Yesterday I wrote a bit on the need to add real-time value to your organization’s mission and money making model. Many people just “get by” at work or can’t see a connection between their daily “doings” and some meaningful progression of the organization.

One way to add value to the organization, is to first add value to your own job. It begins with your perspective of what you do. Because, how you view your job will determine how you do your job.  I call this noble-izing your job. If your job doesn’t hold much value in your eyes, it will be difficult to do it in a way that adds value to the organization.

 

So…to noble-ize your job, the first step is to see what you do from the highest and grandest possible altitude. Describe your job, to yourself and to others, in the most noble of terms. For instance, I was once talking to a group of pharmaceutical reps and I asked them what they do. There were the usual suspects–from “drug dealer” to a more respectable version of salesperson. We laughed. Then, I said,  “here’s what I see you do. You broker medicine that saves lives. In fact, one of those medicines saved my son’s life. You ensure doctors have the best possible medicine in order to make a difference in the life of a patient. And I thank you for what you do.”

 

The room was mostly silent with a little tittering that suggested I was being way to dramatic and needed a vacation. But, for the most part, I sensed people had never thought at that altitude about what they do everyday. But, they liked the idea. It gave what they did more meaning, more value. And that, eventually translates into more value for an organization.

 

If you were going to describe what you do with the most noble of language, what would you say. After you say that, then live that and watch your value increase.