Why it is Okay to Be Self-Serving on the Job

Who among us has not heard that it is "bad" to "blow our own horn?" Surely we have been raised to believe that if we are humble and do a good job, others will notice us and we will be rewarded. Unfortunately, in the real world-particularly in a business or company-this is not always the case. Instead of giving up and giving in and expecting that others will look after your interests, it is actually healthier to look after your own interests. It is important to be self-serving enough to look after yourself and it will actually make you a better employee.

Consider that when you go to work for a specific company or business, you may not even know anyone. If you are the newest person in the pack, it takes time to build alliances and make friends, not to mention just simply learning who does what and what all the connections are. While others may express an interest in you and want to know more about you, you cannot count on these new colleagues to have your best interest as their primary motivation. Even your boss or supervisor may be motivated to want to help you succeed, but he or she is has other things to be concerned with as well. It is up to you to look after yourself.

This is not a blank check to be completely self-absorbed and opportunistic, but more an encouragement to be somewhat self-serving. It is important to advocate for yourself to make sure you get the trainings, supplies and resources you need and it is just as important to make sure that when you do good work, the people who need to be aware of it, are. This is what it means by being self-serving. You are making choices to serve yourself and take care of your own interests.

Of course, watch out for being overly focused on yourself and not taking time to know what else is going on in the workplace. Relationships are important, and it is also key to build those alliances and focus on ways the entire team can succeed. Just remember to take care of yourself too.