Concerned Objectivity (Part 1 or 2)
Hope & Practicality from Elisabeth.
Elisabeth (Harney) Sanders-Park is co-author of No One Is Unemployable, The WorkNet Model and the WorkNet curriculum, and President of WorkNet Solutions
Recently, I heard the phrase “concerned indifference,” and I had to smile because I immediately pictured the lively dynamic of working with difficult clients. Since then, I’ve found myself striving for what I like to call “concerned objectivity” (sounds more positive to me). Often we’re coming alongside people who can be a little “messy” to begin with, in the midst of a major transition that can be messy for any of us. A little “concerned objectivity” goes a long way.
Over the years, I’ve watched myself and other job/career coaches seek to balance these two vital dynamics. At times, we lean into our interactions with clients, concerned, actively listening, mentally rummaging through our bag of tricks to craft questions and a process that meets clients where they are and moves them forward. At other times, we lean back, stepping outside the interaction, objectively seeing the client and the goal, and how the two can come together. Without concern, we have a process that doesn’t consider the person; without objectivity, we have a connection that doesn’t move us to the end goal. Most people tend to lean one way or the other. What’s your tendency?
This article appeared originally in the Career Planning & Adult Development Network Newsletter www.careernetwork.org
Photo by Michael Gaffney
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I like the idea of concerned objectivity, Though I’ve never heard the phrase “concerned indifference”, I think that I have been practicing something close to “concerned detachment” in dealing with some of the people who work for me – and frankly, it hasn’t worked very well. While I am not a career coach or placement specialist at this time, I am very familiar with the Worknet model of overcoming barriers. I used the tools and philosophy when I was working as the Director of Career Services at a trade school where the student population had many of the barriers to employment that the Worknet model helps to overcome. Those “clients” were often single parents who were undereducated, had language barriers, substance abuse problems and some had prison records. In that situation their barriers were evident and understood by me, the student and, in many cases, the perpective employer. That transparency made it easier to discuss and address those issues with all involved.
In my current position as the manager for 22 customer service and call center agents in a corporation, I deal with people who have some of those same barriers as well as others that include physical disabilities, age barriers, writing difficulties and economic hardship. In addition to supervising them, it is my responsibility to provide career path support inside the company and to set goals and provide training and development opportunities for them.
I certainly have been practicing “concern” as there is much to be concerned about in their work skills and performance and much to be concerned for in them as individuals. But the detachment I have practiced in this situation has put me too far away from their humanity and I seem to have lost touch with my ability and desire to encourage and empower them. I think that replacing that detachment with “objectivity” will put me in a better position to guide them with the Worknet model in mind. After all, everyone is motivated by something……..I just have to find out what it is!