Published on Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008
A culture of instant gratification, instant gains and instant rewards is making the world go round. We are so used to getting what we want, that we ‘expect’ life to hand everything on a silver platter, gift-wrapped at that!
This all-pervasive sense of entitlement manifests even in the workplace. Fresh-out-of-college candidates walk into a job interview expecting to be put on the fast track to a company vice-presidency! Young employees assume that they should get a better job, more money, further responsibility, bigger office and even a loftier title.
That’s not all, just a hefty salary will not do, and it has to come with ample vacation time, insurance coverage and other perks thrown in. And, we are not even talking about performance yet!
People bay for raises even when they have done nothing apart from fulfilling the basic job description, demand promotions even after failing to meet targets and expect a handsome severance package as their due even after being fired for poor performance.
This all-pervasive sense of entitlement manifests even in the workplace. Fresh-out-of-college candidates walk into a job interview expecting to be put on the fast track to a company vice-presidency! Young employees assume that they should get a better job, more money, further responsibility, bigger office and even a loftier title.
That’s not all, just a hefty salary will not do, and it has to come with ample vacation time, insurance coverage and other perks thrown in. And, we are not even talking about performance yet!
People bay for raises even when they have done nothing apart from fulfilling the basic job description, demand promotions even after failing to meet targets and expect a handsome severance package as their due even after being fired for poor performance.
It’s all about me
A voice in the head keeps clamouring that the world is yours for the taking. But, this overblown self-absorption and delusion of self-worth has no connection with reality. After all, you are certain of eventual success and believe you must be a manager, executive or even director, but by virtue of what?
• Aren’t your expectations out of line with your skills?
• Do you even have the requisite experience under your belt?
• Can you really ‘demand’ to be rewarded without having to prove your worth?
• Can every privilege be yours for the asking when others obtain them by efforts?
Alas, the sad truth is that the me-generation’s proclivity to the ‘you owe me’ mentality is quite career-limiting. Not only does the tendency to take things for granted hinder your growth up the ladder, but you end up not even achieving what you want. As Randall Hansen, a top career advisor cautions, ‘If you carry the attitude that you deserve to be promoted or else, you may find that “or else” is your only option!’
A voice in the head keeps clamouring that the world is yours for the taking. But, this overblown self-absorption and delusion of self-worth has no connection with reality. After all, you are certain of eventual success and believe you must be a manager, executive or even director, but by virtue of what?
• Aren’t your expectations out of line with your skills?
• Do you even have the requisite experience under your belt?
• Can you really ‘demand’ to be rewarded without having to prove your worth?
• Can every privilege be yours for the asking when others obtain them by efforts?
Alas, the sad truth is that the me-generation’s proclivity to the ‘you owe me’ mentality is quite career-limiting. Not only does the tendency to take things for granted hinder your growth up the ladder, but you end up not even achieving what you want. As Randall Hansen, a top career advisor cautions, ‘If you carry the attitude that you deserve to be promoted or else, you may find that “or else” is your only option!’
Welcome to the real world
Sorry to burst the bubble, but no matter what you think you deserve, you will not get it merely by expecting it to be handed to you.
Everyone has to pay their dues at the altar of hard work; efficiency and perseverance before they can even hope to attain success.
Afterall, brilliance does not equate with accomplishment and one cannot get by with a year of experience in place of five.
So drop the notion that you have a ‘right’ to be given everything and check whether your achievements are commensurate with your extraordinary sense of entitlement.
Its time to step up to the plate and prove your worth instead of feeling entitled to it because of your aptitude, qualifications or piggybacking on some other prerogative.
Strive to earn your position and rewards by sincerely getting down to work, achieving goals and making sacrifices along the way.
Then again, there are no short cuts, you have to start at the bottom rung of the ladder and slowly but surely move your way to the top. This calls for investing efforts in everything from setting practicable goals and taking on additional responsibilities, special projects or jobs that nobody else wants to and working on off days.
Also, keep your expectations in sync with reality as you build the drive to achieve the success you ‘deserve’. So, endeavour to lose your sense of entitlement. Afterall, it has been rightly said, ‘The world owes you nothing - it was here first!’
Sorry to burst the bubble, but no matter what you think you deserve, you will not get it merely by expecting it to be handed to you.
Everyone has to pay their dues at the altar of hard work; efficiency and perseverance before they can even hope to attain success.
Afterall, brilliance does not equate with accomplishment and one cannot get by with a year of experience in place of five.
So drop the notion that you have a ‘right’ to be given everything and check whether your achievements are commensurate with your extraordinary sense of entitlement.
Its time to step up to the plate and prove your worth instead of feeling entitled to it because of your aptitude, qualifications or piggybacking on some other prerogative.
Strive to earn your position and rewards by sincerely getting down to work, achieving goals and making sacrifices along the way.
Then again, there are no short cuts, you have to start at the bottom rung of the ladder and slowly but surely move your way to the top. This calls for investing efforts in everything from setting practicable goals and taking on additional responsibilities, special projects or jobs that nobody else wants to and working on off days.
Also, keep your expectations in sync with reality as you build the drive to achieve the success you ‘deserve’. So, endeavour to lose your sense of entitlement. Afterall, it has been rightly said, ‘The world owes you nothing - it was here first!’
PAYAL CHANANIA
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