The Feeling Of Being Important In Life and Business

 As a business leader at Bedford 360, having people feel important is paramount to our brand and our mission. When you interact with a multitude of people, whether for business or personal interests. There are special cues during social interaction that might make a person feel either welcome or unwelcome.

The individual will have a very unique experience of what it means to feel important. In addition to fostering a healthy environment in your business or family dynamic, it will also enhance the likelihood of higher levels of output and clearer lines of communication.

The truth is making someone feel important even if it’s a small gesture, can change that person’s course of action or decision they will make. Let’s face it, everyone has motives. Some people say that in a bad way, I say that in an opportunity kind of way. Get to know that person's goals, wants, or a basic understanding of what motivates them and you can have a genuine friend for life or a hardworking co-worker, employee, or contractor who knows that you value them. 

Everyday someone has taken offense to something someone said or did. Putting a value on them in a manner that is not constructive, pointing the blame, or not appreciating them as an individual is one of the biggest mistakes small and large companies can make. 

Everyone has something to offer, a skill, or a different way of looking at something of real value even if that person doesn’t know it or is afraid to speak up due to anxiety or lack of confidence. If only that person could feel important, chances are they will be able to speak up and showcase their potential. 

When you value your co-workers, employees, contractors, etc. then they have more reasons to apply their skills and perform at their very best. When they don’t feel wanted, welcomed or even a slight chance of importance they will not be loyal, they will not perform and they will not engage in any real relationship. 

According to Dale Carnegie's book How To Win Friends and Influence People the author wrote that the feeling of importance can sometimes be of a higher value than even food or water. The truth is everyone needs to feel appreciated. Maybe it seems a bit trivial or kindergarten-like but, this is true for anyone. The feeling of importance is compelling. This can be true in relationships, partnerships, workplace environments, families, children, clients/customers, etc. 

Let’s say you have two co-workers, one of them is very confident they can share their opinion freely and make changes to increase process fluidity. The other co-worker is shy and very interested in just keeping to themselves and not speaking up even when they know a process can be handled differently and in a much more efficient way. Chances are that the latter of the two doesn’t feel comfortable enough or important enough to speak up and assist in making changes to process to help ease productivity. Give that person a chance or sit back and watch that person move on to a place where they feel comfortable and valued. 

Besides the rat race dynamic of the corporate world, you have client/customer/patient relationships and personal/family relationships that need to be “tended to”. If a person doesn’t feel important in their workplace chances are they will look outside towards their family, friends, acquaintances or even strangers. People need to feel important sometimes even more than anything in life. It keeps them going.