The Pukeability Factor

At my company we have a template that we use to create an action plan of sorts for our individual development.  The plans, of course, should be fluid documents and should be updated regularly as you go through your career. Completing the plan is not required, but it is encouraged as it is often referenced during internal interviews and promotions.  It consists of three simple steps:

1. Identify our strengths and weaknesses
2. Decide on some developmental activities that tie into #1 that will facilitate growth and improvement
3. Write what you learned about yourself after you've completed said activities   

Pretty simple, right? I love these things! Not just because I believe in the power of prose, but because it's a great way to hold yourself accountable and keep tabs of how proactive you are in your development.  Recently, I got to review some of these development plans and activities written by an up-and-coming group of our leaders. 

If I was measuring bullsh*t, they would all be rockstars. 

Their activities were overflowing with buzzwords and wordy monologues about how they planned to "leverage their knowledge of processes and execution management to aid in the repositioning of our marketing and merchandise transitions".  HUH?? Their plans completely lacked a sense of realness, self, and genuine interest in personal development.  Know how I knew I was dealing with some posers? All their activities were missing the pukeability factor..

The pukeability factor is that funny feeling you get in your stomach when you are doing something that makes you uncomfortable.  It's an element of risk, difficulty, and the unfamiliar that comes with growth--it's part of the territory and a small price of entry.  The pukeability factor is taking someone you disagree with to lunch, asking for feedback from someone you truly admire, and being transparent about your weaknesses to the team that reports to you.  It's not, however, a journaling of Corporate Speak for the ego boost of seeing your contribution to the journaling Corporate Speak. 

After all that's been written about guts and glory, failure before success, and storms before rainbows--what makes one STILL think they're exempt from the pukeability factor?

Comments

[Tiffany]

One of the managers in my company ranked high on the pukeability factor yesterday when she emailed the entire company to alert us to a new internal position being added to our intranet. As I read the job description I realized how many unnecessary terms were used and how confusing it all seemed. I consulted one of my colleagues and she said that it sounded harder than it really was. That was why I was so turned off to apply. I had no idea what the job entailed, even after viewing a full description on the site.

I often seems as if people would rather use the most 'professional' way of saying something rather than just breaking it down in plain english. I guess they forget that plain folk will be reading it too.