Motivated employees want to advance in their company no matter how much they love their existing position. Entry level workers and newer employees are often passed over for promotions because managers simply don’t see their potential. Sometimes perfect attendance and completed assignments are not enough to earn a promotion. Employees with average performance can blend into the crowd, remaining in their existing positions longer than desired.
In order to be on track towards a leadership role or promotion, you can follow these tips to stand out in the workplace crowd:
Team first attitude
People often mistake being ambitious with being a lone wolf. However, along with being driven, leaders must be able to collaborate with those around them in order for the group or company as a whole to succeed. For larger projects, try starting up a board with your coworkers to delegate tasks among each other, create a concise plan, and monitor the project as it goes along.
Not only can this show collaboration and an ability to work well with others, it often makes the project run more smoothly rather than everyone working separately with their heads down. While it may sound like an oxymoron, in order to stand out, you need to make sure those who you work closely with stand out as well. If need be, take time to learn how to work effectively in a team setting.
Embrace change
Change is a scary thing, but without it we’d go nowhere. According to Harvard Business Review, “As a job specification, change management typically has less to do with driving drastic firm-wide change than with being at ease with constant flux. This requires a ‘change-agent’ executive, motivated by a continuous-improvement mindset.”
The next time your office implements a new policy or agenda, try to show that rather than simply complying with the change, you are embracing it. This can be something as simple as helping set up the new espresso machine in the break room, to something a bit more complicated, like volunteering to brief your department on the features of the new office messaging platform.
Refresh Your Technical Skills
While leadership roles are primarily based on noncognitive or nontechnical skills, mastering basic technological skills is vital to be considered for a leadership role. A lack of knowledge correlates to a lack of potential when leaders are not proficient in Excel, Access and CRMs (Customer Relationship Management systems). By taking refresher courses, you’ll ask fewer questions and solve many of your technical problems.
Managers won’t see your true potential unless you demonstrate your proficiency, and completing your work on time is not enough to earn a promotion. You can set yourself up for a leadership role or promotion through teamwork, keeping a positive attitude, embracing change, and improving technical skills.