We desire success at work
and a satiating career. But what does it take to get there? In this article, I
have jotted down traits that I have always adhered to. These work for me. These
generic guidelines transcend industries and will help you too. If widely
followed, they will also make the work environment a positive place for
everyone.
1. Be open-minded: All workplaces are
not the same. So, it is best not to bring in rigid notions about your job, your
team or your company. Instead, being open-minded allows you to imbibe the
company culture and to successfully navigate through its dynamics. Observe,
understand and quickly calibrate yourself to your new work environment.
2. Learn: Boredom at a job
typically sets in when you stop learning. Consistently strive to learn new
skills and to apply them more efficiently. As Tennyson says, work “to
strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.” This will keep you
enthused and help you deliver more value for your organization.
3. Enjoy: Work with a
happy spirit. When you relish your work, your passion for what you do will
show. Your happy and amicable demeanor will also influence positivity in the
larger organization. On the other hand, if you don’t appreciate your job, step
back and re-evaluate your fit/needs and pursue your heart.
4. Communicate: Listen well and
respond well. It is important to know your audience so you can customize your
verbal or written communication. Think ahead, anticipate follow-up questions
and be ready. Ensure that your message avoids ambiguities and is not warped or
lost in translation. Share information, provide timely updates and call out
expectations. Don’t be afraid. Communicate.
5. Set the right
expectation: Right
from day one, you have to draw the line on what you want to do, are willing to
do, and can do. Of course, this needs to be balanced against situations that
need you to step up. If you have been stretching yourself at work without
indicating so to your managers, you will be setting yourself up for that level
of productivity all the time. This will ultimately lead to a bad work
experience.
6. Be diligent: Good work ethics
are a must for success. You cannot expect your workplace to reward you if your
commitment to the organization is not evident. The relationship between the
employee and the company is built on mutual commitment, and diligence is
integral to this dynamic. These four lines sum it all- “The heights by
great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,But they, while their companions slept,Were toiling upward in the night.”
7. Be yourself: You shine best
when you are your natural self. Attempting to be someone you are not will
result in unhappiness and also stunt success. When you have an artificial
persona at work, you will also be outshone by others who can naturally perform
similar responsibilities as their flair and interest levels will be much higher
than yours.
8. Be a good human: This one is
closest to my heart. Your work place, much like your life outside of it, is all
about people & relationships. Be it your bosses, peers, other teams,
reports or customers, please display empathy. Put yourself in their shoes and
appreciate the alternate perspective. In some situations, empathy and kindness
are branded as weaknesses. On the contrary, they generate trust and foster a
great working environment.
The truth is that
there is no universal framework for success at work. It depends on individual
capabilities and company DNA among other things. It also rests on whether you
love what you do. However, you ill maximize the chances of your success by
following a set of rules. The tenets I have articulated here resonate with me.
Hope they provide you a basis for realizing your career goals too.
