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While on the way to a meeting recently I ran into Trent, an old friend. I have known Trent for more than a decade. We served together in our church and enjoyed many lunches over the years talking about life, work, and the Lord. Our lunch conversations focused many times on his personal struggles and challenges in business.
As many people do, Trent struggled to find his place in the work world. He began his career as a photographer. Then he became a manufacturer’s representative, and then a salesperson for an assortment of products. He had a modicum of success in all of these activities, but never really thrived, and was never that happy with his work.
Finally, at nearly sixty years of age, he took stock. He asked, what is it that I really do well? Reflecting on his experience, he realized that his forte was not selling and all the details of follow-up, answering questions, dealing with objections, and closing. His strong point was his ability to identify and gain an audience with the decision makers.
Trent has wonderful people skills and knows a lot of people. As a result, he has the contacts and the ability to get past gatekeepers to meet nearly anyone that he needs to.
Furthermore, Trent realized that the sales efforts of others–over which he had little control, but were frequently tied to his success–often impeded his success. This meant that many times he was able to gain an audience with the right people, but nothing was sold because of the ineptness of others.
Trent knew that he needed to focus on selling his ability to make introductions, and bifurcate his compensation from the success or failure of the subsequent sales process. He then developed a new marketing concept for his skills, based on this premise.
He would no longer tie his compensation to sales, though compensation based on sales often leads to large commissions. Since he was marketing his skills based on his ability to make the right introductions, he would be compensated more modestly based on what he could deliver–introductions to key decision makers.
Trent discovered his niche–the place where his skills, abilities, and passion merged. Now operating in his niche, Trent is doing better than ever. He is thriving, excited, and passionate about his work–and he is enjoying divine favor and increased provision. Such is the experience of anyone who finds their niche.
Sadly, identifying one’s niche does not appear to be all that common. According to a recent article, 55 percent of all U.S. workers are not engaged at work. This means that the majority of U.S. workers are mostly unproductive and ineffective in their jobs.
Why is this true? Perhaps Trent’s experience provides the explanation. Trent worked for years before understanding who God made him to be and how to go about working to his full potential. Is it possible that most people have not discovered their God ordained niches? An indicator of this reality is that people are bored, and therefore, marginally productive. Doing anything outside of one’s abilities is not satisfying or rewarding–it is frustrating and, many times, boring.
For Trent, it was life-giving to discover who God made him to be and to line up his work accordingly. I consistent find that people who find their place are productive, joyful, and thriving people.
Helping a person find his or her niche is one of the greatest gifts that anyone can receive. Do you know someone who is bored with work? Encourage them to evaluate their God-given skills, abilities, and passions with the goal of finding work that allows them to focus on what they do well. This will be life for them and will generate many blessings for the organizations they serve.
Gerald R. Chester is president of Strategies@Work, LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in helping business owners and management teams build world-class organizations based on the timeless universal principles of leadership and management taught in the Bible.
Since 1987, Dr. Chester has worked with dozens of companies in a wide variety of industries. His focus is to help clients build great organizations by understanding and implementing the key principles of enduring success?building equally yoked management teams, developing efficacious strategic plans, and executing with excellence.
In June 2005, Dr. Chester was awarded the Christian Leadership Award by Dallas Baptist University and the CEO Institute.
To reach Gerald, e-mail him at [email protected].
