Hi Everyone! I know it has been quite a long time since my last post. I had several changes over the past several months, including obtaining a new position and relocating. I am back it now though! I hope you enjoy this and the upcoming posts!
Lately, I have seen the idea “Never accept anything less than you deserve,” showing up in places like Twitter and LinkedIn. At first, I thought, “Wow, I really like this idea. We should only accept what we believe we are worth.” Yes, it is absolutely true we should be confident enough in who we are, not just as professionals, but also as individuals and community members, to be willing to say no if offered something less than we deserve in any aspect of our life. But then I thought further, what about what we give or offer to others? If we choose not to accept less than we deserve, we should demonstrate that same level of care, commitment, and respect to others and ensure that we offer them no less. As a leader, I think this is all the more important and shows a sense of professionalism and respect when what you offer current and future employees truly reflects the value that they bring to the company.
What do I mean by this? I am not just referring to the salary and benefits offered, this is just a small portion of what employees look for from their leaders. I am referring to the sense of community we create, the ways in which we interact with others, the sense of autonomy and ownership that you give. We all contribute in various ways to our community, whether directly or indirectly, that impact how we lead and help those around us develop their internal capabilities (what a person is able to do or to be) as productive contributors to our teams and communities. We are by nature social beings and learn, for better or worse, a person’s perception of not just our abilities, but our perceived worth or value. We all develop our social identities through the groups we associate with. Think about what this means given the innate power difference that exists between leaders and their teams. Do we demonstrate an appreciation of the different capabilities of those we work with and celebrate their contributions? Do we consistently push our teams to continue to grow and refine their abilities, to do and to be all that they are capable of?
As leaders, this is a question should regularly reflect on. Not whether or not we are accepting less than we deserve – but are we ensuring that we offer our teams no less than they deserve?
Doctor of Thought 