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What is it that you like the most about your current job?

This is a question I like to ask people I meet. I like the sparkle in the eye, as I see the brains working to find the most wonderful thing about their job. I can almost see the thoughts rushing through, going through the gate of "is this answer good enough?". Because what people have been telling me is mostly a very simple answer: they feel empowered.

But when does one feel empowered? When the individual's values are aligned with the values of the company he is working for. Simon Sinek has been talking about this in his TED talk about the power of "why", Jerry Porras touched the subject in his Leadership and vision talk, Steve Jobs has been talking about how core values keep him going.

So why is it that we still do not take into account the company values when we apply for a new job, or when we ponder why we don't grow in a job? I would guess that one reason is that individuals do not necessary stop to ask what their values are. Especially nowadays, people are happy to get a job. Only a few are actually selecting the companies that they apply to or choose to stay in. What would happen if you are very environmentally conscious, and the company would use paper cups all the time, print when not necessary, not recycle? How would you feel? How would this affect your motivation and productivity? How about your relationship with your colleagues?

Imagine that the people around you do not care about some beliefs that you simply cannot exist without. How would your relationship with them be affected? How would your commitment to your own work be affected? What would this mean in terms of company targets and own targets?

Do me a favor. Next time when you check the company's website, spend 2 minutes to read about the company values. Ask yourself, am I and the company on the same page? Do we share the same beliefs? It's just like a marriage: you need a strong foundation to have a fulfilling relationship.

A good day should start with a coffee and an action plan. The coffee is easy to get from any coffee shop or kitchen, but when it comes to the action plan, there is no one size fits all. At work, the action plan is given by the tasks that you are entrusted with. But outside work, usually there is no action plan.

Let me tell you a story.

Not long ago, I was going from task to task, fulfilling what I had on my list, and trying to relax in the remaining time. I was receiving good reviews, and that made me think that I'm doing well. I always had the drive to develop myself, but I didn't know which way to go. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities and I changed my decision about my next step depending on what article I was reading or what inspiring person I was listening to. I wasn't really having any progress.

Last year, something happened. I understood what I needed to be able to build my action plan.

And it's as simple as understanding what my strengths and my weaknesses are, and knowing what obstacles and threats I should plan for. When I say strengths I don't mean the ones we usually voice in interviews, that are hand–picked to fit the job description. And by weaknesses I don't mean "I am a perfectionist". I am talking about an honest analysis, that we can use to realistically assess where we are and what is our next move. In one word, a personal SWOT analysis.

After writing my analysis, it was much easier to make an action plan, simply because I knew exactly what is it that I can be better at, how to do it and what are the things that I should leave aside.

What amazes me is that even though it is common to have a SWOT for businesses or products, I didn't hear many people making personal SWOTs. The level of clarity that they bring to one own's strategy is amazing. Give it a try.