How to Discover, Own and Communicate Your Value: 9to5 Chick Event Recap

Over the last 5 months of the year, I have learned the importance of seeking counsel, standing on the shoulders of experts and gleaning from them. I’ve been able to achieve this by attending focused events when I am opportune to learn and network like the 9to5 chick after work conversations, WIMBIZ roundtable event, etc.

Last week Thursday, I attended the 9to5 chick event after work. The event was slated for 6 pm at Workstation, VI. Since I work on the island too, it wasn’t difficult getting to the venue.

Prior to this time, I had seen the flier on Instagram and I contemplated attending, I decided to attend the event cos: 1. I could relate with the event theme (see flyer below) 2. My career woman + travel blogger crush, Kemi Onabanjo was the resource person for the evening.

It was an enlightening and educative evening that started with a very involving networking session and then a short brief from Glory Edozien, convener f the event, after which Kemi Onabanjo came up.

So many lessons were shared and I’ll share some with you now, I’ll share others in a later post.

Kemi started her talk by sharing two ground rules:

1. Excellence and excellent work are crucial to thriving in your career. You need to treat your work like it is your Father’s business. Have an owner’s mindset; do it like yours. Now, this is different from being a perfectionist, it means ensuring to do your very best without taking forever while at it.
2. Have a growth mindset. Have an appetite for growth and learning. Be flexible and adaptable at every stage of your career.

After sharing these ground rules, she went ahead to dissect the theme of the event, sharing personal stories as it related to the points she made. Highlighted below are the major points that she shared:

DISCOVER YOUR VALUE

To discover your value, especially at the workplace, you have to look inwards and also look around. Some people are very good at doing introspective analysis, but even when you are good at looking inward and analyzing things, there is still the need to look around, talk to trusted friends and families.

Here are some questions that you can ask them:

• What do I do effortlessly?
• What am I very good at? What kind of problems/issues will you come to me for?
• You can also do a personality test online, either a Myers Briggs test or a 16 Personality test.

OWN YOUR VALUE

After these questions may have been answered, you should not only take in the negative reviews, also take in and internalize the positive reviews, seeing how you can translate them to value in the workplace or in your business.

Learn to take in your accolades. You cannot grow from a place of weakness. – Kemi Onabanjo

The best place to grow is from a place of strength. #TheEsthitudePlace Share on X

Document testimonials that people share/say about you. You’ll need it.

Also, find ways to share and teach others.

Own your special. Daily acknowledge your special. - Kemi Onabanjo #TheEsthitudePlace Share on X

Read about when I spoke at a WordPress Lagos Meet-up

COMMUNICATE YOUR VALUES

It is not enough to discover and own one’s values if they cannot be communicated and translated. So how does one communicate value in the workplace?

1. By doing/displaying/demonstrating it. Either through volunteering for extra duties at the office, talking more about what you have done, putting up what you do on social media, blog, etc.
2. By becoming a thought leader in your field. You can achieve this by consistently communicating in your niche in a platform.
3. Never say no to an assignment or a task.
4. Always be prepared, be ready to do EXTRA WORK ( It ain’t for the lazy, fam).

EXTRA NOTES (winks)

1. Build the right network, don’t limit yourself to your circles. (A full blog post on this soon, stay tuned).
2. Have a life outside work: Volunteer, serve, do something else with your life.
3. Dress well always. Yeah, you read that right. Dress like you going for the money bag.
4. Learn professional etiquette.
5. Keep learning.

I’m very sure you’ve learned a point or ten, cheers to being leaders in our different spheres. Remember, not everyone is called to be an entrepreneur, however, you can be a leader or intrapreneur in your current role. Don’t take it lightly.

See you in the next blog post.

Love and Light,

Esthitude.