Are You Expendable?

Too many people lead their professional lives in a dark closet, refusing to acknowledge that companies cannot provide people security. As a mentor told me early in my career, “your only real security is in your ability to perform.”

Do you think that you couldn’t be laid off? Hours cut back? That you can continue doing business as usual and that this recession doesn’t affect you? WAKE UP! This is the time when you need to critically examine the value you bring to the organization or your customers, if you are self employed. Ask yourself the following questions. Answer honestly and you may gain some measure of self-awareness that allows you to build a development plan to strengthen your marketability.

1. Are you viewed as an active contributor in your organization or “are you along just for the ride?” Workers that stay on mute or shrink back from voicing their opinions rarely get noticed. Employee engagement isn’t just a buzzword. It’s an absolute necessity that organizations have each employee contributing to solving today’s problems by generating ideas and thoughts.
2. What tangible results have you achieved? You don’t get points just for putting in 40+ hour work weeks. You’ll be viewed as much more valuable to the organization if you can state the results you achieved AND how it impacted the organization.
3. Do others know about your accomplishments? If you’re not meeting with your manager on a regular basis to discuss your performance and accomplishments, you are doing yourself a disservice and setting yourself up for a fall. Don’t assume that other people will notice if you just keep quiet. In today’s hectic environment, it’s not uncommon for managers to be pulled in multiple directions to the point where they are also overwhelmed and can’t keep track of your contributions. Don’t leave this chance.
4. What have you done to improve your skills? Are you keeping up with advancements in your field? Are you pursuing additional certifications or perhaps a graduate degree? If you are not striving to improve yourself, others will pass you by.
5. Are you perceived as a cynic or a grump in the workplace? Especially in stressful times, people want to be around positive workers, not around people who are likely to dampen the mood of the workplace.

There are many other factors that go into deciding who’s expendable. Some are not in your control but you CAN take charge of your life and make a conscious decision about your own fate.

Welcome to Managing Bytes!

Welcome to Managing Bytes! As a front line manager in a large corporate environment, I am subject to catching flack from the bottom as well as the top. I've had the opportunity to be managing people for many years and will be posting my observations as well as things that have worked well for me as well as things that didn't work. I believe in continuous learning so feel free to add your own thoughts and comments. Thanks!