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What YOU Do

by Miki Saxon

There are three universal functions that people at all levels do in the course of daily life and I bet that you can’t guess them.

Every day, no matter who you are or what you do you lead, manage and sell.

Most people don’t believe me when I say this.

Workers think they don’t lead or manage because they’re workers and non-salespeople, especially engineers, are usually adamant that they not only don’t, but couldn’t, sell.

The point is that these three functions have been swathed in enough mystiques that most people believe they don’t do them when, in fact, they do them daily.

You sell every time you convince someone to do what you want them to do.

You lead every time you take the initiative instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

But people hesitate to use words such as sales, manage or lead to describe what they do unless they’re in that profession or already at a certain level in the organization and that holds them back from growing.

We humans have a habit of assigning value to acts based to a great degree on the language used to describe them.

I’m not suggesting that you use this language for bragging rights, but you should use it inside your head when you think about what you do.

For instance, if you’re an engineer who, after thoroughly researching the subject, presents a compelling argument to your boss for buying a new piece of software or equipment and it is purchased as a result, then you sold your argument.

The same is true when your idea of where to have lunch or which movie to see is chosen—you sold it.

Or you’re the junior member of the team, but you take the initiative to research something that you think will contribute to the success of the project even though it’s not your responsibility, then you’re leading.

When it comes to managing most people realize that to get anything done anywhere in their life requires various management skills, but they rarely call it that.

But if you want to grow that’s exactly what you need to do.

Examine what you do every day, including the little things, and acknowledge each time you led, sold or managed and then use the correct language when thinking about it.

It’s what’s in your head, what you believe, that’s important, because no matter what others say, if you don’t think it you won’t believe them.

Image credit: flickr

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