Shape of Things

A friend of mine once called someone we know “snubbable.”  He probably meant that this person was too sensitive for his own good, but it could be taken in a positive way: The only way you get snubbed is if you put yourself into the fray.  People standing on the sidelines don’t get snubbed.

Some of my most painful experiences revolve around being snubbed, but I was never sorry for the experiences that preceded the snubs.

Once when working for an association, I developed and executed an award-winning, national PR campaign.  But, I wasn’t invited initially to the awards program.  I knew what was happening: My boss needed to solidify her position, and also justify the six-figure retainer for the PR agency that worked on the project and whose biggest role was submitting the award nomination.

In this case, it bothered me to the point that I spoke calmly, but forcefully, to my boss about my role in the project and my desire to receive recognition for it.  I received an invitation to the awards program and a small version of the Heisman-like trophy given to my boss and the agency.  The biggest consolation was that I always knew what I had done.

Another snub happened just after I started my own business and took on the PR job for a regional conference.  I put in so much work that I was probably being paid the equivalent of $10 an hour by the time it was over.  Still, the conference director didn’t mention me when handing out credits in his opening speech.  This time I said nothing.  I knew I didn’t want to work with that organization again, and I learned a good lesson about what kind of projects to take on.

In both cases, I was glad I put myself in a position to be snubbed.  After the pain, came some wisdom and a lasting pride in a job well done.