Go Where You’re Seen
Have you ever walked into your office, or logged onto your laptop, and felt like you were disappearing? Not physically, of course. You’re there. You’re answering the emails. You’re hitting the deadlines. You’re checking the boxes. But as the hours tick by, you start to feel like a ghost in the machine. You become a series of metrics on a dashboard, a line item in a budget, or a "resource" to be managed rather than a human to be heard.
Here’s the truth we often forget when we’re stuck in the thick of the "corporate forest": you aren't a gear. You are the heartbeat. And if the environment you’re in doesn't recognize that, it may be time to rethink the environment.
When we work in cultures that prioritize bureaucratic management over human dignity, we start to shrink. We stop taking risks. We stop bringing our full, creative selves to work. If the only thing that matters is the "what" and never the "who" or "how," we naturally start to protect ourselves. But at what cost? We spend more time at work than almost anywhere else. If those hours are spent feeling unseen, we start to wonder, Is it me? Am I just not cut out for this?
Let’s nip that thought in the bud right now. It’s not you. It’s the environment. Just like a plant can’t thrive in a closet, a human can’t thrive in a culture that treats people like interchangeable parts. In my book You're Worth It, I discuss moving beyond these rigid metrics to prioritize the human element. Because when you are seen for who you are, not just what you produce, everything changes.
Finding a culture that feeds your soul often requires us to be brave enough to leave the one that’s starving it. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to quit your job tomorrow morning. But it does means shifting your perspective.
If you’re feeling invisible right now, try something simple today. Just one thing to remind yourself that your worth isn't tied to your output:
Write down three things you brought to your team this week that weren't on your job description. Maybe it was a moment of humor during a stressful call, or the way you helped a colleague troubleshoot a problem. Those are your "human" contributions.
Listen to your gut. When you finish a meeting, do you feel energized or drained? Pay attention to the people and environments that make you feel "lit up."
Connect with your "peeps." Reach out to a mentor or a friend who truly sees you. Sometimes we need a mirror to remind us of the person we are outside of our 9-to-5.
Don't settle for being a metric. You are a person of immense value, and there is a culture out there- a team, a leader, a mission- that is waiting for exactly what you have to offer.
Go find it. I'm rooting for you!
Coach Ha-Keem
If you’re looking for more ways to lead with heart and find your professional worth, we’d love to have you in our community. Subscribe to our weekly reflections for a little dose of courage delivered straight to your inbox.
You're Worth It!
