Six Ways to Stand Out at Work
(Originally posted on LinkedIn)
Be Early
This is an easy one, but as simple as it seems, it's often overlooked! Every manager notices the one employee that's the first one in on a consistent basis. If you're looking for the easiest way to stand out, start here!
Help Others
It's one thing to get your own work done, but it's especially commendable when you can help others achieve their goals without asking for anything in return. Be the person to lend a helping hand when someone is struggling and share your ideas and best practices without having to be asked.
Bring Solutions, Not Problems
We all know someone that lives life with a glass-half-empty mindset, always festering over the littlest things. Don't be that person! Instead, when challenges inevitably arise at work, skip the complaining and jump straight to solutions. This will help everyone on your team move forward in a positive direction and your boss will definitely take note of your solution-based attitude.
Always do your Very Best
This one seems like a give-in, but it just might be the most important tip on the list. Whether you're simply sending an email or presenting at an important meeting...ALWAYS do your very best and don't take short-cuts when it comes to the quality and care of your work. When you truly focus on doing your best, everyone takes note of it and will respect you for it.
Take Initiative
So many people wait for instructions before taking action. Don't be that person! Look for ways to provide more value and jump in to help out. Have some time after finishing your work? Look for ways to get ahead, or even better, to help others around you get ahead. I always tell my employees to act now and apologize later!
Check In
The easiest way to know whether or not you're meeting expectations is TO ASK! So often, we assume we know if we're meeting expectations and how satisfied our manager is with our performance. Assuming anything is dangerous, but in this case, it is especially risky. Take the time on a consistent basis to check in with your manager to see how they feel about your performance and what you could be doing to exceed their expectations. I'm telling you, this is every manager's dream!