accept what is not in your control.

Think about work circumstances – In general, are you satisfied with the results? For example: How did your performance review go? Did you get the promotion or assignment that you wanted? Are you satisfied with your client or customer working relationships? How would you rate your standing with your boss, staff, or colleagues? What is the effect of your self-confidence upon influencing outcomes?

One basic question to ask your self is. “Does my mojo need strengthening or enhancement, and if so, how can I make this happen? Components that contribute to your mojo include:

·Identity: To create a strong, competent, individualized identity, you need to know yourself – your strengths, skills, knowledge, personal characteristics, work styles, communication styles, values, and priorities. Make a list of your perceptions of your self (NOT what other people think of you, but what you think of you). Share this list with family, friends and colleagues and ask them if this list is in sync with the image they have of you. How close is the match? Where differences exist, think of the reasons for them. How can you improve your ways of projecting your “brand” so that your authentic self is the one that people see and accept?

·Risk: Everyone wants to get more out of life that occurs only if you welcome growth and improvement. Changing and striving for self-actualization involves some risk – you may fail, you may not reach the heights you aim for, or you may be disappointed things do not turn out as expected. Willingness to risk is related to self-esteem – in that it is personal and subjective. The way you perceive your self determines level of risk-taking.

·Brag: Do you talk about your achievements? Do you take credit for what you have done? Bragging is a necessity – not a choice if you want to do more than just exist at work, that is, advance up a job ladder & arrive at the top. Bragging is not conceit; it is being forthcoming about who you are, what you have done, and what you are capable of doing. Given constant changes in the workplace – management reorganizations, retirements, mergers, downsizing – you need to keep people up-dated on who you are and what are your achievements.

Being aware of the components: identity, risk, and brag, you can strengthen your mojo leading to more positive reactions to you and your work.

Email comments to: Annabelle Reitman, Ed.D.
Career Management Strategist, Author
anreitman@verizon.net