What is your unique value to your organization?

 If I asked you what is your unique value to your organization, do you have an immediate and compelling answer?  What if I asked your boss?  Your peers?

I am sure you are all aware of the market conditions today and that many people have found their companies rebalancing the level of human capital at the expense of their employment.   We all find ourselves in that interesting limbo place wondering how close to home this trend is going to get.  Will it impact us?   Our spouse?  Our neighbors?  Many of us find ourselves stressed, others want to find a place to hide.

My question is are you doing something about it?  Are you following the lead of Steve and attempting to use this as an opportunity or are you just hoping to survive? 

So back to my question, what unique value to your bring to your company?  If you can’t find an interesting and obvious answer you might want to find someone who can help you figure it out (and quickly).  If you aren’t excited enough about the value your bring to your organization, how can you expect them to be excited?  Similar to my promotion rant I hold firmly to the belief that you are responsible for your own career.  Now is the time to bring the A game.

After you have determined the answer to my question you should go immediately and confirm it with your boss.  Solicit her help in crafting your tag line.  Next check with your peers.  Think about how you are applying this value to the benefit to the company.  Are you doing enough?  How can you challenge yourself to do better?

Why?  Well I guess it’s really about the boy scout motto.  If this exercise only served to get better alignment of your role with your abilities, then you can consider it a win.  BUT if you do find yourself needing to look for a new job, you will be much better prepared to know what you are looking for and why they should hire you. 

Competition is heating up, use this as an opportunity or you will have missed a good one.