The desire to be recognized for my work and yet the resistance to sharing my accomplishments is a tension that I experience on a daily basis.
As an introvert, who naturally shys away from the spotlight, I have this expectation that my work will just be noticed by those around me. People will see how hard I am working and appreciate it. Oh and they will also let me know how great of a job I am doing. Words of affirmation is my love language, can you tell?
When the recognition isn’t happening, which is most of the time, I can feel the bitterness rolling through my thoughts. You know like “I am doing all this work and no one is noticing”, “why do I even put in the effort when no one seems to notice”. And on and on. If you’re reading this you’ve probably had similar thoughts too.
And yet, there is a piece of this predicament that I am in control of. While I cannot control the recognition that those in my world provide to me. I have the ability to adjust how I see these accomplishments myself. I can also highlight my accomplishments to others in conversations, in meetings, and on social media.
I can be proud of my accomplishments, share what is exciting me about recent projects and do so in a way that doesn’t come across too self-promotional. If you’re anything like me and find the bitterness towards not receiving appreciation for your hard work, these tips might help alleviate that feeling for you.
Start with Yourself
The only person we truly have control over is ourselves. So instead of waiting for appreciation from an outside source, that you cannot control, give yourself the appreciation first.
Allow yourself to recognize where the bitterness for not being recognized is coming from. Is it for a particular task, project or accomplishment? Then give yourself the appreciation that you deserve. This can look like “[Your Name], you are doing an amazing job on this new project, I can really see how you are going above and beyond the expectations, great work”.
By changing your mindset from bitterness to appreciation it will help you look and speak about the accomplishment more positively. You might even notice that others are noticing your accomplishments more, just because you are excited and positive about them. Instead of grumpy and bitter.
Speak Up
One of the ways you can highlight your achievements is by simply saying them out loud, in an everyday conversation. Sometimes we think that others are paying as close attention as we are, but in fact they are paying attention to their own lives. So a good reminder to those around you on what is exciting in your world is extremely helpful. It can be as simple as Discussing your recent projects and adding in “I’m just so happy with how this is coming together” or “I’ve really put my heart and soul into…”.
Don’t be afraid to bring these accomplishments up in your team meetings and if you are working with someone else or a team on these tasks don’t be afraid to give them a shout out too!
Pay it Forward
Appreciation in the workplace does not have to be left to the manager – employee relationship. Sending appreciation, congratulations or even just a ‘great job’ is an excellent way to be a good co-worker. Chances are if you are feeling like there is little appreciation in your workplace then other co-workers are probably feeling the same way too.
Sprinkle some joy around your workplace. When you see someone doing a great job, say it out loud, write a quick email or send a chat message. Building an environment where we can recognize and appreciate each other’s accomplishments is good for the entire team.
Is feeling like others are not recognizing your accomplishments something you struggle with too? Share what helps you move through this feeling in the comments.