by Tracy Bevan | June, 2022 | Tracy Bevan, Work
The company I work for went through a merger this month and I’ve been planted into a new role. In many ways it is very similar to my previous position but with any new organisation comes new ways of doing things; new policies, new procedures and crucially a new culture. Workplace Culture I write this from the viewpoint of an employee; I’m not an expert in organisational culture but it is a topic that has always fascinated the psychologist in me. I’ve worked within many organisations over the years, from local government to third-sector charities and housing associations. As I settle in to each new place there is that feeling, after a few months, of becoming known. You start to be a part of things, a part of the family. Your role – what you do – may be very similar, you may even have the same job title, but the way you do things, the attitudes and behaviours you adopt, can differ substantially. Organisations are a construct shaped by many different elements; employees, managers, directors, the CEO, a Board and other stakeholders. They all put a stamp on its character. Some places are more top-down, others may be more organic, some carry a more historic sense of institution, but each has a personality of its own, an identity beyond that of its constituent parts. Newbies are assimilated and we find a place for ourselves – or realise it is not the right fit and perhaps move on. Belonging For me, my place has often been on the outskirts. I am an observer by nature and I...
by Tracy Bevan | March, 2022 | Positive Psychology, Tracy Bevan
From Student To Practitioner I’ve always loved transitions. Moving from one place to another, starting things, packing up. It is a time full of potential and I relish the change. I’m meeting new people and feel buoyed up by optimism. It’s energizing. In my current transition stage from ‘coach in training’ to fully fledged practitioner I am in a good place; the fear : excitement ratio has tipped slightly in the favour of the latter and that’s all I need to keep going. The Between Space For me, the difficult part was not the ‘becoming’.. it was ‘beginning’. This time last year the chasm between student and coach was a dark place with no discernible path. I had a dream of being a successful coach, running my own practice and making a difference in people’s lives, but the in-between place was a no man’s land. How could I get started when what I was aiming for seemed an impossibility, a pie-in-the-sky scheme? Visualising didn’t help. The picture I would try and build in my head seemed too far removed from where I was. I couldn’t relate it to myself, the disconnect was too big. Me, self-employed and running my own business? Or the biggie; me, being commissioned and paid for my skills and expertise? No, I just couldn’t see that. Because how can you imagine anyone else valuing your abilities if you don’t value them yourself? This is where my biggest doubts crept in; believing anyone would part with their hard-earned cash for what I have to offer. Those First Steps So, how did I move past...
