20 Ways to Get Ahead in Your Career

So, you're looking to get ahead in your career.

Everyone knows someone who seemingly gets by without much effort. Maybe even someone who is very successful without having to work hard.

Doesn't sound like you?

If you're like most people you have to drive hard just to keep up and feel like it is becoming more difficult each day. You have to give your absolute best. If you have decided you want to succeed and get ahead you then you need to decide to be a workhorse. If that doesn't sound easy or glamorous...well...it isn't. Truth is, in today's economy you will have to grind it out at times.

So what are some of the ways to separate yourself from the pack and get ahead in your career?

TWENTY WAYS TO GET AHEAD

1. Brand yourself! Think of your favorite brand. One of mine happens to be FedEx. They flat out get it done. You trust that if you give them your important package they'll get it to the destination on time. You need to be that way in your work life. Employers want to give a task, assignment or responsibility to someone they value, can trust and who they know will flat out get it done . Become known as that person
   
2. Step up! Take Initiative! . Look for things that need to be done and get them done. Either through yourself or leverage it to others. Volunteer for the tough, undesirable assignment. It's like exercise. Short term pain for long term gain.
   
3. Arrive early! If you arrive early, you are already ahead of 90% of your colleagues. If you are Gen Y - 99%. That's good news for you. By arriving to the office 30 minutes early you can plan your day, tackle any messages or e-mails from overnight and get your favorite office friendly beverage poured.
   
4. Stay late! Those who leave when the 5 o'clock horn sounds don't typically get ahead quick. Those who make just one additional call, send the one additional e-mail, finish the one extra task do.
   
5. Be available! This means 24/7/365. Business is a rapidly changing environment and companies value employees who are willing and able to assist when needed. This doesn't mean you have to be at the beck and call of your employer (not recommended!) but be flexible and willing to engage at any time. Even if it's just by e-mail or text.
   
6. Think! Think before you speak. Think before you send an e-mail. Think before you act. And be ready to think on your feet.
   
7. Be Organized! Have your information and resources sorted out and readily available. This will give you peace of mind and help you fulfill #6 above a lot easier.
   
8. Be Prepared! Know your numbers, anticipate problems and questions, come to meetings ready to go.
   
9. Give Credit! Support your team and those who helped you accomplish your work. First, everyone knows you didn't do a big task all on your own. Second, you gonna need help again.
   
10. Don't Panic! Problems will arise. Those who can keep a cool head are most likely to lead and find a solution. With that, don't lash out or point fingers when problems occur. Blaming is losing.
    
11. Under Promise, Over Deliver! Sounds basic but it's a tricky concept to master. Not only will people's request be incredibly urgent to them it's easy to over commit and want to appear responsive. This takes practice and great communication.
    
12. Communicate! Be precise, concise and clear.
    
13. Ask Questions! Get all the information you can from your boss, customers, vendors and teammates. Asking that one extra question may be what directs the project and helps reach the outcome.
    
14. Be Face-to-Face! In today's environment with e-mail, voicemail, text messaging, tweeting, Facebooking, etc it's actually more rare to do many day-to-day tasks in person. If your boss e-mails or leaves a message that might require a long reply, consider replying in person...with a leave behind document prepared.
    
15. Understand Financials! The lifeblood of a business is its financials. Even if you are the receptionist, you need to have a basic understanding of business financials. At the minimum, learn about a Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow. And this is one area where the higher you go the more you need to know.
    
16. Be a Steward of the Finances! Manage every dollar of the company's money with the highest regard. Especially in today's economic environment.
17. Set Goals! If you want to get ahead, you need to achieve the company's goals. You also need to set and achieve your personal goals. To get ahead you may need a skill or experience you don't yet have. Set them as goals and make plans to achieve them.
    
18. Respect and Honor Your Work Community! Disrespecting subordinates or peers may work in some industries but most people need the help of their human resources. You're more likely to achieve your own professional goals if you have a team that feels respected and willing to put in the extra mile for you.
    
19. It's not a Social Club! It is fine to have great relationships at work...but it's not a social club. You are at work to get work done not chit chat. Spend your work time working and your play time playing. Collaboration with your work team is good! Just be sure to achieve a business result while you are at it.
20. Hold Yourself Accountable! To get ahead you need to be accountable. To your boss. To your colleagues. To your Clients & customers. To yourself! People who place blame or make excuses do not get ahead. And the less your boss has to hold you accountable the better.
    

BONUS: Be Consistent! Whatever you do to step up and set yourself apart from the crowd do it consistently. Stepping up only at certain times (i.e. review time) is blatantly manipulative and won't help your cause.

This is just a short list of recommendations. There are many others but if you start to tackle and master a few of these people will start to notice...maybe even your boss.

You just might get ahead in your career!

TAKE ACTION NOW!

1. Read the list again. Pick two items to work on this week. Write them down. Record activities, questions and progress at the end of the week
2. Return weekly and choose another two until you have integrated all 20 at some level. Practice!
3. Have a question? Need coaching, training, feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top right hand side of page for contact information.

PS - Love to interact with readers. Don't be shy!

Are You Going to be a Leader Today?

Leading, by its very nature, is never easy. Never straight forward or black & white. It takes a person of impeccable standards, character and fortitude to take others on a path that isn't entirely certain. A leader always has to clear obstacles and create a compelling future.

But what about today?

Not much causes as much stress as economic uncertainty. The impact it has on professional, and personal, lives is tremendous. And boy do we have economic uncertainty and stress today. With conditions today that have been called the worst since the Great Depression there is cause to be alarmed.

But a leader cannot, must not, focus there.

A leader must stand tall, be strong. A leader must understand, adapt, create. A leader must see the situation for what it is - not give in to the doomsdayers. Take stock and assess the threats...but also the opportunities. A leader then must create a vision for how to get past the challenge. And then the leader must forge a path to the vision. Never faltering.

Are you going to be a leader today?

What steps can you take right NOW to be a better leader for those looking to you for guidance and direction? And remember, those people could be people you lead at work, but also those around you in every day life such as friends & family.


TAKE ACTION NOW!

• Choose to lead today. You need to mentally prepare each day to lead. Deciding to be a leader is the first step.
• Take stock in what you are focusing on right now? Are you focused on the downside of the daily news? Could you, if you wanted to, focus on the opportunity today's economic climate provides for those who take action? HINT - the answer is "yes".
• Go on a media diet. Don't watch the television news, read the newspaper or listen to news on the radio. If you need to keep informed, quickly scan headlines online but don't dig into the stories. Do it for a couple of days. Refresh.
• Remember that Focus is Power!
• Need coaching, feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top right hand side of page for contact information.

PS - Love to read your comments and interact!

Maintaining Certainty in Uncertain Times

Unemployment - 7.2% and expected to rise. Ouch!

As concern about the recession and unemployment continues to mount there is a lot of uncertainty in the U.S. economy. As a result, employees across America are uncertain about their future and stability. Rightly so. But that's not the end of the story... The recession is, in many ways, a myth for most people. But it is up to you to make it a myth.

Some keys to overcoming uncertainty:

1. Define Success - It's easier to define success in buoyant times when all is well. When faced with challenging times it is even more important to define success. You may need to recalculate what is achievable in the short term. You may not get that raise you wanted but if you power though a tough time you could end up earning more than you originally expected. Define what success is during a tough time so that you can achieve it and move on to the next level when the challenging period is over
2. Create Your Own Certainty - Begin each day with the certainty. Know that you have what it takes and are willing to do what it takes to succeed. These are two qualities that will help you during boom or bust times. Certainty helps keep moving forward - not sideways or back.
3. Focus is Power! - focus your energy on the positive and on results. You may end up in a situation which requires extra work for the same pay (or even less!). Focus on getting those results and when you make it through the storm you will be rewarded. Organizations in lean times focus much more on results, optimization and effectiveness. Those who deliver results are more likely to reap the reward of greater certainty in the short term and growth in the long term.
4. Mental Toughness - We've all been through tough times or experienced loss. When confronted with a difficult situation only the toughest survive. Don't let the daily grind get you down or lead you astray. Practice this daily.
5. Contingency Plan - If the worst does happen will you be prepared? Are you ready with a Plan B at a moment's notice or will you have to start from scratch when disaster strikes?
   

Getting your mindset in the right place and planning for your future are even more important in uncertain times. Take time to master your mental state and game plan your way through this recession.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

1. Review the goals you have created for the next 90 days, six months and one year. Carefully prioritize those goals which will give you the most certainty and provide the greatest strength in the face of uncertainty. As an example, review your financial goals first and be sure that you have an achievable goal of creating some financial security.
2. First thing each day take an action which will put you in a great mood and provide certainty. One of the things I do, which is super simple, is update my Facebook and/or Twitter status with a strong message about how I'm going to conduct my day. Try this or simply write down a powerful "status" for yourself in a journal. You'd be surprised what a difference this can make. And if you use social media tools you might also get some great comments back pushing you further along!
3. Build mental muscle. Listen to empowering music on the way to work or before you begin your job search for the day. Or better yet, listen to a powerful professional or personal development CD or podcast
4. If you don't yet have a written contingency plan get one down on paper - now! If you already have one - great! Make sure it is still up to date
5. Consider securing a coach or mentor to help you plan and guide you through these tough times. If you have one - great! Have him or her review you 90 day plan and provide "certainty" feedback.
6. Need coaching, feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top right hand side of page for contact information or leave a comment to this post below.

Do I Need a Coach?

YES!

It really is as simple as that. Everyone can get better and its a challenge to do it on your own. Take a look at any professional sports team. These teams are filled with athletes who have played their sport since they were about 5 years old and have worked at improving their game almost every day since. They all have coaches. Why?

Consider these reasons:

1. To get better - a coach's job is to help the people he or she coaches to get better. At fundamental skills, strategy, mindset, motivation
2. Identify blind spots - after we have been doing something for a lifetime (or a few months) we start to think we know it all and have no weaknesses. A coach can look at you objectively and help you identify your blind spots. Once you can see them you can work on them.
3. The truth - to get better you need to hear the truth. Where are you and where do you need to get to in order to reach your goals and full potential? Not a sugarcoated direction from someone who doesn't want to hurt your feelings but the raw truth that will guide you to your destination quickly.
4. Strategy and Planning - once you and your coach have identified your areas for growth your coach can create a personalized strategy and plan that will provide you with a road map to get you where you want to go.
5. A process & system - when trying to grow and develop we often head down a path, stop and try something else before we make any real headway. A couch can keep you on track by providing a process & system for success.
6. A safe environment to test & practice - a coach can give you a format to try new things, test and practice tough situations and problems before you implement them in real life.
7. Accountability - if you say you want to reach your full potential you need someone to hold you to your word and keep you on the path. A coach holds you accountable to your promises you make to yourself and to your team. A coach will move you to Action and Results
   

You need this! Even if it isn't a formal coaching partner find someone who can deliver the above to you in a consistent and clear manner. You won't be sorry!

TAKE ACTION NOW!

1. Take 15 minutes now and list the areas where you want to get better in your personal and professional leadership life. Consider these areas as a start: Strategy & Planning, Communication, Judgment, Interpersonal, Problem Solving, Action & Results.
2. In what areas are you the most strong? Where are you the weakest?
3. Imagine yourself after you have grown in your weakest areas? What would you professional and personal life look like after you have taken action to improve?
4. Now, see yourself working on your growth with a trusted resource who could provide perspective and help you find your blind spots in these areas. Someone who was invested in your personal growth without bias. Some one who could push you beyond your current limits.
5. Need a coach, some feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top right hand side of page for contact information.
   

The One Thing

This is a powerful tool for yourself or your company.

The concept is basically this: define for yourself the "One Thing" in a given month, week, day that, if completed effectively, could have the highest level of impact for your organization's growth.WOW!

That's hard to do if you have multiple priorities (hmmm..like everyone). But when you sit down to think it through you give yourself incredible focus!

• You cut through the clutter - it's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day. And give yourself excuses. By mapping out the One Thing at the beginning you can identify what doesn't need to be done (and maybe have the same or better result).
• You'll keep yourself accountable - you WILL get that One Thing done come hell or high water. How can you not get the One Thing done?
• It's measurable - or at least it should be! You'll know exactly when you accomplished the outcome and can celebrate it.
  

And from a management perspective...WOW! I know one particular company CEO who uses this and it allows him to have visibility on the whole organization in one sheet. He can, at a glance, get a pulse of the organization from the people doing the actual work. Yes, these One Things go through the chain of command and are often re-defined or fleshed out through the process but when it is done and submitted the guy at the top knows what is happening from the front door to the executive office and everywhere in between in a snapshot view. At the end of the month, a second report is generated that reports on how many One Things were accomplished. No pomp and circumstance, no filtering, no fluff. Yes or no. That's powerful! And the whole process takes just a few minutes from all participants and a focused session from the CEO to understand what activity will take place, or has taken place, in a given month.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

• Create your One Thing for the month. Write it down. Remember, it should be the single most important thing for the month and it must be SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Framed.
• Share this action and your "why" with your leadership coach (or other personal accountability partner) now
• Need a coach, some feedback or just want to share? Contact us! See top righthand side of page for contact information.
  

See also Focus is Power!