Why Reassign? Because there may be a better space, place, or purpose—a better way or an enhanced meaning for the situations in our lives.
Reassignment of Meaning
“Being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone, other than oneself—be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is.”
—Viktor Frankl
So much of our suffering grows out of the emotional attachments we assign to an experience, regret, or judgment. Drop the judgment and the need to reassign its meaning, and you can free yourself from its pain. Could the struggle and strife we experience be caused by self-created illusions that result from our interpretations and limiting beliefs? Perhaps yes.
Consider the optimist versus the pessimist who has the same experience, but the different meaning each assigns results in completely different outcomes. If you have a struggle in your life which is keeping you in pain or regret, reassign its meaning by first looking at it objectively without any emotion to see if the facts support the fiction. Release the judgment for a moment, by remaining detached and neutral. Enjoy the freedom that comes from this moment of relief.
In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, the prominent Jewish neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl describes the horrors of being imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, where both parents and his pregnant wife perished. He witnessed how those who assigned meaning to even the most horrific of circumstances were more resilient and fortified to maintain hope for survival.
Frankl wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” He continues to say, “This uniqueness and singleness which distinguishes each individual and gives a meaning to his existence has a bearing on creative work as much as it does on human love. . . He knows the “why” for his existence, and will be able to bear almost any “how.”
Reassignment of People
Leaders understand the importance of assigning the right people to the right tasks to get the job done well. This is most crucial when they are not fulfilling their obligations.
In his book, The Energy Bus, Jon Gordan shares how fundamental it is to put the right people in the right seats. If you put the wrong person in the wrong place, no matter how talented they are, they will never reach the peak of their potential. Not only will their strengths be underutilized, but it will be a continuous struggle for them to measure up to expectations. Most of us, at one time or another, have had jobs that we were not well-suited for, or worse.
I once knew a lady who was bright, eager, and determined to work for one of my client organizations. Each time I would go to train the various teams, she would be in a new and different group. I asked her why, and she shared that she had been moved several times to ensure she would be the right fit for the job, the team, and their mission. After being reassigned over three times, she finally found the place where her talents and strengths could best serve.
Are you willing to trust the process enough to reassign the positions for which you lack interest? When my friend Cheri reviewed her volunteer commitments, she realized there were multiple positions in her life which she did not enjoy. By giving up her seat and reassigning her position, she made room for someone who was more passionate. Perfect!
What Can You Reassign?
- Delegate a task to someone who, due to a skill set, can do it better than you, in a more timely fashion, or at a lower cost.
- Share the workload with others to get it done faster and more efficiently—oftentimes this improves team effort and effectiveness. A win-win.
- Reassign an employee to a different department if there are personality conflicts.
- Reassign the meaning you are giving to a situation, a person, an assumption, or an outcome.
This blog is an excerpt from Susan’s new book, Release the Power of Re3 . . . Review, Redo & Renew for Positive Change & Transformation. To learn more, please visit www.SusanCYoung.com or www.amazon.com/author/susancyoung.
