In the early 1980’s I worked for a company that had begun to noticeably mutate. It had been growing like a weed – 400% in one year – but had yet to evolve (growing large isn’t the same as growing up). Those of us holding out for the company’s metamorphosis realized that it would take perhaps 20 or 30 years to materialize, so instead, we dematerialized; I’ve been consulting ever since.

Our livelihood is the sum total of our choices in three aspects:

1. The workplace itself – where we work, physically, as well as the cultural expectations, standards, and people
2. Career or profession– what we do, our specialty, and
3. Purpose -- why we do it, what purpose the work serves.

This article invites you to assess your present workplace, and check that it fits with your chosen profession and purpose. When there’s a mismatch – you expect the company to be what it is not or vice versa – at best you’ll acquire improved coping skills; when there’s true alignment, amazing things can happen for you and for the organization.

The immediate aim is to clarify what you want from your workplace … to develop a practical vision for your desired future – and in so doing, perhaps influence the future of your company.

Setting aside perceived limitations, describe your dream workplace. In other words, what would have you getting out of bed in the morning passionately wanting to get to work – besides the fact that your cat is driving you crazy?

When asked to describe their ideal workplace, people blurt out qualities like "honesty and integrity," "mutual respect and compassion," or "fair treatment." For some, that’s just the baseline. Their ultimate workplace sanctions creativity, is fun and professional at the same time, and doesn’t hold people to rigid job descriptions or typecast them into narrow roles.

If your workplace consistently disappoints or frustrates you, that could be a sign that your values are being trashed.

Your workplace is where your values meet the company’s. Using a technique called "gap analysis," you can observe the current degree of compatibility – how well does your present workplace fit with your interests and expectations?

For each aspect of your workplace, rate its relative importance on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 means "completely unimportant;" 10 means "essential"). Then pick another number from 1 to 10 to indicate your present degree of satisfaction in that same area. The difference between these two scores represents a gap.

For example, if being treated with respect is an "8" in importance, and your current satisfaction is at a "5," there’s a respect gap of 3. The smaller the gap, the better the fit.

For each sample statement below, give your opinion about (a) its relative IMPORTANCE and (b) your current SATISFACTION, using a 1-10 scale:

• I’m directly involved in the decisions that affect my job.

What’s even more important to you than the above? Make up your own statements and rate them. For a comprehensive workplace assessment tool, use www.abetterworkplace.com/self-assess.html. Feel free to download and share this survey with colleagues, then compare your answers and discuss next steps.

To increase the chances that we can evolve our workplaces into the "future we want" rather than being forced to live with the "future we get," take action now to build the foundation. With the ability to highlight and increase alignment, you can build a workplace where you can do your best work, express more of your talents, and help your organization live up to its full potential.