Moving Beyond Stereotypes

Have you ever heard a certain job title and immediately formed an opinion in your mind as to what that person must be like or do, or perhaps even subscribed to a common stereotype only to learn later that you were dead wrong? I believe that all of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves, have done that at one point or another.

For example, people will often assume that engineers are boring, lack personality, and have no sense of humor. While I am sure that you might find individuals that fit that description, it would not be limited to engineers! I learned first-hand working in an engineering department at a medical device company that this stereotype and others like it were dead wrong. The engineers that I worked with, while very intelligent, were some of the most compassionate, eclectic, and hilarious individuals that I had ever met. There was never a dull moment. Each one brought something unique to each interaction and ultimately added tremendous value to the team or project that he or she was a part of.

The same is true for you and I regardless of what job title we may hold, as each person brings their unique personality, passions, perspectives, talents, abilities, and style to the role they perform. As a result, the role you currently do would perhaps be done completely different by someone else even though they were given the same job description. One person might be very analytical and detail oriented. Someone else may see the importance of ensuring that stakeholders are aligned and chart an out-of-the-box approach to the desired outcome. One person may do the absolute minimum of what is expected, while others will consistently go above and beyond, demonstrating that it is the person who makes the role, not the role that makes the person.

The District Administration Manager is a role that is easy to regard as insignificant and, consequently, underutilized. Some may even say, “Who cares about the Admin Manager? After all, they are only a Secretary. Right?”  Wrong. The Administration Manager, when utilized as intended, while it has some secretarial duties, has the potential to help the Trio and other District leaders work more efficiently and effectively. He or she is able to be a right arm to the Trio Members and help them execute with greater precision, quality, creativity, etc., as they serve the overall team as needed, and is skilled to do so.

I am grateful that in this past year the Trio has not treated me as a peon to do meeting minutes and some grunt work here and there. While I definitely did those things, they were only a very small part of the multifaceted functions I was able to serve. Instead, I was treated as a person of value who was valued for what I brought to the table. They created space for me to use my talents and abilities to add value to the District which in turned afforded me opportunities to learn things I may not have learned any other way. For that, I am truly grateful.

I encourage you to move beyond your stereotypes and bring your best self forward in whatever roles you currently hold or are considering holding in the future. Look for ways to add value to those you serve. It is an investment you will never regret.