underdogs win in the workplace:

Here's why underdogs win in the workplace: 1. We're less likely to take things (and people) for granted. Once you've felt the pangs of struggle, you don't easily forget it, particularly if it's experienced early in life. At work, this means underdogs are more likely to notice the little things and demonstrate appreciation. Gratitude makes people happier, and since happiness is contagious, it also positively affects your coworkers. That doesn't mean we're all 24/7 bundles of cheer, but when you grow up without and have a desire for something better, you develop an inherent optimism and immunity to complacency. 2. We have rich imaginations. Learning to do without demands creativity. Underdogs are well-versed in the art of improvisation; it's necessary for our survival. We're scrappy. Last minute changes to a presentation? An accelerated deadline? If all other qualifications are relatively equal, I'll choose the underdog to work on my team every time. Underdogs spend their lives imagining "more," which is invaluable in business. Everyday improvisation leads to large-scale innovation, which transforms how we work and what we collectively produce. Read more: Deadly sins needn't always be fatal for your career 3. We are hyper-actively observant. When you're an outsider, you vigilantly pay attention to what it takes to "fit in." Details and differences are not lost on underdogs. We quickly size up a situation and analyze how to optimize it. Obliviousness is difficult to correct, and underdogs are aware by necessity -- a sort of "mindful compensation." If there's one thing I know how to do, it's hustle Anna AkbariBeing an underdog doesn't mean you're a fraud when you do manage to find your way into more fortunate circles, but it does mean you had to become intimately familiar with the nuances of the rules to get there. This makes underdogs competitive players to watch (and hire). 4. We are not risk averse. If you've never had a safety net, then you feel like you don't have much to lose. That doesn't mean underdogs are inherently reckless, but it does bode well for taking calculated risks. Being an entrepreneur, for instance, means you are likely to "fail" at some point -- but it also means you could score big eventually. And it's not about luck (though many will flippantly dismiss it as such), but rather perseverance, resilience, tenacity, and general strength of character that leads us to succeed. Underdogs don't take no for an answer and, perhaps counter-intuitively, tend to be very confident (while arguably less arrogant) -- because without that unbridled confidence, we would still be stuck in our previous reality. It takes a pretty serious belief in yourself to rise above those circumstances. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's hustle. With underdogs, the default answer is "yes." Yes, I can learn how to do that. Yes, I can make that happen. Yes, that is possible. If you've never had a safety net, then you never feel like you have much to lose. Anna Akbari