Helping Leaders Reach for the Ceiling: When “Somewhat Satisfied” Becomes “Very Satisfied”
It’s been over 4 years now since I first began working as an executive leadership coach. The certification that allows me to function in that space is hands down in the top five successes of my career. The success was due in part to wanting even more success and fulfillment than all the success and fulfillment I was experiencing already through life and work. This specific goal was realized through two crucial factors: firstly, recognizing that there was more to be explored in life and work, and secondly, understanding how to attain that desired outcome.
I’ve been reading about life and work, and I’ve become obsessed with the difference between “very satisfied” and “somewhat satisfied” (in life, in work, in family relationships, in leisure time, in standard of living). What struck me about the data from different surveys is that many of us settle for being only "somewhat satisfied" in our lives and careers. Additionally, recent studies have shed light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, feelings of isolation, and the sense of belonging and inclusion. It leads me to believe that settling for "somewhat satisfied" falls short of the success and fulfillment that many of us truly desire in our lives.
This leads me to ask, what makes us comfortable with the “somewhat satisfied” parts of life? It strikes me that many of us are just ok with the just ok – tight finances, mediocre relationships, and working the same job year after year. It leads me to believe that we’re ok with “somewhat satisfied” because we have not experienced what it means to fully thrive. Without knowing what changes we want to make in our lives and work, it becomes impossible to plan for and achieve goals that have eluded us. When a significant number of people settle for "somewhat satisfied," it forces us to consider if what our parents, schools, colleges, universities, and churches gave us is the basement and not the ceiling, and perhaps we don’t know how to reach for the ceiling even if we yearn for it?
When thinking about customer relationships, a “very satisfied” customer is extremely different from a “somewhat satisfied” customer. A very satisfied customer is loyal to the provider as they have found their solution and there is no further need to shop around. Conversely, a somewhat satisfied customer feels like their need hasn’t been met, and therefore lacks loyalty and is still waiting to be wowed by the provider. Similar contrasts can be made about life and work, too. In 2019 I was “somewhat satisfied” with my life and work, but I wanted to experience even greater fulfillment and success. Once I gained an awareness that I yearned for more and that I wanted to be wowed with life and work, I became committed to striving for “very satisfied”.
With increased awareness that comes from being “somewhat satisfied” a clear and definable goal is needed to reach “very satisfied”. HRbartender (July, 2018) defines goals, as “an observable and measurable end result.” Clearly defining a goal and identifying the markers of success become essential. Subsequently, breaking down the goal into smaller, more specific objectives, and establishing a detailed roadmap with milestone dates become critical steps towards achieving that goal. This process serves as the transformative journey from being "somewhat satisfied" to experiencing true fulfillment and reaching the state of "very satisfied."
In my work, helping leaders to increase their awareness between the “very satisfied” and the “somewhat satisfied” aspects of life is completely rewarding and fulfilling. Additionally, supporting these leaders to reach for the very satisfied parts of life allows them to experience what it means to fully thrive.