Charting Your Success

In every workplace, in every position there are patters that can be found that work better than others. Some people seem to fit into an organization and get ahead while others seem to wallow on the sidelines. Some get raises and promotions while others just sit there and get stuck in dead end jobs.

Looking at personal success or at least the possibility a person needs to be in the forward moving forward thinking group to “get ahead”. Advancements, oppoertuies at out there so why not you?

The following are several things I have found to get you and your career on the track for success.
1) Deliver Value. Of all the actions steps you can take this might be the most important. An employee must make sure they contribute more than their cost to the organization to make headway. In the end we are all in a pay for performance situation. If you add more value to the pile you will advance.

2) Continue Your Education. There is power in knowledge. People who have a collage education before entering the workforce do have a bigger foot in the door. Then you need to keep learning and gaining experience form each work assignment. Lean everything there is to know and make yourself to be the best at everything you can. Today’s world takes no pity on the person who is lazy about learning. Either you take personal responsibility for continuing your education or you well end up going to a certain level and getting stuck. It does not take long for skills and knowledge to become outdated in the world. Technology is advancing at such a fast rate that even books cannot keep up with it. Case in point is that when I go the a book store and look for a good book on Social Media I am usually past what the author has written. I feel lucky if I can find one or two good ideas out of a book. Lifelong learning is no longer an option. You will never really finish your education; you will only keep continuing it.

3) Exhibit positive core values. Personal values are at the very core of who and what we are. These are the values that we hold nearest and dearest to us and which define who we are to the world. Most companies and people look for integrity, honesty, respect, loyalty and commitment. If you demonstrate these positive values that will help you to stand out from the crowd.

4) Volunteer. Volunteer for anything that will broaden your experience and knowledge. Don’t shy away from the tough assignments. Unlike the army, if you are the go to guy and take on the tough assignments and can deliver a positive result you will be recognized. Promotions usually do not come along all that frequently but there is a power in lateral assignment. Accept a lateral more that will broaden your skills and experience. Don’t worry about the perks, the titles etc.

5) Embrace the change. If there is one thing I can guarantee and that is that things will not remain the same. Change is inevitable. You will be faced with change and more rapidly than ever before, Change can be staggering and overwhelming. New expectations, shifting priorities and different relationships, you must be ready and eager to adopt and accept change. Embracing it into your life and life style. Take personal responsibility for figuring out what your top priorities are then work to make it happen. Don’t wait for other people to define your position and job duties, Sit down, quickly seek out the information you need and show the imitative to align yourself with the direction you see the organization going, Develop the ability to improvise and be flexible and accept that work life is a moving target.

6) Create positive relationships. Build positive relationships with everyone in the work place and your working world, from the highest to the lowest. The more people you have positive relationships with the more valuable you are.

7) Find a role model. In most work places it is easy to identify the top performers. They are the ones that managers defer to and ask for advice. They are the ones who always seem to come through when things need to get done. They have job stability, work options and most likely a very solid career going. Watch them emulate what you can from them and work off the positive model they present. It is more than likely that you will need to emulate more than one person. Some people are good problem solvers others are better at project management.

8) Help others succeed. There is nothing you can do more for an organization than to help others become successful. Find out what other people need to accomplish a task or objective and help them to achieve it. You will find this a very powerful way to form working relationships. And remember freely give credit and recognition to others when an assignment or task is completed. People know the reality of a relationship and know the back ground of success.

9) Develop the big picture. Hold yourself accountable personally for the outcome of anything you touch, do or work on. Think broadly and develop the big picture. Learn to work across departments and boundaries. Avoid turf wars and issues and combine your efforts seamlessly with others to get the job done.

10) Avoid negative people. Every company has them, well almost every company does. Negative people who drag everyone down or tries to, to their level. Don’t go there. You’re better than that. When you need to interact with the negative elements stick to the facts and get back to your own tasks and objectives. Get the work down and move on.

11) Find YOUR mentor. Find a respectable person in the organization who is willing to freely give you and your career advice, counsel and help. They might not be in your direct reporting chain but never the less they can make you and guide you to make better choices than you would alone.

12) Be persistent. People make a mystery out of success. Really there is no real mystery at all. First decide what you want, develop a plan, take action, monitor the results and adjust as needed, and in the words of Winston Churchill, never, never, never give up. Find and develop the strength and determination to stay with a job all the way to completion. Through the problems the fatigue. Success comes more times than not to the one who hangs on after all others have let go. This more than anything will carry you and your career to the success you desire.


Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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