Maintaining your dignity at your workplace

“It's better to walk in dignity than to ride in shame.”

- - - Jesse Jackson 

There would have been occasions when you were perhaps asked to undertake an awkward assignment for the setup you are working with. There would also have been many occasions when you surrendered your own advancement to make room for someone else.

Achieving professional growth is like a chase; and in its pursuit, many people do not maintain their dignity. While in a large number of cases, doing so may not be premeditated; however, it can definitely be prevented. It is rather difficult to maintain your dignity at workplace, but if you are able to do it, you will be appreciated by others. And you will appreciate yourself too. Here is how you can go about for it:

·   Extend genuine help to your seniors:  You should understand that all your seniors are prime appointment holders in your organization and that they influence your career advancement. Maintaining your dignity at workplace entails making it possible for them to look and feel superior; of course you need not forgo your own individual glory in the focus. You should avoid overshadowing them and take acclaim in entirety; it should be remembered that teamwork means shared credit.

·   Give credit to others:  You may have worked hard and made useful contributions in the successful completion of a project. Maintaining your dignity also implies occasionally moving away from the spotlight and letting others enjoy it, even if they were not very instrumental in the project. Remember that organizations invariably look for people who are selfless and do not run for getting credit; such people are always held in high esteem by the management and get their due.   

·   Do not perennially grumble: A person who constantly cribs is never liked by others. Grumblers are always viewed negatively and not welcomed in any team. If you have to maintain your dignity at workplace, you will have to swallow chunks too. You may be assigned tasks that has no volunteers or takers and which, will require you to work overtime or even on off days. That is the hard fact of any work schedule. If you happen to be the complaining type, your boss will form a downbeat opinion of you and when your turn for a raise comes, he can possibly put it on hold. That is the time you will say adios to your dignity too.  

·   Take stock of your working environment: You should ensure that the place you work in is safe and free from perils. But that should not imply that you should have a luxurious and   exclusive space to yourself. Your working area should be dedicated and congenial to performance of duties assigned to you. If you seek to maintain your dignity at your workplace, you simply cannot compromise on your safety and hence it is in the fitness of things to walk up to your boss and apprise him appropriately, in case suitable amenities are not being provided.

·   Smash the cast: It is an erroneous belief that today, employers want to have everything computerized and that employees have to comply with all directions. To a large extent, such an assumption is not without reason; however, employers do welcome positive suggestions and want their staff to be enterprising and regard themselves in high esteem. You should not simply follow everything in letter and spirit; and let yourself be over-burdened with work. If you do not resist such overtures, there is great likelihood that you will lose out on dignity. You must occasionally claim just and unbiased conduct.

      There are bound to be occasional differences of opinion, conflicts and problems in working relationships – these are part of working life. But the most important human effort is to stand up for our actions. Our very being and inner stability is contingent on it; and that is how dignity is attained. You should keep in mind that if you want to be successful professionally, you will never be able to do it if your self-respect is lost. Remember that knowing when to walk away, is wisdom; being able to, is courage; and walking away with your head held high, is dignity.