“Perception is reality”. Over the years I have said this hundreds of times to my children, my clients and employees. Whether talking about customer service, team dynamics or making a first impression, it is critical to constantly consider the assumptions being formed every time you speak or act. Based on their own personal experiences, people often perceive what they expect and create a reality unique to them.

Last week as we were returning from a visit to England, I had a wonderful reminder of how assumptions dictate behaviors. Our seats were in economy and as we ordered wine I presented the flight attendant with a few old 1K drink tickets that were left over from my frequent flying days – not even sure if they would still be accepted with all of the recent changes and charges by the airlines. However, they were taken and our wine promptly delivered.

What is your value? (Before your read further, know that this article isn’t talking about monetary compensation – however, knowing your value is a good place to start for any negotiation.) Pause on that question for a moment and notice what comes to mind. If we focused strictly on your professional life, and I asked you to rate how valuable you are on a scale of 1 – 10, what would you say? Would you be able to assign a number? What would back it up? And just as importantly, would others recognize your value in the same way?

One of the challenges with “value” is that it is difficult to quantify. Money and value do not necessary correlate, but recognizing the need to be valuable can make a distinct difference in how you present yourself, how others consider you and your long-term career success – which can then turn into earning potential.

Share
I have really been thinking about life lessons lately, as my oldest son will be graduating from high school in a few weeks and I cannot help but to want to ensure that he is as prepared as he can possibly be to leave the nest.
I have found I have been doing a mental checklist… did I tell him this…does he know that…is he prepared to deal with… and Read the Rest…