In my younger days, I sometimes used to say that work needed to have the “3 P’s” to be in balance: it needed to bring Pleasure, to have a level of Prestige and to be awarded a decent Payment. When one of these P’s was out of line, the balance could be adjusted by tweaking one of the other P’s. The moment the order was completely disturbed, it was time to move on to a next challenge.

There is, of course, more to work; even each of the P’s already has more to it. Payment, for instance, is about the broader rewards you receive for your work and it is not just about money. Recognition and respect from your coworkers are also important ways to be rewarded. The P of Payment is also about the timeliness of receiving the recognition or the payment.

From a birds-eye view, the three P’s can be a good starting point for a quick assessment when evaluating work. You can apply it to many aspects of work: within your company, working with a client, or working with a partner. Think about these three P’s and assess if they are in balance. Is one of them making up for the others? That’s fine because there is still a balance. Are they out of order and is the balance missing; then what are you going to do about it?

Now is a good moment to assess how you are doing. Summer is about to start, and we are almost at the halfway point in the year. This is the time to update your action plans for 2016. You can start light with a three P assessment for yourself or take a deeper dive together with a colleague or a coach.

How about we spend a few hours of brainstorming together in July or August to refocus your work, your leadership, your team, or your alliances? We can do these sessions over a video connection or in person in the Netherlands. We can even combine it with a great walk, weather permitting.

Let me know if you are interested, and send me send me an email. Spaces are limited and with a special summer rate, they will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis.

Just after summer, on the first of September, the next Alliance workshop will take place in Amsterdam. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn about the theory and best practices and we will apply them to your alliances and partnerships. The workshop will take place in a non-competitive setting. Read more about the workshop and the steps for registration here.