FAQ Series: How to Survive and Thrive in the Workplace

Welcome to the first blog for the “FAQ series: How to Survive and Thrive in the Workplace”.

Get answers and ideas to your challenging work situations.

During the leadership workshops and executive coaching I deliver, I am often asked “How do I …..” questions that relate to professional and leadership development. This new blog series will answer the most frequentlyasked questions.

This first question is from those early in their careers.

FAQ:

What can I do to stand out at work? I am highly educated, motivated and ready to move up. But for some reason others get more attention, get promoted and get all the plum jobs. Your advice?

My Advice:

When asked for career advice, comedian Steve Martin likes to say, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or trying to get to the next level, your goal needs to be to excel at what you do to the point where people can’t help but notice.

There are a number of qualities that are necessary to get noticed including the 10 characteristics of Executive Presence and a tenacious drive to succeed. In addition to these qualities, those who were promoted faster and got those choice assignments always did the following:

They always went above and beyond

Just getting the job done wasn’t enough. They always went above and beyond what they were asked to do. They worked hard to deliver high quality work and took on additional responsibilities without being asked.

This is a great way to demonstrate your work ethic, energy, and skills, and it also signals to management and others that you’re ready and able to expand your scope.

They were open to many opportunities

They were flexible and adaptable to many different opportunities that came their way. Constantly open minded, they were exposed to as many experiences, projects and special assignments as they could.

This is a dynamic way to build the foundation of your career. Seek ways to work with diverse teams of like minded driven individuals.

They demonstrated emotional self control

A temperamental highly strung genius may be tolerated in entry-level positions, but practicing emotional self control is the way to get noticed as a future leader. If you’re the type who’s prone to temper tantrums when things don’t go your way, gossiping to others when people cross you, storming out of meetings or going silent during conflict, start practicing other ways to handle your emotions. Emotional self-control is the result of hard work, practice and experience working with others.

They understood how to think strategically

They quickly learned how theirs and other jobs impact customers, stakeholders, market share, and the bottom line. They understood the importance of having vision. To stand out, they weren’t simply an expert at what they did; they understand how the work they did serves their stakeholders today and for the future.

Ask yourself, why is the job I am doing important today and how will this be important in the future. When you see what could be useful to the company over the long term, offer ideas and suggestions. This includes learning and speaking the language of senior management. Whether that’s KPIs, EBITA, profit margin, market share, know what the business terms mean and why they’re important so that you can use them correctly when speaking with upper management. Speaking the right language will not only show that you’re interested in more than your current role, but it will also demonstrate your ability to think in business terms.

They asked for what they wanted

They took ownership of their development.

If you don’t tell your manger your career ambitions, he or she may assume that you are content with the status quo. If no one knows where you want to go, you’ll continue to get pats on the back for a job well done, but miss out on achieving your career goals. When the time comes to show up in your manager’s office and say, “I’m interested in a promotion,” it’s important that you have something specific in mind—if not a specific job title, then at least a clear idea of what the responsibilities might include and how this ties in to your career goals. And, if the job requires skills you don’t have yet, outline your plan for acquiring them.

They Sought educational opportunities

They got noticed because they continued to learn and grow.

In order to get noticed – and gain the respect you deserve – you need to continuously learn about your field of expertise; about related fields; and about how to build professional relationships. Dedicate time each week to professional and personal development: read blogs, subscribe to e-newsletters, attend relevant association events and join professional groups on Linked In. Research conferences and webinars and aim to attend at least one a year. Don’t let a year pass that you don’t attend a professional development workshop.

They Built wide networks

They worked tenaciously to build a wide network of peers, mentors, sponsors and coaches.

They started this early in their careers and as a result could contact many people when needed. Take the opportunity to meet people in informal settings, and develop a wide network through networking or volunteer events. Build a wide and far reaching network within your organization as well. These external and internal networks will help you to get noticed and to provide opportunities that you wouldn’t know about unless you have these connections.

Please send us your questions about the challenges you’re facing at work that are preventing you from achieving your career objectives and aspirations. We will provide our professional perspectives on how to address these challenges.