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. 

Rus Emerick won’t let well enough alone. And that’s great for his organization,  Schneider-Electric.  Emerick has been an evangelist for DSSP within Schneider, and as a result the company is saving millions a year applying scanning-based technologies across its design and manufacturing processes.

Rus is rare in his zeal and vision.  But, there are plenty of people with insights in your business that can be leveraged. It’s win-win. The person becomes more engaged, and the company reaps the benefits of better information flow. 

Think of the value a support person could add if encouraged to not only help with problems, but to systematically share information on customers’ needs and frustrations.  How about if your sales people made it part of their jobs to solicit stories of successful projects involving your products or services — stories that could then be shared within your customer community?

As Rus says, it’s good to be the star of your rodeo, but there is so much more possible.  If you are a manager, give your people incentive to go beyond their jobs.  Help them redefine themselves. Don’t let yourself or your people be limited by the rodeo ring.

During a recession in the early 80s I was out of work.  For a few weeks, I followed the normal pattern: scanning the classifieds, applying for vaguely related jobs, watching daytime TV. 

Eventually, I turned to What Color is Your Parachute, doing every exercise in the book. Perhaps the most valuable was writing my autobiography.  It was not an exercise in vanity; I was brutally honest.  At the end, I assembled the building blocks per the book’s instructions, and found that for the first time I had a very good idea not only of what I could do, but more importantly what I wanted to do.  By coincidence, or maybe not, my next job set me on my current career path.

I’m not suggesting you leave your job, especially in this economy.  But, if you’re in a job you don’t like, are at a dead end, or haven’t assessed yourself lately, now might be a good time to check out Parachute and begin writing about yourself.  You don’t need great writing skills — in fact, it’s best if you just pour out whatever comes into your head.

The economy is likely to bounce back, and with it greater job choice and availability. Or maybe it’s time to grow your own job.  Either way, now is a good time to get a grip on what you really want from a career.