Employment Research Institute's Chief Executive Officer, A. Harrison Barnes, in a webinar discussed the importance of standing for something valuable in life and communicating it to others. This by far is one of the most important factors that could lead people to know about your work ethics, professionalism, and your dedication to the work you do.

Many people are in the habit of writing little ‘mantras’ or ‘slogans’ on email footers, such as ‘Delivering Value Through Outstanding Follow-Through’ or ‘Mission: Excellence in All Respects’ These may seem to some as ‘cheesy’ and of no real relevance to any kind of work. However, Harrison believes that these little messages talk a lot about the person writing it. He believes that the person is trying to give value, is enthusiastic, and ‘takes his or her stuff seriously’. Harrison states that unless someone believes in the message, they really don’t write it. So essentially, there is something deep about these words and they stand for something significant which eventually defines the person. The best real estate agents, sales people, popular doctors, companies, all have a signature block which makes all the difference and constantly stands for something.

What is it that you stand for? What do you see as the leading factor in your nature and personality that has resulted in success? If you know your slogan, you need to broadcast it. And if you don’t, you need to discover it. Whatever it is, you need to understand what it is that you stand for which makes the greatest impact on the world around you. Writing down what you stand for will also remind you of yourself and you will get better at whatever skill you are known for the most. Be known for something – a friendly person, a hard worker, a perfectionist, or whatever it might be. You need to be known for something that is valued by others and do things that others will appreciate. It is better to be known for something than nothing at all.