The Big Hunt for Self-Esteem

The sooner we realise that self-worth, self-esteem, happiness, and respect are not equal to positions and start educating people about this, the sooner we can fix retention and motivation problems in organisations.

I have noticed something am I am talking to young people, especially young men. Most have swallowed the pill of “I need to be in a certain position by the age of …. to be someone or feel good about myself”.

Family’s and society’s expectations add to this problem, and as a result:

- People job-hopping to get “there”, not necessarily because they want the role or are ready for it. Or because the role is fulfilling for the person or necessary for the organisation. Sometimes, organisations fuel this “hunt for self-esteem” by creating unnecessary roles disguised as retention.

- People get demotivated and desperate and act out this desperation by job-hopping, asking for vague training like “make me more professional”, “I want to learn something”, or by playing the victim of “nobody notices how good im”. They even threaten employers by saying, “I am leaving if you don’t give me something”.

- People burn out, especially in higher roles, because they got “there” for the wrong reason.

- People compare themselves to others which destroys them.

My heart breaks looking at these young men & women trying to find themselves and their self-worth in roles. The other day, someone told me, “If I had that role, people would respect me”. We had a long chat, but the damage done by the social narrative is too great to remedy it with one conversation.

Companies are desperately trying to retain & motivate employees, not realising what they are up against. The global social narrative of:

- progress is linear and timelined

- roles are important and admired

It's important to remember that our job does not define our worth as a person. While our career can certainly be a source of pride and fulfilment, it's just one aspect of our life. We are so much more than our job title or salary. Our value as human beings goes beyond what we do for a living.

So don't let your career define your sense of self-worth. Remember to prioritise your health, relationships, building a life, and personal passions. These are the things that truly make you a valuable and unique individual. These are the things that will keep your sanity.

Here is some exciting news! My second book, " The Blind Leading the Disengaged - From Kindergarten to Employee Experience," is dropping in May! It's a treasure trove of solutions and cool ideas to shake up your people management game. But before we get there, let's chat about where we're at now—The Corporate Kindergarten, as I spilt the beans in my first book. Check it out, and let's transform your workplace from a daycare to an awesome employee experience hub!:

Watch here "Employee Loyalty is Misunderstood." and join me on YouTube:

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