You are as important as you make others feel

We all need to feel that other people recognize and acknowledge our importance.

Actually, what we need is for other people to help us feel important, to help us confirm our sense of personal worth. Our feelings about ourselves are, to a large extent, reflections of the feelings other people seem to have about us. No one can maintain their dignity and worth if everyone he meets treats him as if he were worthless.

This explains why little things, that are apparently unimportant actions, can have such tremendous consequences in the field of Human Relations.

Have you ever heard of the reasons people give for a divorce? “He got a big kick out of telling everyone how stupid I was about money.” Or, “She would make an issue out of feeding the cat before she fed me when she was cooking.”

They seem like small things, but when repeated, they tell the other person: “this proves I don’t think that you are very important.”

Remember, it takes only one small spark to set off an explosion. And the little things you do or say can set off a chain reaction.

You must recognize the other person. In their diplomatic dealings with other countries, governments speak of recognizing another country or according them recognition. We might take a lesson from this in our diplomatic relations with others.

The principle causes of dissatisfaction among employees are:

  1. Failure to give credit for suggestions.
  2. Failure to correct grievances.
  3. Failure to encourage.
  4. Criticizing employees in front of others.
  5. Failure to ask employees their opinions.
  6. Failure to inform employees of their progress
  7. Favoritism

Note that every item above has to do with failure to recognize the importance of the employee. The same is applicable for people at home.

tomorrow I will share about four ways to make others feel important. Remember to share this with your boss and colleagues too.