Why Self Esteem Matters -

Home
>
Inspirational
>
Why Self Esteem Matters

Why Self Esteem Matters

A number of years ago I worked for one of the UK's top IT companies -- a global player. We were meeting to discuss a major bid, and the room was filled with people who didn't meet often -- the most senior managers from a number of divisions. There were very few middle tier managers in the room, almost exclusively senior managers who were accustomed to being 'top dog'. The atmosphere in that room was almost tangible. I wanted to bottle the air and analyse it later -- I had never experienced such naked power, and it dawned on me in that moment that we are almost blind to the status signals we transmit.

That meeting was an epiphany, and led to me becoming a hypnotherapist with a particular interest in researching confidence and self esteem. Because what I discovered in that company, and in many companies I have assisted subsequently, was the startling fact that an individual's self-esteem is a reliable indicator of how far they will progress in the organisation. Some technical geniuses can buck the trend, but they are very rare. For most of us, our ability to influence decision-making is precisely limited by our self esteem.

Why does this matter? It matters because the person with the greatest self esteem is not necessarily the right person to be making the key decisions. We have all suffered foolish bosses. Perhaps we have all wondered how on earth they reached such positions of seniority, given their obvious shortcomings. If you will excuse the bluntness: that incompetent boss is there because you haven't yet been sufficiently convincing. Your performance is perhaps the least important aspect on which you will be judged; what matters is your status in the group.

Status is a fascinating topic. We communicate our status constantly, primarily through body language and voice tone. This communication is unconscious; it is felt rather than known or consciously controlled. The way in which you behave reflects your self perception of status. This is either accepted or challenged by the people around you. A dominant person (relative to you) will cause you to back off from a challenge. A submissive person (again, relative to your own status) will make it easy for you to project your will. For a fuller discussion of this topic, please visit http://www.confidenceclub.net/cont ent/statusconfidence.php.

And so we come to the nub. We should all seek to develop our self esteem, not because of the personal benefits which will flow from this personal growth -- career enhancement, improved love life etc -- but because we have a duty to ourselves and our communities. Until and unless we step up to the plate, our communities will remain vulnerable to an almost random process of leader selection. So ask yourself: 'Am I allowing less talented people to make decisions on my behalf?' If the answer is 'yes', then perhaps you should consider stepping up to the plate yourself. The first step in this process is building up your own self confidence and self esteem. Don't be bashful; there's nothing selfish about developing your own qualities. A community with a rich selection of potential leaders is, in my view, a secure community.

Jim Sullivan is a hypnotherapist specialising in confidence development and stress management. He may be contacted via his Confidence Club website http://www.confidenceclub.net

In The News:

Bon Appetit magazine will award the most inspirational ...
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - 10 hours ago
Men in the Los Angeles area who suffer from the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate now have the option of out-patient, in-office treatment to ...

The Palin family is truly inspirational
Chicago Daily Herald, IL - 17 hours ago
... whether she can do it all but rather an interview which focuses on the strategic plan this couple has crafted for their family. A truly inspirational story.

Mother, daughter unite to organize inspirational conferences
Arizona Republic, AZ - Sep 5, 2008
by Sonja Haller - Sept. 6, 2008 12:00 AM Somehow, Liz Dawn's mother knew an earthquake was coming. She urged her daughter to leave Los Angeles and return to ...

Palin is inspirational leader
Times-Journal, AL - Sep 5, 2008
By Kelly Townsend Arizona Sen. John McCain announced the governor of Alaska would be his running mate on the Republican ticket, and it left many searching ...

What's your favorite inspirational story in baseball (or sports)?
Baltimore Sun, United States - Sep 5, 2008
Daily Think Special: What’s your favorite example of an inspirational tale in baseball? How about in sports in general?

An Inspirational Success
Long Beach Post Sports, CA - Sep 6, 2008
In May, the class of 2007 graduated and this inspirational moment calls for days full of celebrations which is exactly what many of my peers did these past ...

Pan Pacific HIV conference 'eye-opening and inspirational'
Gay NZ, New Zealand - Sep 5, 2008
"The stories we have heard have been both eye-opening and inspirational. The Pan Pacific 2008 HIV Conference has given us all new strength in our fight ...

Hindu
Proactive, aggressive and inspirational
Hindu, India - Sep 4, 2008
He is proactive and aggressive, inspirational and calm. And he delivers under pressure. The wicketkeeper-batsman has grown and evolved. ...

Ty Pennington is inspirational
Akron Beacon Journal, OH - Sep 5, 2008
Ty Pennington titled his new book Good Design Can Change Your Life. And he should know. For five years, Pennington has been host of Extreme Makeover: Home ...

Professional Fundraising
Gill Astarita – ‘dynamic, inspirational, passionate’
Professional Fundraising, UK - Sep 5, 2008
With the death of Gill Astarita, the voluntary sector has lost one of its most dynamic and inspirational fundraisers and leaders. ...
Sector mourns Gill Astarita Professional Fundraising
all 2 news articles

inspirational - Google News