“Why don’t they recognize my value?”

We all want to feel valued and appreciated for our contributions at work. But what happens when you’re not? What can you do?

Sometimes those above you may be too busy or too biased to recognize the value you bring. Sometimes your peers may be too focused on posturing to consider or even to hear your ideas when you present them.

And while there may be truth in those statements, focusing on areas beyond your control, where you’re the victim of other people’s weaknesses, doesn’t help you succeed. Instead, it keeps your attention anchored on the belief that you’re stuck where you are.

This is just a social media post, so I may not know you personally. And even if I do, I don’t have you specifically in mind, so the questions I’m offering today are not meant to be accusations. But if you’re willing to look beyond the flaws of others to find ways you may be able to change your situation, then I have some questions I’ll invite you to ask yourself.

1️⃣ Do I tend to talk more than I listen? I don’t just mean in meetings, where your tendency may even be the opposite. You may even be overly silent in meetings. But in regular, casual conversations, Do you find yourself frequently pushing for your own ideas? It can be tempting to think that repetition is the way to get people to listen. But sometimes the opposite is true. Sometimes people are resistant to hear your ideas because they may feel you haven’t heard theirs. Again, I don’t know whether this is true for you, but it’s a question worth asking.

2️⃣ Are they focused on problems that, to them, feel more important than the ones you’re proposing to solve? If they are, how might you contribute value to what’s top-of-mind for them? If you’re not sure what’s important to them, maybe revisit the previous question and double-check how well you’re listening. Or, consider the following question.

3️⃣ How strong are your personal relationships with others? How often to you talk about things outside of your immediate projects? or outside of work entirely? People naturally trust people more when they have a more personal connection with them. That trust leads both to valuing your ideas more and to being willing to share with you what their challenges are.

4️⃣ Who at your workplace might become a champion or mentor for you? You may benefit from having someone else give you feedback on those three previous questions, to guide you in strengthening your connection to things that matter to others, and to advocate for you when others overlook you. And even if you don’t find a champion or mentor, see what you can learn about yourself or your workplace from the responses they give when you ask.

Working without being appreciated can be a real energy drainer. Regardless of your situation, I hope these questions will give you some insights on how you may turn your situation around.

And if you want more targeted help for your specific situation, let’s talk. Visit https://stevedwire.com/connect for a complimentary conversation.