Don't just say it...PROVE IT!

Yesterday was a slow day. I found myself texting and chatting with friends about the most basic of issues.  One friend was having a hard time, because he found out that a new hire was brought in at a higher pay rate than him.  He felt cheated and abused by his employer and found the need to “vent” and then request a meeting for that afternoon.  

As I was chatting with him, I thought of all the times in my past leadership positions that I was confronted by an unhappy employee.  Believe me; I had a lot of them!  In an effort to try and steer his approach, I tried to encourage him to wait, think it through, and then focus on a bigger picture.  We have all learned in our career days that money is not just handed out.  Once you are in, you have to move up or move out to see any significant increase in pay.   Contrary to my encouragement, he had the meeting and has a follow-up meeting with the owner.  I sure hope that by that time, he takes a piece of my advice with him.

I remember one particular occasion that reminds me of this.  I remember the conversation so well.  I was too focused on the anger/screaming and could not focus on the point the employee was trying to make.  I also remember thinking “I am under paid too”.  I remember wondering why people continue to focus on the “I am better than everyone else”.  I remember thinking “earn it”.  I now see things differently (maybe it is because I don’t have a person screaming in my face).  I am thinking that if you approach it the right way, you might find success!  It may not be immediate, but maybe that next opportunity for a promotion or at your end of year review.  You never know!

In Keeping it REAL, it is all in the approach!  Never go in with the “this person makes more than me” or “I am worth more”.  Go in with the approach of “I want to do more”. It goes a long way in a meeting, if you show the initiative to work harder, learn more, and provide more value to a company. After all, your boss only succeeds if you are doing your job above and beyond expectation and you only succeed if your boss acknowledges how good you made him/her look in the end of year business review. Right?    You MUST work as a team and if you stop pointing out others flaws, they will soon stop pointing out yours!! Remember...Don't just say it...PROVE IT!    Happy Tuesday….