(Photo Creds: We Heart it)
This is such an important message.
One that we should all feel strongly about.
It doesn’t matter if you are young like these sweet girls, in school, starting your career, mid-career or past retirement age. It doesn’t matter if you work or don’t work. It doesn’t matter what your education is or how awesome your credentials are. One hundred percent of us are happier and more fulfilled when we have a champion – preferably a few!
I didn’t realize it was such a problem until I started a new job four years ago. It was difficult for me to understand that most people I worked with directly went through their days and years (in one case, over 20 years) without a champion. In fact, when asked who their champion was, there was a blank stare as if they didn’t know what a champion was. It was palpable in the culture. I have since then had this conversation with many, and found that our company* was not alone. I also found that many across my social groups also didn’t feel they necessarily had a champion in life. That is just not right. (*Side note: I’m not indicating that the entire company was that way, but pockets within the office.)
I wondered how they progressed… learned… advanced…? I found out that most of them really didn’t… they were stagnant. Sure, business priorities and strategies changed from year to year, but the feeling of thriving, or truly moving toward purpose was non existent for far too many.
It had me thinking. Is it a choice? Do they even know what it feels like to have someone that is an advocate in the work place? Someone that is going to bat for you and helping advance your cause and work? What if you want someone to “champion” you but you don’t know how to ask or where to start? Is that your responsibility, or the company you work for? What if you feel like you maybe could “champion” someone else, but you haven’t done that before and also aren’t quite sure how to start?
So many questions. An issue I never realized was so complicated. I have always been part of a culture that ensured people were supporting/championed. I try to do that at home too. After all, it starts there, right? We all need someone that leads our fan club.
My hope with this post is if you aren’t being championed, you develop a plan to change that. Heck, I’d be glad to help! If you aren’t championing someone outside of your home, I think finding someone that could use your support would be a really great thing to do. Again, it doesn’t matter your age nor situation… giving someone a hand up ends up making more of a difference to you personally.
Finally, if you do happen to be in the work place, please make sure that everyone in your circle has a champion. The culture will be better for it, and that could be a game changer for 2017. I’m all about game changers. Go be a champion!
Working in the field of medicine and nursing, I cannot thank you enough for encouraging our young leaders of tomorrow, and also our middle-aged coworkers who are never too old to be told they are doing a terrific job, or offering them the chance to mentor soomeone else! Thanks for the inspiration!