Today’s episode is about doing something unexpected. When you have a disadvantage, you can
“flip the script!”
Mentioned in this podcast
Episode 4 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast
The theme today is “flip the script.” I have 3 stories to share. The first story is about my brand. The second is about about a mistake I made last year that I have an opportunity to fix next month. And, the third one is about my husband.
What does flip the script mean? If you “flip the script,” you reverse your position and do something unexpected. It’s exactly what I did.
Story number one is about my brand. About 4 years ago, I thought I was stuck being a stay-at-home Mom because I couldn’t find a childcare situation that would allow me to work outside the home in a traditional pharmacist role. It took me years to figure it out, but I flipped the script! I carved out a part-time job I can do in the margins using my identity as a pharmacist. I became a voice actor and a podcast host!
Recently, I updated my LinkedIn “about” section. I felt like I know my brand, and I put it in words. We all have things inside us that make us “us.” Writing it down and refining it over time helped me discover my brand. What I wrote tells others who I am even when I’m not in the room. I thought I was stuck, but I flipped the script!
Story number two is about a mistake I made last year in November. I have an opportunity to fix it this November. All the way back in Episode 4 of this podcast, I mentioned something called NaPodPomo. It’s short for National Podcast Post Month. It’s an annual challenge to post one podcast per day in the month of November. That’s right! 30 podcasts in 30 days. I planned to launch The Pharmacist’s Voice Podcast during NaPodPomo last year, but it didn’t work out. I completely missed it and launched December 4, instead. This year, I’m flipping the script. If all goes well, I am launching an online course at the end of this month, and I plan to publish short, solo episodes in November to get the word out about the course. That’s right, I’m accepting the challenge and signing up for NaPodPomo. I know what I just said about launching a course is a tease, but hang in there. I’ll share more in 2 weeks during my next solo episode on October 30.
Story number three is about my husband. For anyone new to the show, my husband, Nathan, lost his job May 1st, due to a RIF = reduction in force. Essentially, he was downsized after 12 years with the same company. He is a mechanical engineer. He’s had a variety of jobs. He designed the convertible top for the C5 Corvette, engineered cookware for Calphalon, and most recently worked for a solar panel manufacturer. Automotive, consumer products, and renewable energy are all different industries. He built an amazing skill set over the past 20 years. After he lost his job, he flipped the script too!
I’m going to borrow a word from the Japanese language. It’s “Ikigai,” which means “reason for being.” When he was unemployed and trying to figure out what to do, he looked at his “reason for being” employed. Finding his Ikigai gave him direction and helped him look for purpose in his next job. He figured out what employers need, what he’s good at, what he likes to do, and what he can get paid for. This was the brand statement he used on his resume, LinkedIn, and messages he put out on social media: I develop talent, lead teams, solve problems, and improve processes.
Instead of putting himself out into the world as a mechanical engineer, he put himself out there as the guy who develops talent, leads teams, solves problems, and improves processes. Guess who needs that type of a guy? Amazon! He flipped the script! Nathan was hired as an Operations Manager. He started training August 31. The first two weeks were online training. Then, he had a short-term assignment with an Amazon fulfillment center about 2½ hours away.
The past 30 days have been hard for my family. My husband lived in a hotel for 3 of the past 4 weeks. This is his first week living at home again. Much respect to all the single parents out there who do it every day, especially military spouses whose partners are deployed. I know it’s not easy.
Starting November 1, my husband’s permanent assignment will be about 15 minutes from our home. Until then, he’s been working at another fulfillment center over an hour away. I’m looking forward to November 1 so our family can finally get into a routine.
Maybe you have disadvantage and can do something unexpected to “flip the script” in your life too.