Surprisingly, there is no shortage of individuals who would be eager to stand in as your advocate under the right circumstances. The list of possibilities ranges from those who champion your cause out of personal loyalty to the professionals you hire to do your biding. No matter who or how good they are, rest assured, the ultimate advocate for your best interests is still you. And why? Because it is you who has the most to gain and greatest to lose if you don’t.
Strengthen how to stand up for yourself with these essential techniques.
(1) Appreciate your worth. You are the leading star in your own life story, so put yourself on the top of the priority list. Building a strong sense of self-importance will give you the wherewithal to maximize the chances of getting what you deserve.
(2) Know yourself. Home in on your strengths and limitations and how they might interplay with future opportunities. Maintain a realistic perspective or you might just find yourself advocating for something that isn’t right for you.
(3) Understand what you want to achieve. You will keep circling the drain until you fully understand what you want. To attain your targeted outcomes, know exactly what you hope to gain and the reason for it.
(4) Set your course of action. Whatever the issue, strategically calculate out your plan of execution. Map out your next steps, starting from where you are now to where you want to be. Careful planning can make all the difference in the world.
(5) Take the lead. You are in the driver’s seat, so maintain control of what lies ahead. Even when others are advocating on your behalf, script out what you want them to say and do. Don’t leave anything to chance.
(6) Anticipate hurtles. No road worth taking is without twists, turns, and roadblocks. As part of the implementation process, anticipate challenges and have the conviction to face whatever comes your way.
(7) Build a coalition. You aren’t alone. Solicit the help of others to offer advice, lend emotional support, or step in as your advocate when appropriate.
(8) Don’t get sidetracked. If things start to get messy, don’t get lost in the chaos. Stay focused on the end goal without expending too much energy on any sidebar drama or irrelevant issues.
(9) Allow for concessions. There are times when you may have to give to get. If you reach this point, be flexible enough to negotiate for a beneficial resolution instead of losing it all.
(10) Go for it. Opportunities to better yourself will pass you by if you aren’t willing to take a stand. To be your best advocate, go for what you rightly deserve from a position of strength and a willingness to meet the challenge.
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Written by: Patricia K. Flanigan, Smart Strategies for Successful Living
Patricia K. Flanigan has worked in higher education for over 28 years. She holds a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne as well as a M.A. in Latin American Studies and B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before retiring and moving to Idaho in 2015, she served as the dean of online education and learning resources at Saddleback College, a large community college in Southern California. She currently consults in higher education, volunteers for AARP, writes for a local magazine, and serves as an Affiliate Faculty member at Boise State University and on the Board for LEARN Idaho. Since February 2017, she has been the founding director for Smart Strategies for Successful Living, a community-based website designed to promote quality aging. As an educator, her focus is to inspire others to live and age well.