30 Habits of Highly Successful Employees
What do the most successful people out there—the ones who get
promotions, raises, and opportunities seemingly handed to them—know that
everyone else doesn’t?
Turns out, quite a bit.
We turned to our career experts to bring you a complete guide to how
the best of the best approach their work lives. The good news? Every one
of these habits is something that you can start doing—today.
1. They Think About the Skills They Need for the Next Job
We all (OK, most of us) try to be awesome at the skills in our job
descriptions, but the most successful people also focus on what they’ll
need to know to succeed in their next jobs. Not sure what skills you
should be developing?
2. They Speak Up in Meetings
Especially if you’re in a large meeting, intimidated by the
higher-ups there, or don’t know much about what’s going on, it’s easy to
sit tight and listen. But the people who get ahead don’t wait for
permission or an invitation to speak—they make sure everyone in the room
knows they have something to contribute. Even if you don’t have a
suggestion? “Speaking up to advocate for a co-worker’s point of view or
asking a well thought-out question can go just as far,” says leadership coach Jo Miller.
3. They Dress for the Job They Want
You’ve heard it a thousand times—but it consistently holds true.
People who get ahead at work look to those above them and emulate not
only the clothes they wear, but the ways in which they present
themselves in the office, interact with others, and approach their work.
4.They Know How to Communicate With Those Higher-Ups
If you’ve ever been in an executive-level meeting, you know that
c-suiters communicate a bit differently than the rest of us. So, if you
want to make it there someday, it’s key to learn how to talk the talk.
5. They Take Charge
When faced with a workplace challenge, a project roadblock, or low
team morale, most people shrug and say, “Well, there’s not much I can do
about it.” The most successful people, on the other hand, take action.
6. They Look for Leadership Opportunities
Whether it’s offering to lead a project team, volunteering to mentor a
junior employee, or taking it upon themselves to train the new interns,
people who want to (and do!) get promoted don’t wait for leadership
opportunities to come from them—they look around, see where a leader is
needed, and jump in.
7. They Make Allies Across the Organization
Most people work hard to impress their bosses. The most successful
people work hard to impress everyone from the mail room clerk and
receptionist to their peers and superiors—because they know they’re
nothing without a team of people on their side.
8. They Stay Professional
Would you want a manager who misses deadlines, forgets to answer
emails, and gossips about other employees? Of course not—so if you want
to get ahead, you shouldn’t be displaying those behaviors, either.
9. They Show Up on Time
Not just because it’s the nice thing to do, but because it ensures
they get a seat at the conference room table, not one that’s crammed in
the back of the room.
10. They Think Like Managers, Not Employees
Employees wait to be told what to do—managers think strategically
about what needs to be done, and then they do it. Employees do their own
job well—managers are committed to the team doing well—so they mentor
other employees, pitch in when they’re needed, and go that extra mile if
it means the works going to be done better.
And people who get promoted think like managers.
11. They Communicate Those Accomplishments
To take it one step further, they don’t just keep those
accomplishments to themselves—they communicate them at regular
check-ins, at the end of big projects, and most definitely at their
official reviews. (Here are a few ways to do it without sounding like a jerk.)
12. They Focus on Results, Not Just Activities
Just like you would on a resume, don’t just talk about the to-dos
you’ve knocked off your list—talk about the quantitative results of your
work. Think: “In last week’s vendor meeting, I was able to negotiate a
10% discount, which will save us $20,000 next year,” versus, “Last
week’s vendor meeting went great!”
13. They Pay Attention to Who Else is Getting Promoted
The rules of promotions are a bit different every place you go. Some
companies reward their top-performing salespeople, others advance those
who can smooth-talk their way through any meeting. Even if there’s no
real pattern, you can learn a lot about what it takes to (eventually)
move up at your organization by watching the actions, habits, and
accomplishments of others who’ve been successful.
14. They Don’t Compare Themselves to Others
Of course, it’s easy to think that just because Tim got a raise after being at the company for a year, you should, too.
Bad idea. You’ll make a much better case for advancing within your
company by focusing on what you’ve accomplished—and what you can
continue to do in your new role—than whining about how you stack up to
your colleagues.
15. They Listen to Feedback
Feedback can be tough to take. But top employees have figured out how
to take it seriously without taking it personally—and more importantly,
how to put it into action. (Here’s how they do it.)
16. They Solve Problems
Anyone can drop a complaint into the suggestion box, but the marker
of a truly brilliant employee is coming up with solutions to those
problems. Becoming a problem solver shows that you care—not only about
your own career, but about the long-term health of the business as well.
17. They Steer Clear of Gossip
You can and should identify problems within your company, but you
should not pontificate about those problems in the break room—which
gives the impression that you’re looking for an audience, instead of a
solution.
18. But They Don’t Avoid Politics Altogether
Knowing the unofficial rules of your office—how communication
happens, who’s on the CEO’s side (and who’s not), which teams move and
shake and which stagnate—may be playing the politics game. But it’s a
game that will get you ahead. (Here’s why—and how.)
19. They Keep Tabs on the Business as a Whole
Senior leaders don’t just know what’s happening in their own
functional area—they know what’s going on in their business as a whole
so they can contribute to the big picture. To get started, set up a
Google Alert with your company’s name so you’re always kept up-to-date
on what’s happening.
20. They Keep Tabs on Other Parts of the Business
If there’s an area you don’t know much about—like finance, HR, or
supply chain—introduce yourself to people in that department and ask if
you can shadow them for an afternoon to learn about what they do.
21. They Socialize
Fair or not, bosses promote people they enjoy spending time with (and
will enjoy spending a lot more time with). Promotable people work hard
from 9 to 5, but they also make a point to make it to happy hour.
22. They Pay Attention to Body Language
Because 93% of what we say has nothing to do with our words. To look
like a leader when you speak, “stand up to speak if possible, with feet
comfortably apart, shoulders back, chin up, and expansive arms, so that
your body language adds credibility to your message,” says Miller. “It
works when seated, too; sitting up straight with arms out increases the
space you take up, which is a demonstration of power.”
23. They’re Comfortable With Pressure
“Start getting comfortable with pressure. In fact, go out of your way to put yourself in uncomfortable situations,” says Jeff Vijungco,
vice president of Adobe’s Global Talent organization. “When you do this
often enough, you’ll be more immune to pressure when you are
stress-tested—like in an impromptu meeting with the CEO.”
24. They Don’t Over-Apologize
“You may think apologies are a good way to build relationship and
express concern for another’s well-being, but they can actually
undermine your professional demeanor,” notes McLeod. “In her book, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office,
Lois Frankel posits, ‘Apologizing for unintentional, low-profile,
non-egregious errors erodes our self-confidence, and in turn, the
confidence others have in us.’”
25. They Look for Opportunities to Get in Front of Others
How do people get the opportunity to present at conferences, get
involved in big projects, or attend the right meetings? They ask for
those opportunities (and they never turn them down when they come
along).
26. They Own Up to Their Mistakes
Of course, they know how to deal with those mistakes the right way—by
apologizing (once), figuring out how to fix what went wrong, and making
a plan to make sure it never happens again.
27. They Take Opportunities They’re Afraid Of
“When you’re offered a big opportunity, consider it carefully—even if
it scares the heck out of you. In the end, high risk often leads to
high reward. But if you turn down every opportunity that comes your way,
you won’t even have the chance to succeed,” says Daily Muse writer Avery Augustine.
28. They’re Not Afraid to Ask for Help
“Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength,” says Elliott Bell, director of marketing of The Muse. “No one got to where they are today without help along the way.”
29. They Don’t Say Yes to Everything
Because if they did, they’d never finish what’s truly important. “As
you go through the day, do frequent reality checks. Stop each hour and
quickly ask yourself: Did the last hour contribute to my most important
goals?” says McLeod. “If not, vow to make the next 60 minutes better and start again.”
30. They Ask for What They Want (and How to Get There)
We’re sure there are people out there who’ve been promoted without
asking for it, but a much more certain approach is to tell your manager
exactly what you want. Try: “I’m not sure I’ve shared this before, but
I’d really like to make manager level, and I feel I’m more or less ready
for the challenge. What can I do to get there?”
source: www.themuse.com
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