For the Greater Good....
I found that when I felt disrespected and undervalued in corporate America, humility rather than bringing attention to "me" reaped the greater reward. Humility is an amazing thing. It is also worth noting that most of the time in the moment I was OK, but in reflection afterwards I could not believe what just happened....
So, what does that really look like in the IT corporate or governmental space? Well, maybe it is when you walk in to the Executives office for a briefing on the solution to the technical issue, reporting on the downtime impact and all the questions are addressed to the men even though you are the one answering the questions. Or when you come in to train the technical staff at the location, and for the 1st two hours you know they are only listening to you so they can point out a mistake or prove that you don’t know what you are talking about.
So my practical advice says: Do not be offended in the moment, move through your feelings with focus and perseverance. I have a small tale. I wear how I fee on my face sometimes. Now my disclaimer is that my face does not always tell a true story. What you think you are reading is not always what I am feeling. So not looking offended can be hard for me. Moving through the emotion might mean your facial expression looks crazy, BUT you are professional in your response and actions. I had to pray a lot about my facial expressions…lol.
Notes from the Field:
Let your mind be on those coming behind you in the field that they may be received differently than you were received
You are changing someone else’s perspective whether it was learned or from a previous experience
Your humility means that your focus is on the greater good.
