Recently, a woman who has been working at her job as an administrator at a university for many years, shared with me a challenge she faces at work. Lissa, for short, feels as though she has no voice with her leadership team. When she offers her opinion or gives a recommendation, it’s almost as if it falls on deaf ears. No action gets taken and things stay completely the same. She enjoys her environment, hence being there for so long, but she’s looking for ways to garner respect in this environment. This is my letter to Lissa.
Dear Lissa,
First off, congratulations for maintaining a job for many years that you enjoy. That’s not something I see often. Sometimes we as professionals stay at one place for an extended amount of time because we’re afraid to jump, got too comfortable or don’t think that there’s anything better out there. But to stay somewhere because it’s right for you and you enjoy it, deserves a tipping of the hat. As for the work shenanigan of not feeling like you’re being heard at your job, these are a few things that I urge you to consider.
If It Matters, Prove It.
You may be confident that what you’re sharing is of value, but not everyone can see the value right off the bat. They may not see the vision that you’re seeing, the possibilities, or the “do-ability” of your insight, so you’ll have to show them. For example, if you’re proposing that a new system be put in place to determine the ROI on the funds that the team spends on a specific software each month, start running that said system yourself. When you have enough data that’s impressive, share that with the powers-that-be and then see what they say. After being presented with concrete evidence that this system can actually work, it would be silly of them to not move forward with your recommendation. But give them something they can chew on or else your idea is just an idea. If you believe in what you’re proposing, prove it by putting into action on a smaller level first. Note: Sometimes actually implementing your idea isn’t even necessary because it’s already been done before. In that case, pull all the data that you can like examples of who have done this type of thing before, along with stats, anecdotes, solid testimonies, etc. The object here is persuasion so make your proposal compelling.
What Does It Take?
Sometimes when we feel like our opinions aren’t being respected, it could just be that it “feels” that way, but that may not be what’s actually happening behind the scenes. There could be other things going on that’s causing a delay in recognition of your proposal. As a former leader of a team, team members can give ideas and some of them are awesome ideas. The only problem is, there may not be resources available to incorporate those ideas into the current workflow. Also, your leader could be inundated with his or her current projects and can’t handle anything else at the moment. There’s a bigger picture that you may not be able to see from your standpoint. So in this case, what I advise is that you inquire about what it would be required for your idea to be implemented. That will give you an idea of what your next step should be or perhaps make it clear to press the hold button on this idea because it’s just not feasible at the present time—but maybe for the future. As a side note, if it’s worth it, don’t give up! Our defense as humans sometimes has us saying to ourselves, “well, I brought it up. If they want to do it, they’ll do it.” But it takes a sense of hope out of the picture when we do that, so we don’t get our feelings hurt. Keep your sense of hope that what you’ve proposed is not only smart but also worth the time and energy.
Find Influencers + Drop Seeds.
Let me ask you, are you speaking to the right people? Don’t stop at just your direct report. Drop some seeds in the minds of other leadership that have influence and/or decision-making power as well. Spread the word when you have the opportunity—but to the right people. When you’re riding on the elevator with the vice president of the department, drop a seed. When you’re at the coffee machine and happen to bump into the lead of a major project that involves your team, drop a seed. When you’re in the cafeteria looking for a place to sit and you notice there’s a spot next to your direct report, sit with them, and drop another seed on top of the one you already dropped. That last one is like jackpot because you’re catching them in a different environment—one where their guard may be a little less raised. Be strategic—get in there with the right people at the right time!
It’s Okay to Fall Back.
It’s awesome that you’re comfortable voicing your opinion at work—and I’m serious when I say that. Because when we really look at the Employer-Employee concept, the employer doesn’t owe the employee the courtesy of considering their opinion. Real talk. But due to employees having the power to leave anytime they want, workplace culture has become an accommodating one. Workplaces are being more lenient with time off, including staff members in potential new hire interviews, conducting annual surveys for employee feedback, offering perks like gym memberships and shopping discounts, hosting fun events at the office, planning retreats, offering free lunches, etc. Some companies have really outdone themselves with trying to keep attrition down in these ways. But the bottom line is, those things are a blessing, not an obligation. I say all that to say, if some of your ideas aren’t being considered or implemented, I urge you to find peace with that. Whether or not leadership or anyone else, gives you consideration for an idea, doesn’t define your value as a professional or an individual for that matter. If they miss out on something that would benefit them, then they miss out. You did your part by bringing it up. You also did your part by respecting their role as a leader and allowing them to make the final call without you grumbling, silent complaining, or bitterness. Kudos to you for caring enough to actually taking action in order to create positive change at your workplace. Keep that going!
Are there ways that you handle feeling like you’re not being heard at work? Share them in the comments below.
And don’t forget to eat breakfast. =) Enjoy!
Love,
Yardley
EGG BEET BREAKFAST SALAD
Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 large Beet
1 Carrots, shredded
1 Celery, diced
¼ Red Onion, diced
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
1 handful of Spinach leaves
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper, to taste
½ cup Mayo
½ cup Honey Mustard
Instructions
Saute Your Beet: Cut beets into chunks. Add olive oil to a pan at medium high heat. When hot, add beets to pan and sautee. Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, ½ tsp. garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. When cooked yet still a bit firm, remove from pan and set side.
Boil your eggs: Add cold water to a small pot, add eggs to pot and place pot on high heat. Once water comes to a boil, remove from heat and let simmer for 8 minutes for medium hard yolk, or 10 minutes for hard yolk. Remove from hot water and place eggs in cold water to stop the cooking process. Unpeel, cut into 4 to 6 pieces each, and place in a mixing bowl.
To the same mixing bowl, add your beets, carrots, celery, red onions, cilantro, paprika, rest of garlic powder, mayo, and honey mustard. Feel free to add other herbs you may like, such as dried basil. Begin folding all the ingredients together gently so the eggs can stay in form. Add salt and pepper to taste. Plate with spinach leaves, and devour your Egg Beet Breakfast Salad!
To powerful workweeks and good morning eats!
