I'd say value, in the way the author defines it, is more a function of scarcity. If you are someone who can get stuff done but you are easily replaced, you are useful - not valuable. If you can get things done that nobody else can, or will, then you are valued.
If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
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Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#32> I had become the go-to person for making things run smoothly, for fixing urgent problems, for delivering. But every time I pushed toward more strategic and ambitious directions, there was a lot of can-kicking and “let’s think about it” that went nowhere. I was incredibly useful to the organization, but not necessarily valued, and at some point, I started feeling a sense of stagnation. Compensation was good, the act…
I was reading that and thinking "some people are never happy". I mean, they got a nice job, nice compensation, recognition... the only thing missing, apparently, was that they were not part of the company's "strategy team"? In my experience, you can be the smartest person in the world, if the company already has a small strategy team (or top management) that is pulling all the strings and they're happy with that setu…
Well yeah, the only way to get to that position is if you get in early on a startup, make one your own, or get along really well with the top brass and have the knack for it.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#33What a wonderful text. I have seen soo many colleagues who do solid, if not extraordinary work, yet they get paid mediocre salaries. And then there are people who create an aura, as if they can walk on water. And get promoted constantly, get new roles, new opportunities. But when you scratch the surface, they are not necessarily doing much better work, but they are informed, know latest trends, use the right buzz words, bring a fresh air into the team, new models, mindsets, paradigms. And they think very highly of themselves. Unlike the others who do their job well, but are treated not like rock stars, and do not signal that they are ready to leave the company. So they always stay where they are, get paid the same. And management does not feel like treating them special to keep them.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#34> I had become the go-to person for making things run smoothly, for fixing urgent problems, for delivering. But every time I pushed toward more strategic and ambitious directions, there was a lot of can-kicking and “let’s think about it” that went nowhere. I was incredibly useful to the organization, but not necessarily valued, and at some point, I started feeling a sense of stagnation. Compensation was good, the act…
I was reading that and thinking "some people are never happy". I mean, they got a nice job, nice compensation, recognition... the only thing missing, apparently, was that they were not part of the company's "strategy team"? In my experience, you can be the smartest person in the world, if the company already has a small strategy team (or top management) that is pulling all the strings and they're happy with that setu…
If someone is valued, they will at least get pulled into private, 1-1 conversations with one of those people pulling all the strings.
No matter if their suggestions would be followed, their opinion would be heard, which ultimately establishes how valued one is.
I've seen this happen more than once, and most often, that person was recommended as the successor for who they advised.
I've been on both sides, and I like being "valued" that way: otherwise, I just feel like I am not contributing with the best I can provide, and not enjoying the ride.
It's just who I am, and it's not about "never being happy" — we all aspire to some things, and this beats compensation to me.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#35Why does this not create an arbitrage opportunity to pick the useful ones who are not valued if you are a CEO or manager?
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#36From the company's point of view, good management is finding the people who are useful and making them feel valued.
A useful person tends to have the ability to get hired elsewhere, and will sometimes do this even at a drop in salary, if they are more valued elsewhere.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#37I have always been useful not valued, worked at 8 or more places. Only people who value me are family. Businesses don't. You find out pretty quick: suddenly on PIP, or get bullied thereafter because you phrased something slightly off in a Jira comment. If I can get paid and treated OK, I see that as good. Don't put stock in business relationships. Try to have good ones but put stock in ... assets, family, health, etc…
The only way to have a pleasant relationship with a corporation is to approach it with as much apathy is they do.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think so. A lot of managers value people who excel at talking big while doing little (if any) useful work, while they ignore the useful people who actually get things done.
Playing office politics right is the most important thing at work. Doing real work is secondary. On other hand as a workhorse I punch occasionally every management’s darling in the face. They don‘t like me, but they know, that somebody must do technical heavy lifting. Of course, I am number one in the layoff’s list :-)
You can never be sure of that (your conclusion). I had consistently disagreed with one of my managers, and ended up with the most positive performance review ever from them (I expected the opposite). It did help that I delivered on what I insisted on, of course :)
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#39Everyone can provide value to the world if we accept them for who they are, and what they love and can offer. The issue lies when we, as a society, decides what is valuable and what isn't.
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I would disagree. They maybe don't teach in the way that would be ideal for each individual student (because that isn't possible when classes are in the 10's of students), and some of course are fundamentally terrible as is the same in every single profession, however they provide lots of other value than just teaching. They provide comfort and care and security for those children who have a poor home life. Even if they don't teach the child more than 40 % of what they should teach, what they offer in other ways is more valuable.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#40I have always been useful not valued, worked at 8 or more places. Only people who value me are family. Businesses don't. You find out pretty quick: suddenly on PIP, or get bullied thereafter because you phrased something slightly off in a Jira comment. If I can get paid and treated OK, I see that as good. Don't put stock in business relationships. Try to have good ones but put stock in ... assets, family, health, etc…
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