Do you appreciate yourself and others?

Margaret Cousins once said, “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.  Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary”.  Webster says that the definition of appreciation is the ability to recognize and have gratitude for something or someone.

My short story starts out with the CEO of a company addressing a management meeting that he had called together.  He holds up a hundred dollar bill and asks everyone at the meeting, "Who would like this new hundred dollar bill?"  Hands went up all over the room.  He said, "I’m going to give this hundred dollar bill to one of you, but first I need to crumple it."  He wadded up the bill and asked, "Who still wants it?"  Hands were quickly raised.  The CEO dropped the bill and ground it into the floor with his shoe.  He picked up the crumpled, dirty bill.  "Now who wants it?"  Everyone still lifted their hands.  "Friends, you have all learned a valuable lesson” the CEO concluded. “No matter what I did to the money, you still want it because its value hasn’t changed.  Even though the bill is crumpled and dirty, it’s still worth twenty dollars.”  Although someone may have done something wrong in their life, he or she still has infinite worth. Every person has value.  Do you see others—and yourself—as having value?  This is why being appreciated is so important in life.

Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up.  At the most basic level, it makes us feel safe, which is what frees us to do our best work.  It's also energizing.  When our value feels at risk, as it so often does, that worry becomes preoccupying; this drains and diverts our energy from creating value.  We're all more vulnerable and needy than we like to imagine.  Authentically appreciating others will make you feel better about yourself, and it will also increase the likelihood they'll invest more in their work, and in you.

Appreciation starts with appreciating yourself first.  If you have difficulty openly appreciating others, it's likely you also find it difficult to appreciate yourself.  Take a few moments at the end of the day to ask yourself this simple question: "What can I rightly feel proud of today?"  If you are committed to constant self-improvement, you can also ask yourself, "What could I do better tomorrow?" Both questions hold your value.

Professionalism and how to develop it

You know that it's essential to be professional if you want to be a success.  For some, being professional might mean dressing smartly at work, or doing a good job.  For others, being professional means having advanced degrees or other certifications, framed and hung on the office wall.  Professionalism encompasses all of these definitions.  But, it also covers much more.

The Webster defines professionalism as the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person; and it defines a profession as a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.  These definitions imply that professionalism encompasses a number of different attributes, and, together, these attributes identify and define a professional.  Professionalism is a trait that's highly valued in the workforce.  It has many attributes, including specialized knowledge, competency, integrity, accountability and self-regulation.  To improve your own professionalism, focus on improving in each of these areas.

You can also exude professionalism by being kind and polite to everyone, presenting a professional image in your attitude and dress, and showing up for work or meetings fully prepared.  True professionals are always prepared.  This requires advance planning, timeliness, and attention.  Focus on improving your time management and planning skills, so that you're always in control.

Although professionalism means keeping commitments, doing high quality work, and having expert status, occasionally the pursuit of these attributes might tempt you not to volunteer for projects that fall outside your comfort zone.  You will need to look at each situation to make that decision.  Lastly, always analyze risks beforehand to minimize the consequences of getting things wrong, be honest about any skills gaps that you have, and work to fill them.  Then do the best you possibly can.

Honesty is the best policy

To be honest means to do what you know in your heart is right.  Sometimes being truly honest means giving up something you want in exchange for doing the right thing.  Leadership means being your own person and when you earn a reputation for integrity, values and honesty, you’re likely to be a respected leader within the company.  Leaders who have gained success pay attention to the inner voice that provides their moral compass, and they learn to guide their conduct according to the virtues and principals that flow from their moral identities.  Ed McMahon once said, “Honesty is the most single most important factor having a direct bearing on the final success of an individual, corporation, or product.”  Webster says that the definition of honesty is the ability to be truthful and having freedom from deceit.

Here is a story about an elderly carpenter who is ready to retire.  He tells his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.  He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.  They could get by.  The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.  The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work.  He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.  It was an unfortunate way to end his career.  When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.  "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."  What a shock! What a shame!  If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.  Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

Think of yourself as the carpenter.  Think about your house.  Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely.  It is the only life you will ever build.  Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.  We all must not forget that life is a do-it-yourself project.  Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.