Is Entitlement a Bad Thing?

In his book "Outliers", Malcolm Gladwell defines entitlement as asserting yourself with people in authority. His statement forces us to take a deeper look into the stereotype of Gen Y Workers feeling entitled at work. Let's look at the positive side of entitlement:

Being entitled means you have self-respect. If you don't respect yourself, how can you expect others to respect you? When you have self-respect, others can sense it. Being treated with respect starts with how you treat yourself.

Being entitled means you view yourself as special. Gen Y is motivated to make a difference in the world. The United States is also the most individualistic-driven country. Each person has unique talents that are waiting to be maximized. The key to increasing productivity is finding where each worker "fits" within the organization. Think: the right strength in the right place at the right time.

Being entitled means you are worthy of attention/interest from others. Part of succeeding in the corporate world is being "noticed" for the right reasons. If you don't do something "extraordinary" to stand out from the crowd, don't expect to ever be promoted. As an employee, give management a reason to look. It you believe you are deserving of your supervisor's favor, back it up with results and you will position yourself to be an irreplaceable asset to the company.

Entitlement at work can be a good thing.
Gen Y Workers: Expect great things and perform accordingly!
Managers: Challenge your workers to higher levels of performance!