Speak Up or Get Left Out!

In response to a column I recently read about good managers and just as good employees. The column I refer to reminds me of some of the best quotes by a yoga master who brought Ashtanga Yoga to the west. He says, “practice and all is coming”. It would be safe to assume that most anything we practice at is A) worth having; and B) will most likely be rewarded.

We can look at rewards in many ways. You know the job you had where you just wanted your boss to give you the proverbial pat on the back? Or just a nod in your direction, with a wink, like, “hey, great job” (or not steal your idea and present it as their own?). The best people who work for me, or have in the past, keep their head down and do the work. They don’t gossip about co-workers (or really anything), make snarky comments to their manager, blame others for their misgivings or laziness, or the worst of all, are just plain lazy.

If you work hard and keep your head down, you MIGHT be recognized, but what about when you do just a little but more, AND subtly remind your manager of your continued effort and accomplishments? Does it make you, a… gasp, bitch?

Maybe I’m just a Type A Personality, but I think you must speak up to be heard and get ahead. Speak up or you’ll be left out, just like the book “Lean In” reminds us, that too often female workers don’t speak up and they are left out.

To drive home my point, the same yoga master I mentioned earlier also said, “Anyone can practice. Young man can practice. Man who is sick, he can practice. Man who doesn’t have strength can practice. Except lazy people. Lazy people cannot practice Ashtanga Yoga.” Can’t the same be said about work?

Comment here, share or just ponder… what do you think?