If you’ve ever heard yourself say any of the following, it gives us a sign you’ve forgotten some of the key things that you’re really good at or you’ve forgotten some of the impactful pieces of your career and life journey.

If you ever think these things and then you don’t speak, you’ll know you’re undervaluing yourself or being undervalued or underselling yourself.

• “I want to be taken more seriously”
• “I’m often treated like a secretary rather than a director”
• “I end up undercutting myself – I give people a price for my services or the salary I want and then I undercut myself and backtrack or apologise”
• “I give, give, give and then other people get the credit or take me for granted”

Are you able to hear one or more things you’ve either said or thought in there? 

I can promise you I’ve heard these phrases so many times in different formats, in different ways and places from a myriad of clients. 

It’s because that person saying those things doesn’t own or express the value, the importance, the difference that their work makes. 

So, by definition, other people don’t appreciate it, feel how they value it or how valuable it is. How they think about it and ‘what, what they do, does‘… It also tells me that they don’t recognise it for themselves. And by definition, they don’t recognise or ‘market’ their worth. Aha.

Now, I never really like to think about marketing myself but, let’s be honest – you do need to be offering yourself and putting yourself forward in the workplace. 

Never underestimate or assume people get how special and valuable what you do really is. They have to see it or experience it or have it shown to them. Clearly. 

Don’t assume they can see it for you. They rarely can.  

Try this attitude and these kind of words 

• Show them what you’re made of. “Let me explain how I made this happen…”
• You owe it to yourself. “Having my own career ambitions in mind too, I believe…”
• Why wouldn’t you maximise the opportunities which are so close sometimes you don’t see them? “I want to put my hat in the ring for that – my experience is a close match for the role”
• If you help others see your value, they help guide you towards the opportunities too. “Who do you recommend I speak to about that opportunity as I’m keen to go for it”

Oh and I know about this first hand .

My ex-colleague James saw my gifts more clearly than I did and guided me on to the path to where I am now. He asked if I’d heard of coaching back in 2005 when it was virtually unheard of here in the UK. He said I’d always been approachable, smart-thinking, curious and able to connect with people quickly. He guided me to take that first step to what I’m doing now. Pay attention to what people see for you. It’s often pure gold!

 In other news…

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We have a bit of Wisteria hysteria going on here in our new home and once it’s flowered it’s going to be tamed!  Like everything, it takes a little time to understand how to care for things and we’re trying to pace ourselves.  Progress rather than perfection…