Four Secrets to Liking Your Work: You May Not Need to Quit to Get the Job You Want

Chapter Three. Watching the Action

Jamal’s Story

Jamal’s friends called him an “action verb.” He was always driving toward a result, pushing the limits to achieve something new. Others saw him as a risk taker, but to him it was always about getting to a result. His biggest career successes had always come when he was directing the action and heading for a goal.

One year, Jamal took a job coordinating with community members, government officials, and private employees who were working together to create a new community center. To be successful, he had to keep everyone on task and get them to work together.

His biggest problem was Ryan, a state employee assigned to the project. Although it was Jamal’s role to set the work plans, Ryan was the one who ...