Have you ever wondered why some people advance rapidly in
their careers and others don’t? Would you like to climb the ladder of success
but don’t know how? Here are 14
traits of people who achieve great things by working
strategically that can help catapult your career, too.
1. They Have a Clear
Vision
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of
their dreams.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Successful people have a clear vision of what they want to
do and don’t waver from it. LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner not only aspired to reach
the top of his profession but also to empower the workplace by managing
compassionately. Jack Canfield, co-author of the mega-successful Chicken Soup
for the Soul series, set his intention to “inspire and empower people to live
to their highest vision in a context of love and joy” BEFORE writing his first
book.
These sorts of personal mission statements enable
professionals to go far in their chosen areas. What about you? Take the first
step towards advancing your career by creating a clear vision statement of what
you want to achieve in your field. Do you want to be a manager and leader? Say
so!
2. They Aim High
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” ~ Steve Martin
Those who rise rapidly up the ranks strive for excellence.
They have a strong determination to succeed, constantly seek to improve
themselves, and do outstanding work. To add ambition to your career plan, act
as though you’ve already accomplished what you wrote down for your vision
statement and take it up a notch. Describe what the next level would look like
for you, and make THAT your vision statement. Don’t settle for less than what
you really want.
3. They Believe in
Themselves
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t you’re
right.” ~ Henry Ford
People who get ahead in their careers express confidence in
themselves and their work. They’re not arrogant or boastful (signs of low
self-esteem). They’re simply certain of what they’re doing. When they don’t
have the answers they openly admit it. They seek out the information they need
and trust themselves to make good decisions.
The next time you’re worried about giving a presentation at
work, take a moment to jot down 10 things you’ve accomplished in your life that
you’re proud of and let that sense of certainty wash over you. Afterwards
assess what worked and pat yourself on the back for it. Then determine what
needs improvement and make revisions so that your next talk is even better.
4. They Take the
Initiative
“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has
genius and power and magic in it.” ~ Wolfgang von Goethe
Rather than waiting for something to happen, those who
advance rapidly in their careers take the initiative. For example, if the boss
is on vacation and the company runs out of materials, they’re the ones who
order more and suggest putting a new procurement procedure in place. They make
opportunities for themselves and ask for the positions and salary they want.
To advance your career, be pro-active. Use your vision
statement to generate goals for yourself, your department, and your company.
Get specific about when, where, and how you’ll achieve them by breaking them
down into sub-goals. Do the easiest one first to start gaining momentum.
5. They Stay Focused
“I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was
yesterday.” ~ Jose N. Harris
In today’s world of information overload, we need to stay
focused to succeed. Those who are promoted quickly keep their eye on the ball
no matter what happens around them. When work gets chaotic, projects collapse,
and funds run low, they actively search for pockets of time to accomplish their
goals anyway. They are disciplined, do things step by step, and finish what
they start.
To stay focused on what’s important, make it a practice to
record your goals for each week the weekend before. Then review them each
morning before you start your day and tackle the hardest thing first. That way
you’ll ensure you keep making progress during uncertain times.
6. They Use Failure
as Feedback
“Failure gives you a chance to refine your approach. You’re
taking risks more and more intelligently.” ~ Pete Athans (climbed Mt. Everest 7
times)
No one likes to fail
But when things don’t go as planned, people who succeed in their careers
take responsibility. They don’t blame others or beat themselves up. Instead
they reflect on what limiting thoughts or destructive habits could have led to
the undesirable outcome. They understand that setbacks are natural, learn from
their “mistakes,” and use the negative experience to improve their performance
in the future.
The next time you fail, rather than getting upset and
feeling like a victim, calmly ask yourself “What do I need to do differently
next time to get the result I want?” View it as an opportunity to grow, course
correct, and move forward using the information you gleaned from objectively studying
the situation.
7. They Crave
Criticism
“He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.” ~ Persian
proverb
Sir Richard Branson purposefully embeds “mavericks” into
every Virgin company to ensure its success because he knows that yes men kill
innovation. Those who succeed quickly in their fields ask for feedback, learn
from it, and use it to refine their approach.
If someone criticizes you in the workplace, take a deep
breath and determine whether the naysayer has a point. Consider the source. If
you trust the person and the feedback resonates, integrate it into the way you
do things and do better next time. (Yes,
I know this one is tough.)
To be continued…..
WORK BY MICHELLE
MILLIS CHAPPEL
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