Comedian, author, and TV and movie star Rodney Dangerfield enjoyed a lucrative career claiming to get no respect. While his frustration was certainly exaggerated for comic effect, it’s likely that his career skyrocketed because being disrespected was something the audience could relate to. We’ve all felt underappreciated and undervalued at one time or another, right? But while Dangerfield was rewarded professionally and financially for his claimed indignities, disrespect in the real world tends to have the opposite effect: fewer rewards and fewer opportunities.
Nonetheless, if you think you are hopelessly stuck in a cycle of stagnation and disrespect, think again. There IS a path forward. Here’s what I mean:
The Impact of Lack of Respect
On the organizational or departmental level, disrespect can lead to:
- Increased costs, including the cost of lost productivity, increased turnover, and legal fees.
- Damage to the company’s reputation, where harboring a workplace known for disrespect can make it difficult to attract and retain top talent and make it more difficult to compete in the marketplace.
- Increased turnover as employees who feel disrespected are more likely to leave their jobs. This makes it more costly for the company to operate and remain market-competitive due to the high costs associated with increased incidences of recruiting and onboarding.
- Decreased productivity as unhappy and overly stressed employees tend to be less productive.
Meanwhile, on the individual level, disrespect can lead to:
- Decreased job satisfaction because employees may feel like their contributions are not valued and, as a result, may be less engaged in their work. This can lead to decreased motivation, absenteeism, and turnover.
- Increased mental and emotional stress, resulting in feelings of anxiety, anger, and frustration.
- Physical health problems as employees who feel disrespected are more likely to experience headaches, stomachaches, anxiety, depression, and other stress-related symptoms.
- Damage to self-esteem and sense of worth which can make it difficult to focus on work and perform at a high level.
Reaching the Point of Diminishing Respect
For many sales leaders, especially those with many years or even decades of experience and top performance, feeling disrespected creeps in over time. Having reached the upper echelons of the corporate ladder in sales, they might begin to feel as if there is nothing left to attain. In time, they might also feel their hard-earned wisdom is undervalued while younger cohorts gain the upper hand in their organizational climbs.
For some, this is accepted (if not acceptable) because it seems to be the natural order of things. But still, it can hurt. After all, many exceptional and deeply experienced sales leaders KNOW they have so much more to offer.
Where to Go Next
The average tenure for a sales VP in corporate America is down to just 19 months. What that means is that too many feel as if they are just a number in a larger company’s budget. They experience little or no loyalty from employers and too often receive no appreciation for the sacrifices they’ve made. Worse yet, their families tend to suffer, too.
The good news is that when one door closes, another door (of opportunity) can indeed open. What might seem like an end, leaving behind a career path of pride and accomplishment (but also disrespect), can instead become an exciting new beginning. This is the typical experience for Sales Xceleration Advisors who function as sales leadership consultants serving small to mid-sized businesses. These smaller businesses desperately need the experience, expertise, and wisdom of seasoned sales leaders. And because the Advisors – often working on a fractional time basis – make such an impactful difference in the success of these organizations, they enjoy personal and professional renewal! Renewal of their energy, of their pride, of their sense of purpose. And a renewal of the respect they receive from others.
One Sales Xceleration Advisor, for example, recounts that a client invited him and his wife to an “appreciation dinner” recognizing the impact made on the success of the business. He added that he had previously worked 18 years for a large Fortune 500 company, and during that time had received only a single $50 gift card. Imagine the feeling of being appreciated again. Of making a difference again. Of feeling respected again – at long last!
The Bottom Line:
Don’t be like Rodney Dangerfield and tolerate being a long-suffering victim of disrespect. Instead, turn your valuable experience and expertise as a sales leader into a new career path where you empower small to mid-sized business clients to reach new levels of growth and success. The rewards are personal, professional, and financial. To learn more about becoming a Sales Xceleration Advisor in your area, click here or contact us at 844.874.7253.
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