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Have you ever wondered what you can do to secure a better position for yourself? What can you do to influence your supervisors and earn trust? How can you show them that you deserve and have earned that raise or promotion?
I am always thinking about self-improvement and looking for ways to do better work, provide more valuable service, and create a quality product. Over the years, there are a few things I’ve learned that are incredibly powerful ways to influence supervisors while creating a relationship based on trust. Here are a few of those things that have worked so well:
Overdeliver
Try not to get tunnel vision on the task you are trying to complete. Every time you are asked to complete something, pay attention to the parameters, but only because you are trying to go outside of that. You should be looking for ways to deliver more than what was asked for. You put your own twist on the project and make it your own. Deliver what was expected, and then some.
Ask Questions
Asking questions doesn’t make you look incompetent, it makes you look curious, willing, and ready. By no means should you attempt to tackle a task if you are not sure of something. By all means, ask. Communication is key to delivering a successful product.
Accept Responsibility
Ok, now that you have taken on the task, make it yours. Any mistakes you made, any failures you endured, be responsible for. Don’t give up, but learn from it and move on. Don’t treat a task given to you as something you are doing for someone else, treat it as your own. Make it yours and then you can put your own passion into it.
Make Yourself Available
If you work with a group, and the supervisor is looking for someone to step up and handle something, by all means, get in there and do it. Even if you are not completely comfortable with knowing how, you should be able to get in there, ask questions, recruit someone to help, and get the job done. By taking the initiative and stepping up to the plate, this shows that you are not just idly standing by awaiting direction. Show them that you are available, and that you want to contribute to the vision of the organization.
Be a Change Agent
This is something I focus on a lot. Change can be hard yes, but sometimes it is necessary. Just because you have been doing something for a while and it seems to be working, doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. There is always room for improvement. And a good leader is an agent of change. You may have heard the saying, if it works, don’t fix it. Well, sometimes “it works” can be an illusion. It, meaning the process or system, may actually have a better way of being accomplished.
It’s Not About You
Everyone likes to be in the spotlight, everyone likes to have the focus on them. This is only natural, but if you put the product first then this shows supervisors that you are not focused on recognition, but the task at hand. Show them that you care more about the journey than the destination.
What have you done to seperate yourself from the pack? You can leave your comment below.
The one thing that I have always worked on is making myself available. It’s not so easy when we all get so busy, but it definitely means so much when it is possible.
I agree Adam. I guess there’s a right time to say “No” but there are also a lot of right times for a “Yes”. It depends on what kind of impact you expect to make.
The one thing that I have always worked on is making myself available. It’s not so easy when we all get so busy, but it definitely means so much when it is possible.
I agree Adam. I guess there’s a right time to say “No” but there are also a lot of right times for a “Yes”. It depends on what kind of impact you expect to make.
I worked for a large corporation (that will remain nameless). Unfortunately none of your suggestions would work because the company was very quota oriented. If you weren’t the right (color, religion, height, sex—pick one or any other category you’d like) you were not considered “promotable”. I gave my all, all the time, because I have enough self respect to want to be the best. My effort had nothing to do with improving the company or lifting up my work group.
That’s unfortunate Hal. Was that part of your reason for leaving?
I worked for a large corporation (that will remain nameless). Unfortunately none of your suggestions would work because the company was very quota oriented. If you weren’t the right (color, religion, height, sex—pick one or any other category you’d like) you were not considered “promotable”. I gave my all, all the time, because I have enough self respect to want to be the best. My effort had nothing to do with improving the company or lifting up my work group.
That’s unfortunate Hal. Was that part of your reason for leaving?
Hi Leo, really useful post.
I’ve been extremely proactive on delivering as soon as possible (kind of letting the other have the ball on their side on the court). That has gave me a really huge credibility and trust. (You just need to be careful not to rush things and send them incomplete). Just the correct timing on exceeding expectations on what/how and WHEN you deliver!
Thank you, and great tip too, that’s also important.
Hi Leo, really useful post.
I’ve been extremely proactive on delivering as soon as possible (kind of letting the other have the ball on their side on the court). That has gave me a really huge credibility and trust. (You just need to be careful not to rush things and send them incomplete). Just the correct timing on exceeding expectations on what/how and WHEN you deliver!
Thank you, and great tip too, that’s also important.
Two things I’ve done to separate myself from the pack:
1. Learn new things on my own. Take it upon yourself to learn something new and share it with your if appropriate
2. Work well with others. Prove that you can work well with other personalities
This is interesting. I’ve created a learning project within my Nozbe app. In there I’ll stick things that I find myself weak in. And when I am training fellow team members, I tell them to kind of do the same. To pick one thing out of the day that they felt needed more clarification, and go read up on it. Great tips Julia!
Two things I’ve done to separate myself from the pack:
1. Learn new things on my own. Take it upon yourself to learn something new and share it with your if appropriate
2. Work well with others. Prove that you can work well with other personalities
This is interesting. I’ve created a learning project within my Nozbe app. In there I’ll stick things that I find myself weak in. And when I am training fellow team members, I tell them to kind of do the same. To pick one thing out of the day that they felt needed more clarification, and go read up on it. Great tips Julia!
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned both in life and in a professional setting is to always think, “What’s next?” By always looking to think of the next step, you can get a jump on things and show that initiative that companies love. Also, it allows you to answer your supervisor when they ask you to do the next step with “I’ve already done it and here it is.” You get big points for that.
That’s great Ryan, I love the idea of always being one step ahead. Great tip, thanks for sharing.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned both in life and in a professional setting is to always think, “What’s next?” By always looking to think of the next step, you can get a jump on things and show that initiative that companies love. Also, it allows you to answer your supervisor when they ask you to do the next step with “I’ve already done it and here it is.” You get big points for that.
That’s great Ryan, I love the idea of always being one step ahead. Great tip, thanks for sharing.