To realise your career goals and feel more secure in your work environment, career experts believe that advocating for yourself at times becomes helpful. However, Aime Prince Lionel Murara, the deputy national coordinator in charge of operations and partnership in Education for Nations and Humanitarian Africa (ENHA), advises that knowing how to do this is important as it can save you from portraying a bad picture out there. He says that this is so because how one responds to such situations impacts how people will treat you later. “This could be the most challenging part but nevertheless, there is still a need to do so in order to thrive in your career,” he says. As an employee, Murara says he believes in speaking up, irrespective of the uncertainty as this makes you have a peace of mind, which is important as far as your work is concerned. Reasons you should do this Murara says in the workplace, standing up for yourself no matter how hard it is, can create an environment where you can better tolerate your workplace and may even enjoy what you are doing. “This also creates an environment where you feel safe, free, and considered, thus improving your self-esteem and confidence. This, I believe can help one feel comfortable in what they are doing, therefore, help in achieving your career goals,” he says. Kevin Shema, a leader, and mentor for young people in Bugesera District says as a professional, standing up for yourself is important because it can help you advocate for your needs at work. He explains that in some cases, it can help you avoid burnout from overtime or some responsibilities that aren’t meant for you. With this, he believes that it is easier to achieve a healthier work-life balance through which you have enough time and energy to dedicate to both your professional and personal lives in general. On the other hand, the mentor says that this can also improve your productivity. He explains that if an individual knows how to apply their skills successfully and understand what management expects them to do, you can contribute to their team’s productivity in general. Shema says that another thing he likes about speaking up for yourself is that it ensures fair compensation in any given organization or working environment. According to him, this could apply in cases such as salary increments, and promotions among other benefits that come with what and how you work. “This type of self-advocacy can help ensure that you’re compensated fairly for the skills you offer and what you bring to your organisation in terms of work,” he says. Murara says one way of achieving this is by using clear communication skills especially when it comes to communicating about your needs, emotions, or perspective at work. This, he believes can help one avoid hiding their intentions to make others feel more comfortable. This can also help you maintain authenticity rather than accommodate others while standing up for yourself. As you become more confident in your perspective and emotions, you may encounter conflict at work with those who disagree with you. When you experience conflict, experts advise that trying to delay your reaction and having a calm mind are important. This can help you avoid feeding into an unproductive conversation and instead, help you ask relevant questions when you are facing challenges. When you face a conflict, it is advised that you restrain from immediate reactions, and asking clarifying questions can be a self-advocacy exercise that helps you better understand a situation.
