Some people are just naturally good at adapting. They are full of energy and have a strong desire to learn from whatever situations come their way. They possess that magical resume building characteristic called “the strong work ethic”. Everyone needs to do their part, because after all the team is only as strong as its weakest link, and these people refuse to ever be considered such. They are the worker bees. They will do everything within their power to become invaluable, and as a result will be at the ready to develop the skills necessary to overcome new challenges. However while they may seem unstoppable and work without complaint, these worker bees do have their own struggles and bosses don’t often take the time to listen.

Is to Be the Participation Prize Winner

They earn that solid pat on the back, the smile of approval, the 10 dollar gift certificate, the thank you note. But where is the raise, the job promotion, the media attention? After all it wouldn’t have been such as success without you, but still your boss and the team captain get the credit.

Is to Be a Deckhand

You don’t get the glamorous jobs. You do the last minute errands and the tasks that no one else wants to complete but that need to be done, although they won’t be acknowledged by many superiors. These are the accomplishments which are considered taboo.

Is to Be a “Jack of All Trades”

…”And master of none,” as they say. The worker bees are so good at doing so many things that they are relied upon to know just enough to tackle the tiny problems before they morph into gigantic ones. The problem is when you are pulled from one task to another, you never get the chance to specialize in one thing which will set you apart from all of the other worker bees.

Is to Be Dependable

“I have a special job for you.” Hearing this every worker bee’s ears perk up; they have been trained to recognize this as some designation of prestige. In reality, this is just a really useful persuasion technique to get people to do menial tasks under the guise that they are really quite valuable. They may be necessary but seldom are they anything that complex. The word special typically gets the worker bees to accomplish it faster. The fear of failure is extra strong in these people. As long as they show they are dependable, soon they will be dishing out the jobs, right?

Is to Be the Unsung Hero

They are the role models for the mere mortals that aspire to be as dedicated and stress out over their jobs as they are. The worker bees are vital to the success of projects and businesses, because their drive is a rarity, but not everyone can be at the top so they can only be quietly applauded. Better than getting their hopes up of one day being top dog. The satisfaction of knowing the job was well done and that the day went off without a hitch is enough for the painfully optimistic worker bee.

Is to Be Frustrated

Behind the small, satisfied smile and the lighthearted laugh, is a strained a patience. The worker bee does not just work hard for the sake of working hard. They have their aspirations, but to voice them to their superiors would seem ungrateful. They yearn for that real position of leadership, because they know their strengths, but if their bosses see them as competition they know they will be carefully compartmentalized into a position where there is no way of moving up the ladder. In fact their bosses might have done so already and they have not noticed yet.

Is to Be Humble

The worker bee is humble. He or she conceals his or her ambitions for the sake of the cause, and accepts that if in the chaotic course of life he or she has not come out on top, things are just how they should be for the moment. Circumstances won’t stay this way forever, but they are valuable enough to be seen as a dependable employee and member of a successful whole, so for now that is enough to make a worthwhile life.

Is to Be a Leader in His or Her Own Right

It takes strength and determination to attack problems the way a worker bee does, and often it takes an understanding of teamwork and a belief in individual and cooperative effort to see worthwhile things through, and the worker bees are the ones that have to believe in the cause for it to be a success. If they don’t believe in it, no amount of motivation from bosses will make them put their all into their work. This spirit will inspire other workers around them, more than a skilled captain’s speech, because you cannot skip over the worker bee stage to become an effective leader. You learn leadership skills by developing the values of a worker bee. A leader that has not realized these things, and receives his or her office on a good name alone, is most often an ineffective one.

To be a worker bee, is to be a leader of tomorrow (hopefully).