Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success

The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.

What behaviour will improve your chances for success? Behaviour which can be described as good work ethics.

The answer on how to cultivate good work ethics is simple. Make yourself one of the linking pins in your organisation.A linking pin is someone to whom everybody turns to, to get information and advice from. It is also someone who can link persons, sections and departments for better co-operation. But most important of all, it is someone who can exert influence upwards, downwards and sideways in the organisation structure. In other words you must be able to influence people around you to carry out the wishes, policies and strategies of top management, by earning respect through your display of expertise and thoroughness. You must also be able to represent the valid wishes and needs of lower levels to top management. You can become a linking pin by striving to attain the following traits:

1. Cloak yourself with expert knowledge in your technical field of operation.

If you are an electrician, do not only be satisfied with your qualification. Try to gain more in depth expertise in this technical field of yours, to distinguish yourself from other electricians.

If you are an accountant, avail yourself of in depth knowledge about bookkeeping practices by studying or reading up on subjects pertinent for your field of technical expertise.

You can bluff your way during interviews, but once you have been appointed, people expect from you to perform. This is where the cookie crumbles or you succeed. The point is you must not only perform at an average level, but you must display exceptional or above average expertise, so that others can start to rely on your opinions and advice.

2. Produce accurate work.

Cultivate a habit to carry out your work correctly with a minimum of mistakes. Sloppiness or tardiness must definitely not be present in your attitude, personal appearance or any of your work outputs, be it notes, memo's, letters, spreadsheets, conversations or anything related to your work.

Imagine what will happen if debits and credits are being processed the wrong way around in a financial department. It will have disastrous consequences. Strive for professionalism in what you do.

3. Be quicker than most.

This is one of the best ways to demonstrate your superiority and efficiency. By executing duties and tasks speedily, you are being more productive and can entice more important tasks your way and thereby not only increase your merit ratings, but also your ultimate job rating. If you can perform your duties speedily, do not wait and stay idle, but present yourself to your superior for more work. Find a balance to be both quick and accurate.

4. Display awareness of productivity.

This must start with your own self-evaluation. Ask yourself constantly if you are giving more back to the organisation in value, than what you are being paid every month. Although not easy to calculate, just thinking about it may have enough of an impact. Just imagine for a moment if your organisation were to be solely dependant for profit on the output of human beings only. In other words nothing to sell or produce but labour output.

If you can do more, it reflects directly on profit. Luckily a lot of organisations have machines that make up in productivity for what is lost by unproductive employees. But being more productive in what you do as a human being, can contribute significantly to the profits of any organisation. As salaries are one of the highest cost elements in any organisation, this is one of the first cost elements that come under scrutiny during times of cost reduction efforts. You have to show your worth in order not to be included in downscaling of the labour force. But more positively, you have to show your worth to be counted in for consideration for promotion.

5. Get rid of time wasters.

Arriving late for work, stretching of tea and lunch breaks and elongated private conversations on the phone, are not only wasting your valuable time, but are a reflection of your poor awareness of productivity. Private conversations on the telephone are one of the most abused methods of stealth stealing from your employer. If you cannot be trusted on the use of the telephone, what else can you be trusted with? Are you a role model for getting rid of these time wasters or for abusing it? Are you earning respect for your ethical conduct in eradicating time wasters or are you just one of the crowd? If you discipline yourself and others around you on the economical use of time, you are on your way to earn a respected leadership role. Others must detect a sense of urgency in your execution of duties to begin to respect and follow your example. Do you want to be a follower or a leader? Do you want to stay obscured in the crowd for the rest of your life or do you want to be recognised? There is such a thing as telephone ethics, you know. If you are prepared to pay for your use of the employer telephone, you are not abusing it. Do you really know what you are costing your employer for using the phone? You are not supposed to use it for private purposes in the first place. It is a privileged instrument entrusted to you to help you in your work and not to cause financial loss to you employer.

6. Be open-minded and ready for organisational changes.

Whenever changes are announced, be positive and display a leadership role in executing the new policies and strategies. If you participated in the planning of the changes, then you were forewarned. But even if you experience unexpected changes, be first to look out for positive reasons for such changes and to influence others around you to accept it with positive attitudes. Defending superiors and higher management will increase your leadership status and trustworthiness. In a political sense it will display your role as siding with management against the disgruntled crowd.

7. Arrange and organise your paperwork.

A good filing system allows you to retrieve required documents and information fast for own use or for use by other parties. It is a reflection of your efficiency and your ability for sound logic thinking. If you surround yourself with paperwork to impress on others how busy you are, you are making the mistake of your life. It can be interpreted in many different ways, like you cannot cope with the workload, you cannot delegate, you spend too much on time wasters, you are too slow and worst of all you cannot manage yourself or others. If you cannot get rid of papers, you will not find the time to attend to the needs and development of your subordinates. You will also not find the time to liase with colleagues or to discipline your section or department. You will be a walk over and ripe for being misused by subordinates not respecting you. Rather be a reliable source of information with the time for training your subordinates and others. Clean up your desk to make time for others.

8. Read up on the principles of supervision and management.

Familiarise yourself with the knowledge on how to be a good supervisor or manager. If you can display management capabilities, you will sooner be identified for promotion. It is better to be promoted for your managerial capabilities than for your technical proficiency. It will allow you to perform your managerial duties better. Apart from being technically proficient, prepare yourself in advance for possible promotion. Make yourself ready and available for your employer and the future needs of your organisation.

9. Confidential information.

Your treatment of confidential information is going to be a good gauge of your character. You only have to make one mistake in this area, not to be trusted ever again. If you have a problem in this area, rectify it quickly. Your superiors and employer have to trust and rely on your discretion with confidential information. Some information must be kept confidential or secret until it is time for disclosure. You must proof your ability for discretion with this type of information, so that they know they can trust and rely on you. Let them know and understand that you are part and parcel of management.

10. Show initiative.

Make suggestions to improve methods of work and systems. See problems as opportunities for improvement. Do not just report problems, but analyse it wisely and make recommendations for improvement. Recognise opportunities for improvement and development and utilise it.

11. Be honest, open and direct.

Harboring a secretive attitude of slyness with hidden agenda's, will not remain a secret for long. Other persons will eventually detect it and despise you for it. You can just as well fire yourself, because that is where you will end up. Nobody will trust you after you have been exposed. Be open and direct in your communications and handling of conflict situations. Do not be afraid to air your opinions, as long as it is genuine and true. Truthful mistakes can always be remedied later on.

Summary:

Life is ever so short that nobody can really afford to remain average in the obscured crowd of nobodies. Make yourself stand out as someone with strong principles and work ethics, so that others can rely on your strengths. Qualifications alone, without work ethics, are totally worthless.

Make the following words part of your life and your philosophy on your outlook of work:

Tenacity ? keep on trying

Conscientious ? keep on thinking about ways to finalise and improve your work

Humorous ? make life bearable and enjoyable

Urgency ? you must finalise your work with speed and accuracy

Trustworthiness ? proof yourself to be a reliable and dependable person

Openness and honesty ? be a person of honour and proud of yourself.

Pierre du Plessis, CEO of Leaders Circle Educational Centre, specialising in Management and Leadership issues. http://www.careeradvancementcentre.com/

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Telecommuting Interview Tips

Telecommuting Interview Tips- By Nell TaliercioYou've made it! Your cover... Read More

Take This Job and...Re-staff It

Deciding to leave a job isn't easy. In fact, quitting... Read More

Seven Success Tips For Recent Graduates Entering the Professional World

1) Build a Relationship With Your BossLike it or not,... Read More

Advantages of Mobile Oil Changes; A Potential Small Business for You?

Mobile oil change and mobile lubes are great for fleet... Read More

Power Resumes ? Writing Your Objectives

A powerful resume starts with a good statement of objective.... Read More

Match, Meet, and Mesmerize at a Job Fair

Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending... Read More

Top Ten Networking Strategies To Get A Job, A Promotion, Or Make A Sale

Whether you are networking to find a new job opportunity,... Read More

The 10-Step Resume Critique

Your resume will generally receive a 15- to 30-second scan... Read More

Your First Job

"Your first job is an extension of your education"Fresh out... Read More

How to Feel Satisfied in Your Career

Many people turn a beloved hobby into a vocation. They... Read More

Interpersonal Skill Building -- Yank The Suckers & Weeds

According to the National Gardening Association, suckers are rapidly growing... Read More

Three Tips for Successful Networking

I generally shy away from using the word "networking" when... Read More

Planning Your Successful Career: 15 Ideas

"Doing a good job is one of the most important... Read More

Resurrecting the Perfect Resume, Part One

Is your resume dead? Don't be so quick to say,... Read More

Fun At Work Leads to More Success

Common sense at work: Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence... Read More

Salary Negotiation Secrets Revealed

Before you go into the interview, it is important to... Read More

Ask Me No Questions, Ill Tell You No Lies

If only there were no questions involved in getting a... Read More

Who Do I Have To Kill To Get A Job?

I have had more than my amount of trouble in... Read More

Dissatisfied With Your Job? Stop Putting Your Attention on What You Dont Want!

If I were to ask you the percentage of time... Read More

The Secrets to Interview Success

Many well qualified and extremely able candidates fail at job... Read More

Negotiate Better Job Offers with This Twelve-Point Checklist

You've been through an employer's interview process successfully and have... Read More

Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created

While traveling in northern California last October, I happened... Read More

Your Goals Must Be Within Your Reach

FIRST STEP -- Set short-term, incremental goals.... Read More

Your Resume Format - What Is The First Thing You Need To Do?

The first thing you need to do before you write... Read More

Is a Career Change on Your Horizon?

Making a career change is nothing new in today's job... Read More

Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth?

Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody... Read More

So you want to work at home

There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More

The Organized Job Search

Many people, under financial or other pressures to find work... Read More

Free Resume Template: What Makes a Good One?

You can drown in the "free resume examples," "free resume... Read More

Self Describing Skills - Key Strengths

You need to be the best you can at describing... Read More

17 Surefire Ways to Annoy Potential Employers

Despite the President's encouraging words, the job market is still... Read More

Successful Job Search: Knocking Out The Competition

Most of the time, competition stimulates us, gets our juices... Read More

Alert! An Over-50 Jobseeker Has Just Entered the Building

Interviewing Tips for the Older Job-seeking PopulationA red alert is... Read More