Employee Tip #12 - You Are Not Entitled To Anything

The biggest barrier to happiness in life is a sense of entitlement. So long as you feel that you are entitled to something, the more you will tie your happiness to obtaining what you feel you are entitled to. If you don't have what you think you are owed, you will focus on that one thing and it will consume you.

Having now said that let me help illustrate that point. Pretend you've been with the company the longest of any of the other employees and your boss makes an announcement that the new kid, the twenty-four year old whiz kid in business school is being promoted and will now be your boss. If you feel, because of seniority, that you are entitled to that promotion, you will no longer cheerfully do your best on the job and in all likelihood, you will take every opportunity to make your new boss look foolish or at least develop a less-than-positive attitude about your new circumstances. The truth is, is that your new boss will have every right to fire you because you refuse to let go of your sense of entitlement.

In business, if a sales representative is fired for non-performance, that sales rep can assume that the next paycheck is the last paycheck. As much as that sales rep may have played a part in the current success of the company, once he or she has been fired, that's it. However, if that sales rep has a sense of entitlement to share in future profits of the business, well then the sales rep will never be able to move on. So long as he or she hangs onto their sense of entitlement, he or she will never move forward nor will he or she be attractive to other businesses.

Years ago I heard a great saying that addresses entitlement: the world owes you nothing - it was here first. But unfortunately, because of the way many parents today try to give their kids everything that they themselves never received, are they really preparing their kids to have a good work ethic? Think about it. If our kids come to know that the Bank of Mom and Dad is always open, will they ever really learn the concept of self-sufficiency? I think not.

All too often we are exposed to the concept of entitlement as it pertains to politicians. "I am entitled to my entitlements," were the historic words of one Canadian politician under investigation for lavishly spending at the taxpayers' expense. If our leaders can't understand that we are not entitled to anything, how in the world are the rest of us supposed to get it.

As an employee, you are not entitled to anything outside of your paycheck, basic necessities to do your job, a safe work environment, tools required to accomplish your tasks and maybe a bathroom.

• You are not entitled to be promoted - that's something you earn.
• You are not entitled to a pay raise - that is something you earn.
• You are not entitled to a benefits package - that is something the company does voluntarily.
• You are not entitled to paper clips, staplers, and notepads for home use - that is theft.
• You are not entitled to a company vehicle - unless that is a condition of your employment.
• You are not entitled to come and go as you please or to show up late - unless specifically set out in your terms of employment.
• You are not entitled to show up to work hung-over or possibly still drunk or high - that is simply irresponsible.
• You are not entitled to whine, moan and complain about your lousy job or your circumstances at work - that will not make the job any better.
• You are not entitled to attend personal development courses at the company's expense - that is entirely up to you. (However, many companies are finally clueing in that if they improve the employee, the company will and must improve. But the company is not required to do it.)
• You are not entitled to a full day's pay for a half-day's work - that too is theft.

However, with that being said, there are a few things that you are entitled to:

• You are entitled to give more than is asked.
• You are entitled to treat the company property with respect.
• You are entitled to treat your boss and co-workers with respect - even if they don't treat you with the same respect.
  
• You are entitled to show up early and stay late.
• You are entitled to be a positive influence on the rest of the staff and to make the job a better place to work.
• You are entitled to agree to take the job regardless of the working conditions.
• You are entitled to leave the job if you don't like it.
• You are entitled to improve yourself and, in turn, your personal value.
• You are entitled to give your full attention to the job since you agreed to take the job in the first place.
• You are entitled to ensure that those who are not pulling their weight are either reported or are spoken to.
• You are entitled to enjoy yourself while you do your work.
• You are entitled to receive your agreed-upon paycheck provided you've kept your agreement - to work.
• You are entitled to cheerfully accept that the job that you do was chosen by you.

Sorry, but as I look at it now, I realize that the headline is wrong. You ARE entitled to some things.