How many times have you been the one in your office or on your team that comes up with great processes, time-savers, and work-smarter-not-harder ideas? Or what about all those deadlines and errors you discovered before something got missed or sent out the door? And are you the person everyone runs things by to make sure they got that citation right, or the local rule is correct?
Do you know how valuable you are? Are you aware of the crucial role you play and the impact you have on your office’s future? For many of us, we consider the above examples just part of what we do, and we may have a tendency to downplay the significance of our contributions.
Knowing your value and self-worth are inextricably linked. Self-worth has been defined as “the sense of one’s own value or worth as a person.” That is one part of it, but the other part is being able to understand how much of a difference you have made in any given situation with the contribution you have made.
In his blog piece “Signs You Know Your Value and Self-Worth,” Morton Patterson of Management 3.0, outlines some indicators of knowing your value.
You have positive self-esteem.
You believe in and like yourself. Self-esteem is confidence in one’s own worth or abilities. You are comfortable with who you are and everything that makes and represents you. You are confident in the work you deliver and your sense of professionalism. You like and have great relationships with people.
You recognize the difference you make.
When you know your value, you confidently approach situations with full belief in your knowledge, skills, experience, and the difference you can make.
You see yourself as a peer.
In any given situation, knowing your value means feeling that you are an equal with anyone you interact with, be it clients, bosses, colleagues, or friends. You are not less-than, nor do you feel privileged to be with someone or to work in a particular type of organization. You have a personal sense of value and deservedness. You assert yourself as an equal in personal and business relationships.
You are clear about your values.
You know your boundaries. You are clear about what is acceptable behavior, how you like to be treated and spoken to, and you have the courage to speak out when necessary. You don’t need external validation to prove your value; instead, you have an internal compass of what is right and wrong.
You are engaged in work that is meaningful and fulfilling.
When you are involved in work that is fulfilling as well as financially rewarding, you are more inclined to work with even greater commitment. When you love what you do, you are prepared to do more and to become more.
You believe that you are good enough.
You believe that you have sufficient experience, skills, training, and qualifications to support what you do. You don’t need another certification, course, degree, or further experience for validation before you feel you are good enough – – you simply are.
Put it to the test.
Here’s a suggestion: for the next seven days, use the above list and write down how many ways you value yourself. Be honest. From your list, select an area where you may not feel valued or would like to change, and ask yourself, “If I valued myself more, what would I do in this situation? Who would I be and what would be the first step I would take in asserting my self-worth?” The purpose of the exercise it to encourage you to recognize the qualities you already feel confident about and the areas that you want to work on.
By understanding our own value, we are able to add value to our clients, our careers, and provide a better level of service. Remind yourself every day that you are worthy and have value.
Categorized in: General
| << previous | next >> |