Some Ways to Gain an Edge at Work
With our last post as background, today we'll look at some ways to gain an edge at work. We know why we may need this. So let's get that edge now.
We're going to focus today on the acting trade, and how actors can gain an edge. I suspect most of us aren't actors. But you'll see what we can learn from them and how it applies to our own work.
First a disclosure: I'm not an actor. Never have been, outside of some acting in high school plays - if you could call what I did "acting." But I've somehow been interested in this profession enough to learn a few things about how a good actor can gain an edge at work. I've seen some variations on this, but here are the three key ways an actor can gain an edge:
So what about us non-actors? How can we use these to gain an edge at work?
Show Up on Time
This one's easy. An actor, like any of us, begins the workday (or night) at an appointed time. Whether in the theater or the cinema, lots of other folks are involved in the work they'll be doing. Imagine showing up at a film shoot an hour late (or even 15 minutes for that matter) with the director, cameramen, other actors, etc. all standing around waiting for you. Never mind the producer, who typically is responsible for seeing the project through on budget, and may have even invested some of his or her own money to boot. Being late is simply out of the question. And yet some actors have trouble with this.
We Catholic men at work can easily see how being on time gives us an edge. When you work as an employee, being on time can be easier than it for those who run their own business. As a sole proprietor, I've got some leeway regarding when the day's work will begin. I've known some business owners who struggle with this. In fact, the recent "working from home" forced on many due to the COVID lockdown proved quite challenging to some.
Frankly, I adjusted pretty quickly when I opened the doors of my own business. If nothing else, I'm pretty disciplined. Starting with my morning prayers, reading, study, meditation, etc., extending through my morning physical exercise, spilling over into the workday, I typically stick to a schedule. So Day One of operating my own business found me setting up a daily routine right from the get-go. Start the day at ___AM. I showed up on time. I have ever since.
If this is tough for you, just suck it up and get on it. It's not all that hard. It just takes will power. And any guy (Catholic or otherwise) really should know that being on time is essential for the workday. Seriously.
Know Your Lines
When actors show up for the day's work, they've already had a chance to study their script. Whether in live theater or film, there's no time allowed on the stage or the set for you to study your script. You may have some time to "read through" it at first. But eventually, you need to know not only the words but exactly when it's time to speak them. And in some film shoots, you're expected to know those lines from the very first take.
The most obvious comparison with our work that I can think of: having a list of tasks laid out for the day. If you don't have these each day, what do you do? Sort of flop around? I bring a bucket of skills with me to work each morning, ranging from professional knowledge to work experience. But without that list, those skills won't get me a nickel or a satisfied client. I've got to do this, that, and the other thing each day on time, leading to a result that benefits my clients and customers.
Hit Your Mark
On stage or on set, an actor has a "mark" that tells him or her where to be at any given moment. They don't just show up and "figure it out." There's literally some sort of "X marks the spot" and they're expected to be there at any given moment. Without that, actors would be bumping into each other all the time. On a film set, the cameraman wouldn't know where to point the camera to get his shot. You don't think they follow actors who move on a whim, do you?
There's more here for us to explore. These three items have always made an impression on me, despite my not being an actor. I like anything that's simple and provides a solid foundation for work - whether it comes for the acting profession, from the music world, from the rule followed by monks in a monastery. All of these - and more - can help us make the workday more productive. Ultimately they help us better work for the glory of God.
This C-Virus mess remains a mess. It's not going away any time soon. With that in mind, we'll circle back next time and sort through today's ideas to find more examples that can help us gain an edge at work.
We're going to focus today on the acting trade, and how actors can gain an edge. I suspect most of us aren't actors. But you'll see what we can learn from them and how it applies to our own work.
First a disclosure: I'm not an actor. Never have been, outside of some acting in high school plays - if you could call what I did "acting." But I've somehow been interested in this profession enough to learn a few things about how a good actor can gain an edge at work. I've seen some variations on this, but here are the three key ways an actor can gain an edge:
- Show up on time
- Know your lines
- Hit your mark
So what about us non-actors? How can we use these to gain an edge at work?
Show Up on Time
This one's easy. An actor, like any of us, begins the workday (or night) at an appointed time. Whether in the theater or the cinema, lots of other folks are involved in the work they'll be doing. Imagine showing up at a film shoot an hour late (or even 15 minutes for that matter) with the director, cameramen, other actors, etc. all standing around waiting for you. Never mind the producer, who typically is responsible for seeing the project through on budget, and may have even invested some of his or her own money to boot. Being late is simply out of the question. And yet some actors have trouble with this.
We Catholic men at work can easily see how being on time gives us an edge. When you work as an employee, being on time can be easier than it for those who run their own business. As a sole proprietor, I've got some leeway regarding when the day's work will begin. I've known some business owners who struggle with this. In fact, the recent "working from home" forced on many due to the COVID lockdown proved quite challenging to some.
Frankly, I adjusted pretty quickly when I opened the doors of my own business. If nothing else, I'm pretty disciplined. Starting with my morning prayers, reading, study, meditation, etc., extending through my morning physical exercise, spilling over into the workday, I typically stick to a schedule. So Day One of operating my own business found me setting up a daily routine right from the get-go. Start the day at ___AM. I showed up on time. I have ever since.
If this is tough for you, just suck it up and get on it. It's not all that hard. It just takes will power. And any guy (Catholic or otherwise) really should know that being on time is essential for the workday. Seriously.
Know Your Lines
When actors show up for the day's work, they've already had a chance to study their script. Whether in live theater or film, there's no time allowed on the stage or the set for you to study your script. You may have some time to "read through" it at first. But eventually, you need to know not only the words but exactly when it's time to speak them. And in some film shoots, you're expected to know those lines from the very first take.
The most obvious comparison with our work that I can think of: having a list of tasks laid out for the day. If you don't have these each day, what do you do? Sort of flop around? I bring a bucket of skills with me to work each morning, ranging from professional knowledge to work experience. But without that list, those skills won't get me a nickel or a satisfied client. I've got to do this, that, and the other thing each day on time, leading to a result that benefits my clients and customers.
Hit Your Mark
On stage or on set, an actor has a "mark" that tells him or her where to be at any given moment. They don't just show up and "figure it out." There's literally some sort of "X marks the spot" and they're expected to be there at any given moment. Without that, actors would be bumping into each other all the time. On a film set, the cameraman wouldn't know where to point the camera to get his shot. You don't think they follow actors who move on a whim, do you?
There's more here for us to explore. These three items have always made an impression on me, despite my not being an actor. I like anything that's simple and provides a solid foundation for work - whether it comes for the acting profession, from the music world, from the rule followed by monks in a monastery. All of these - and more - can help us make the workday more productive. Ultimately they help us better work for the glory of God.
This C-Virus mess remains a mess. It's not going away any time soon. With that in mind, we'll circle back next time and sort through today's ideas to find more examples that can help us gain an edge at work.
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