It’s valuable when it’s realised

We all have ideas and hopes but it’s not until we put them into action that we see their potential value. The value of something isn’t realised until it's put into effect, brought to life.

Same with us. People don’t know who we are, what we can do, how we do it, how we think, what we're capable of. It’s not until we put ourselves out there that we can be realised, our value seen.

So here’s the thing… are you keeping value trapped inside you, not letting it out there into the world?

Do you have ideas that haven’t been tried, launched or delivered?

You bet you do! We have wonderful potential but not until it's released do we see the value.

This week has been all about value; here's the rest of the ladder image completed!

⬇️ The downside of value: we reject, don’t know our value, doubt and deny it. We make what we do worth less. ⬆️ The upside of value: we accept, identify, package and then deliver our value.

What’s an idea you’ve got waiting in the wings, ready to be realised?

It’s not all about the package, but it helps

When we buy things they're often ‘packaged' up. Not only the physical package but the price, conditions, benefits. "It's all part of the package." A warranty, servicing, accessories, spare parts ... or the lunch and coffee special I spotted in a cafe yesterday, or how Apple with their new releases attend to the package as part of the experience.

It’s the same with us people. When we identify that yes, we are valuable, we can look at how to package ourselves up. With the theme of ‘bring your whole self to work’ thankfully resonating in more organisations and in more teams, there’s an opportunity for us all to identify our unique value and how we can package that.

You’re more than what’s on your CV or resume.

You’re more than your email signature; more than the photo on an ID card and more than a name in an organisation chart.

You’re more than what you’ve done, more than you’ve ever thought about and have a wonderful potential that is yet to be realised.

You're the most wonderful of all packages, and most certainly full of value. 

The path to valuing ourselves more

We can too often undersell ourselves and our brilliant ideas: perhaps when we're contributing in a meeting, attending a job interview, volunteering at an event. How can we get out of feeling less and move up up up towards realising we are worth so very much more?

When we're busy thinking and working, we can skip right on past the value we bring. You know how one project can finish and you barely have time to pop a celebration balloon before the next project is off and running? Sometimes we don’t allow the space to see value. No space, time or room to notice anything.

I see there's a need for us to notice ... to IDENTIFY value in ourselves. And yes, value can be easier to see in others than ourselves.

Have you heard when people are praised or congratulated on something, their response can be, ‘Oh it was nothing.' Aaaah excuse me ... it absolutely was something!

To lift your value be sure to stop and look at it, recognize it and notice it. And if you're a leader of others, ensure there is time to acknowledge, recognise and see the value people have and bring.

ACTION: Take a moment, identify the awesome you’ve done, how you did it and how it helped.

When we don’t know, deny or doubt our value ...

... we prevent people from experiencing our thoughts, ideas and purpose.

Many of us spend so much time - err, waste so much time - in cycles of doubt and denial of our own ingenuity.

⏹ When we say ‘I’m not creative’, we're in denial and doubt of our value.

⏹ When we say ‘It’s not very good’, that's denial and doubt too.

⏹ And when we dismiss an idea before we’ve even spoken it or shared it, that's another negative hit to our value.

So let's zip it. Ssshhh!

In workshops and sessions with teams, I’m often saddened at the number of people who openly dismiss their own work and ideas ... usually just before they’re about to present them! 'This isn't very good', or 'This is a crappy idea' - hey, no more of this stuff, ok?

Hold off on verbally denying the value in your thinking or ideas.

If you think your stuff is worth less, who’s likely to think it’s worth more? 

Knowing what you are worth

Do you accept or reject your worth?

I was reading how 'value’ is from French, Latin descent meaning ‘to be worth'.

When mentoring people 1:1 and working with teams in organisations, this is a theme I see many of our issues and challenges originating from. And this worth or value isn't just price, salary, bonus or other monetary value.

It’s about what you believe your time is worth, your ideas and contributions, what your skills and services are worth, your talents and expertise, what your involvement and commitment are worth.

Have you ever felt resentful when you’ve given so much yet received little in return?

Or the reverse ... where you received a lot and didn’t have to give much at all!

How often do we focus on what value we are giving ... and getting?

A leader recently gave her team permission to leave any meeting if its not making use of their time or the expertise they have.

The value equation is one we need to understand better and apply in our own world. We have much to value in ourselves. It’s that we don’t know it, deny or doubt it and this holds us in the ‘worth less’ zone.