TED POLLOCK

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

It can happen gradually over a number of years, or it can take place overnight. In either case, the result is the same: You become aware that your job is thwarting your growth, keeping you from activities in the company that interest you, boring you to death.

What has gone wrong? Possibly:

- The job has changed. Little by little, duties may have been added or taken away that change the nature of your responsibility.

- The organization has changed. Organizational growth may favor some activities or some departments while leaving others-maybe yours-in a kind of backwater.

- You have changed. Perhaps you`ve acquired new skills or improved old ones for which your job offers no outlet. Activities that satisfied you yesterday now seem dull and uninspiring.

"Okay," an inner voice says at this point, so you start looking for another job. Right?

In some extreme cases, a job change may be the only right solution. But usually there are a number of moves an individual can make to improve job fit and its attendant satisfactions:

- Can internal adjustments be made? To some extent-and it varies from place to place, job to job-the individual can modify his own activities. By delegating, for example, a manager can often ease himself out from under some portions of his job and apply the time and energy saved to more interesting areas.

- Can you move without treading on any toes? Managers know that most management jobs are surrounded by a no-man`s land of activities that they have never undertaken but which could easily concern them. One manager, for example, interested in his industry`s safety technology, got the agreement of the company safety engineer and dug into the problems and opportunities for using improved safety equipment in his division. But make sure that you aren`t infringing on areas that are the province of others-managers, staff executives, in-house specialists. At the very least, win their cooperation before you start exploring their territory.

- Does the boss know your workload? Many bosses have an unclear view of all that their people do or can do. If you enjoy good rapport with your boss, you could start a discussion on expanding your horizons with some questions that would give you the benefit of his guidance. Even if your relationship with him is less satisfactory, it`s a good idea to let him know you`re available for other assignments. You might, for example, say, "I understand that that new piece of equipment is coming into the plant next month. I`m very interested in its applications. If there`s any way I can be included in the group that will be testing it, I`d appreciate it."

- Pick your job. Some organizations have considerable flexibility built into their structure. In other cases, organizational change may put a manager in a position to suggest to top management an area to which he would like to be transferred. Example: Some years ago, an insurance company was reorganizing and a number of experienced managers were going to be displaced. Not wanting to lose the benefit of their experience, top management asked each veteran, "What job or activity in the company interests you most?" Some of the managers saw things that could be done and were not. They suggested untended areas for which their experience fitted them. One, for instance, worked out a new customer relations function that proved very effective. As a result of their answers, positions were found for most of the displaced managers.