The challenge of employees and team members feeling under-valued is a huge problem that seeps into all work environments.
I have listened to and worked with executive women in a top international corporation abroad; U.S. Government workers and trainers, nationally and internationally; non-profits and law firms — and I hear this exact same concern.
In several sessions, I referenced a Harvard Business Review article stating that “65% of employees would forego a pay raise if it meant seeing their leader fired.” Thereafter the session participants began a robust finger-pointing discussion about the disconnect they feel with management.
Although relationships can indeed be strained for various reasons, more often than not, there is a deficit in how we feel about ourselves. This deficit is ultimately a choice we make, it represents the stories we tell ourselves.
My sessions often go silent at that point. You can hear a pin drop. That’s not what many of us expect to hear. We want it to be someone else’s fault, or shortcomings. The old saying that it takes two to tango is true. There are always going to be two sides to the same story. What we often miss is taking responsibility for the truth about ourselves. What role do we play in how our work or personal relationships unfold?
Most importantly, how do we truly feel about ourselves? The answers also lie in how we respond to what we believe we hear or receive. If we are unsure of our worth or value, we hear discussions differently — that too has consequences. It can be a long road before we recognize our own greatness and contributions.
This spring, I am launching a program specifically geared toward women in high-pressured work – it helps her guide herself along the rocky trails on which she ultimately chooses self-empowerment and a more balanced lifestyle for herself. The program’s creation is the result of years of experience teaching professional women.
To achieve lasting change, even amidst supportive community ~ you have to do it for yourself. It’s the only way.
Tackle you first!
