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If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
231–240 of 372 posts
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#232I feel like "useful" and "valued" are very poor terms for the situations described in the article. I think a much better explanation is that just because you may excel in one role (and be recognized as such) does not necessarily mean you'll excel in another role. And heck, I think it's important to recognize these qualities and limitations in yourself . Calling this being "useful" or "valued" puts an emotional/moral…
You're not nearly jaded about about the modern media landscape. A boring and "correct" (whatever that means in context) writing about a subject like this will never make it to the top of a comment based platform because it needs to be wrong or at least loosely worded enough the low denominator reader can engage with it in the form of commentary, further people can bicker with them, etc, etc. It's basically the modern version of a playwright 500yr ago designing a play such that the audience of illiterate peasants can participate, only it's high brow instead of for the masses.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#233I have been both.
I worked for a Japanese company, for most of my career. My non-Japanese status, often meant that folks with clout would not look to me, for input, when making strategies.
Personally, I think that it was OK, for a lot of stuff, as I really wasn't a "native," when it came to corporate culture, but E.L.E. disastrous, in a couple of instances; namely, where they were dealing with American companies. They made critical mistakes, by not understanding the culture.
But they did value me, and my team. They gave us work that was "corporate DNA" stuff. So secret, even our CEO didn't know about it. We had a very high level of trust, with Japan. Not sure the names the author gave to the two different approaches are ones that I would use.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#234I unfortunately still have to revert to the "customer is always right" level of understanding, the customer being either external or management or... whoever can get you booted. A lot of the time it doesn't matter what you fixed on the way to attempting to complete your behind schedule widget. If it's late they may ultimately blame you for it and ignore the positive effects. ... Because someone might have to fall on their sword.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#235> any drudge can do it if they’re prepared to sit in front of the computer for a few days
It still remains a fact that most working people don't have a few days to sit in front of a computer making art. Especially not uninterrupted.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#236I feel like "useful" and "valued" are very poor terms for the situations described in the article. I think a much better explanation is that just because you may excel in one role (and be recognized as such) does not necessarily mean you'll excel in another role. And heck, I think it's important to recognize these qualities and limitations in yourself . Calling this being "useful" or "valued" puts an emotional/moral…
Sometimes you're an investment, sometimes you're insurance, and other times you're a luxury or even an impulse buy. I think this is a better framing because it explains some behaviours that are otherwise baffling: if I'm hurting for cash, I'm going to stop adding to my savings before I cancel all my insurance, even if the expected rate of return is higher.
Often, especially in large businesses, which of these categories you fall into (investment, insurance, luxury/impulse buy) is more a function of which of these buckets your business unit is in than you as an individual.
I've always tried to avoid working for cost centers, where the business's goal is to reduce cost as much as possible while continuing to provide the necessary utility (like on-premise IT). Cost centers are most prone to offshoring and automation; and this is where the "AI threat" is most likely to materialize.
But if your business unit is viewed as an investment center (like an R&D center), you're part of a strategic asset and you're also (by proxy) viewed as an investment. Luxury and impulse buys also happen here a lot more often.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#237I 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…
> Don't put stock in business relationships. If this is your mentality, is it any wonder you aren't valued? People post things like this and I'm not sure they have any emotional intelligence whatsoever. Sure, your work/job doesn't have to be your entire life. But what about a little pride in what you're doing? Working with smart people towards a goal to do something useful? If your mentality is "just show up for work…
> If your mentality is "just show up for work, do what they ask and go home" then it should be no surprise you're at the top of the list to get laid off.
Conversely, if you think that devoting yourself to work will put you at the bottom of the list to get laid off, you are in for a big surprise eventually.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#238What is also useful to keep in mind is the tendency to recreate your primary family life in the workplace. So if you had critical controlling parents who never valued you and everything you ever did was worthless, then you'll tend to select for those places and it is often done outside of awareness. Was your primary family spent being valued and appreciated? Then you'll select for that and when people start to not va…
I'll add to the general consensus here that this is an extremely valuable comment. At least for me it closely resonates with things I am only now discovering, at an age close to 40; the (in)ability to set and guard boundaries is super dependent upon early life and upbringing. Thanks for articulating this so clearly.
Setting boundaries is only a thing if you're able to implement them, just like in geopolitics.
If you lack the power to implement them they mean nothing.
Children can try and set the boundaries they want, but parents, family and society in general can just laugh and ignore them.
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#239Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hey, I've been where you are. > because I don’t self-promote, people who can’t shut up about themselves get promoted beyond me You need to re-frame this problem, so it's not about "self-promotion", and instead is about proactively forecasting the needs (as you put it) of your manager , not just the technical system you're managing. If you view it as part of your job to document (not promote, just document) the work y…
how can i understand what my manager needs if i don't know what he does? I have no idea what managers do, and I can't ever get an answer when I ask what managers do. "oh, all kinds of stuff." gosh, thanks. it's so clear, now.
Not sure if you are looking for an answer or just letting the steam out... But if you are searching for knowledge, then I would suggest picking up a book or two on leading people. It was a big surprise to me that such books exist and that they actually help understand the dynamics in companies, and how to achieve win-win outcomes. Good luck!
Re: If you are useful, it doesn't mean you are valued
#240I 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…
If you're called by your family you are better off than the majority of humans.