I know it's not ideal, but I do consider myself a pretty humble person. I mean, there's not much to be proud of in terms of achievement, yet I am very willing to give respect even before it is reciprocated. This has been my style since I became a career person, but yesterday was a stark reminder that the voice of change perhaps deserves a listening ear.
I am slowly climbing up the corporate ladder and while am still very far off the 'big boys and girls', I am definitely proud of my growth so far. Growing has meant a lot of things, but one significant shift has been a wider supervisory reach. There are now more than a few people I refer to as my Juniors in the office.
However, I've stayed pretty much the same and try to get along with everyone. Am often laid back and try to give everyone a listening ear. While on paper it sounds like a dream leadership trait, the reality is that I can't help but feel like am being taken for granted.
I guess am at fault for letting myself not have a standard of how I want to be perceived, and am beginning to see the flaws there now. Perception does matter, no matter what anyone says. I always try to earn my respect but I now understand why some high achievers demand it from the get go.
Maybe it's high time I swap this sense of humility for something a bit more confrontational.