<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><i>Ha, when you read this you´ll probably have one of two reactions:</i></span><i><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">1).</span> <span> </span><span lang="EN-GB">What the hell!?</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">This is not in line with your previous articles, and 2).</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Stuff the company, they have to take care of me... after all...</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Right, kick and scream as much as you like, this is about you.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">This is not about what your company, your manager, your director should, has to or should do or should´ve done for you - there´s been enough writing about that matter.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">It´s always surprising how many articles and business books deal with <i>"the company versus the employee"</i> themes.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Why is that so?</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Well, there is most probably a very technical and somewhat overcomplicated psychological theory for this kind of phenomena... or the simple version: </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><i>Ignorance and small mindedness</i> </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">You might think: "Wow!</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Slow down boy!"</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">I´m working for this damn bastard company and they sure treat me like... (put your own words here if you like).</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">I don´t get a thank you.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">I don´t get any recognition.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">I don´t even get a smile or nod of appreciation, so screw them, I´m most definitely not going to give it my all.</span><span> </span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Now here comes the controversial bit - are you ready for it? </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Frankly I don´t see the point of focussing so much on what your company, manager or director is not doing to make you feel appreciated.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">First and foremost you should develop the <i>personal ethic to yourself</i> to not focus on what they do or don´t do for you.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">It´s not about them, but all about YOU.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Yup, you need to find ways to appreciate your own competence.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">The fact is that most managers and directors are where they are because they´re damn good at what they do... not necessarily because of their amazing people skills (with all due respect: no nastiness intended, if you are a manager or director), and sometimes they simply have way too much on their minds. </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">So whether your manager constantly tells you what an amazing employee you are or whether s/he doesn´t is not supposed to make you perform better or worse.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Why do you think so many articles and business books deal with the fact that "...empower your employees... make your staff feel special... tell them how good they are..." is highly important.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">My point is: when are you, as an employee going to get it?</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">When are you going to realise that you are a phenomenal asset because of who you are?</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">When are you going to realise that complaining about the lack of recognition is just s-o-o-o disempowering, and for that you have only yourself to blame. </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">This sort article will most certainly not go down all too well with most of you.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">First of all because it goes against everything you believe and feel and secondly because it <i>seems to</i> be in contradiction with some of my other articles, books, etc I´ve written - in case you do a search.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Without this starting to sound like a Dr. Phil or Oprah episode; this is about you finding yourself where you are and "knowing" that you´re doing a great job because what you´ve done or what you´re doing is working.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">By focussing on the fact that "your manager doesn´t even say anything nice to you when you know you´ve done a great job" will only create a very unhappy, unfulfilled and very depressing spot for you in your job. </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">And if you thought that attitude (wanting compliments to keep going) will help you secure a higher position at your company, think again.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Life can sometimes be very lonely at the top, so ya, start seeing your own value and start to understand your role in the bigger scheme of things.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">The point of all those "books for managers and CEO´s" is to help them to help you... to eventually get to that same level of emotional intelligence and do the same for employees you have to mentor some day.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">The sooner you learn this valuable lesson, the better... the younger you are, the better. </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">The next time you read one of those self-help books where they tell you that you need to take ownership of your life and love yourself, be responsible for your own happiness, and so on... apply it to your world at work, too, and not only in your personal life.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Or should I rather say: your personal life includes your life at work, not the other way around.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Let me leave you with a trivial thought: </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><i>The manager is gone - in ICU, hospital or something.</i></span><i><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">This one humungous project has to be completed.</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Nobody else was told to "take the lead".</span><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">Now, if you all wait for someone to compliment you and make you feel good before you perform at your optimal levels... who will actually be doing the work.</span></i><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="msonormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Even if it is your superior´s job to make you feel great about yourself... it remains your responsibility to "get it" and grow because of it until you don´t need it in order to perform at your peaks... what if you had your own business?</span></p>
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<p class="msobodytext3"><span lang="EN-GB"><em>Lehan Stemmet is one of those rare people who studies one thing and ends up doing something else.</em></span><em><span> </span> <span lang="EN-GB">His brother reckons: Shrinks are mad, Scientists are eccentric, Marketing people are dilly and Authors just completely lost touch with reality... so much can be said about this young bloke who studied biochemistry, microbiology, psychology and industrial psychology, who ended up in marketing and well, who got his first book (Deal With It - emotional empowerment) published in the USA - show some sympathy, right!</span></em></p>
