Be Gold, Not Tin.

What's more precious: a nugget of gold or a wad of tin?

Be gold. Make yourself rare and desirable through hard work and smart self-branding. Soon people will agree that you're priceless.

 

When I ran across this in an article I was reading, it was vaguely familiar.   It pulled at the heartstrings because it wasn't so long ago (okay...not quite a decade ago)... that I questioned my own value.  I've never thought about it in the workplace until some years ago... somebody said to me, "everyone can be replaced".  "There is nobody who is irreplaceable."  These comments not only made me sick to my stomach, they angered me.  

For me, this was an impossible concept to have someone say this to me.  For those who know me, know that I am passionate about my work.  I felt depleted after these remarks.    After all, the purpose of becoming good at what you do, is so you have value...value that allows you to have security and stability, so that you can't be easily replaced and that your presence means something to a company.   I guess I relate this to a specialist who goes to school and training for years to become an "expert" in their field... if they had no value or were replaceable, then why bother in the first place.  Right? 

I've thought about this conversation many times and each time, I find that it irritates me more and more.   As a manager, employer or leader - it's our responsibility to empower people to find their value and to hone it.  It's also our responsibility to recognize it and reward it.  

Do you know what your value is in your company?   Often, more times than not, I have been one of these people who really worked hard to do a great job and the reward came when I saw the end result.  (at least in my mind... that's what I thought.)   I never really thought about the financial aspect of it... until, this comment was made to me.     We've all learned lessons along life's job highway.   We've all had jobs we loved and probably a few that we didn't.    We've all been given opportunities to showcase our talents so that we could shine and for most of us, we are extremely grateful for those opportunities.  Isn't the old saying that one opportunity leads to another?    In most cases, I am pretty sure that for me, I felt I had to exceed expectations to earn my way.  I felt that going above and beyond would help me to climb the ladder and achieve success.
 
I've learned that there are some who will take advantage of whatever you're willing to give without even acknowledging it.  Actually, they grow to expect it or even demand it.   (For the record, this is NOT behavior that is acceptable).    I learned early in my career to believe in myself, what I could accomplish and to not settle for anything less than what I was worth.    If you don't ask, you won't ever know and once you do, if they say no, then it's your choice.    

A long time ago... my mentor from my first career... (you all remember him, right)... made the comment that it was harder for women to climb the success ladder and gain the same respect as men.  At that time, women really didn't hold executive positions as much, although now, times have changed.    My mantra at that time and to this day... is/was... "it's a man's world, i'm just trying to survive in it".  I realize now, that he was motivating me to not settle for being second best.   It was a challenge to prove my worth and to go for it. 

Through the years, I've gained credibility, respect and I've experienced success.   I've seen the highs and the lows of getting to this point.  I've learned from my mistakes in more ways than one.  I've had to accept hard criticisms that weren't always easy to accept.   From my view point, I figured out my strengths and my weaknesses and would say to anyone that by knowing these and working on both sides, it helped me more than anything.   Its important to write these down and to understand what you need to improve on and work at it.    Another factor is to know your job and the responsibilities that come with it and most of all, what is expected of you.   Hone your skills and become the very best that you can with all the tools you have to grow.  Don't be afraid to leave what you're comfortable with and be more aggressive.   Some of the most successful people have told me that if you don't promote yourself, nobody else will either.   Stay relevant and keep in touch with your industry.  

Another good piece of advice I was given early on was to "not sweat the small stuff".   It's so easy to say those words, but a lot harder to follow the advice of them.  If you can ever master them, you're on your way. 

I have also found along the way, that one of the biggest mistakes that we can make as employers or managers is to not appreciate our employees, to make them feel as if they have no value.    Sometimes, it's the small things that will make a difference.    Saying "thank you" and truly meaning it... is hard to come by.  We should all take note that those two words are quite powerful in the workforce.  

Every person of a team plays a role and makes a contribution.  Every employee in a company has value regardless of what their job title or pay scale may be.  Today, when you talk to someone about their value, it feels inferior, even weird and a lot of times it can be construed as degrading especially for those who have never really thought about their value.   From my own personal experiences, I found that knowing my personal worth helped me to elevate my career and find success.    

In ending my blog this week, I will leave you with this thought   There are few people who really take the time to refine their strengths and take advantage of them to their fullest potential and to know their weaknesses and to work on them.   If you don't take the time, as an employee it can leave you undervalued, underemployed and yes, even underpaid.   If you realize what your own value is, you will be more satisfied, but you will also be able to show your employer as well.    What good boss wants to lose someone of great value?

"People are definitely a company's greatest asset. It doesn't make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps. We treat our people like royalty. If you honor and serve the people who work for you, they will honor and serve you."  Mary Kay Ash