3 Steps Toward Seeing Your Career Blow Up -- in a Good Way

 

1. They’re close to their colleagues.

It’s estimated that the average Joe and Jane will devote around 90,000 hours of their lives to work. That in and of itself is a solid reason to befriend your colleagues -- I’d find life pretty unbearable otherwise -- but there are professional advantages to consider.

I know people who feel that going out of their way to build rapport with their coworkers is nothing but a big waste of time. Being polite and professional is more than enough, they say. Anything deeper is a distraction and a drag on productivity.

2. They’re eager to learn and progress.

“When you stop growing, you start dying.” This nugget from American novelist William S. Burroughs is pure gold. Curiosity, drive and a relentless desire to improve will keep you young. It’ll get you noticed, too, because enthusiasm is infectious and attractive.

I’ve employed quite a few people in my time, and the ones who embody this principle stand out like flowers in a field of grass. Consider my company’s senior marketing manager, Brent Singleton, for example. Within a week or two of his hiring, it was obvious we’d found someone special.

3. They align their ambitions with those of their company.

If you really want your career to explode, frame your personal ambitions with those of the business you work for. Think of your success as part and parcel of its success.

As a mindset, it’s pretty straightforward. Let’s say you join a high-growth startup as a software engineer, for instance. Your goal is to become a director, and you and your manager chart a clear path to its achievement.

SOURCE:entrepreneur.com