Entrepreneur, speaker and author Donna Rachelson shares her top 10 strategies to help you stand out from the crowd at work from her book, “Play to Win – what women can learn from men in business”.
- Think like a business owner, not an employee: When you do this, you will manage your time better. Prioritise the tasks on your list that will benefit the business the most and grow your profits. Approach meetings in a different way – motivate for actions that will benefit the company and your bottom line.
- Don’t wait to be told to do things: Be confident enough to take the initiative. If you know that something is going to help your company, then go the extra mile.
- Make office politics work for you: Office politics can’t be avoided but can be used to your advantage. Work on building a network of supporters and help others with their projects and build up a bit of an IOU bank with the broadest possible base.
- Be a good leader, follower and team player: Within your sphere of influence, you can be a thought leader and an action leader, but always be open to new ideas from people below you in rank, and don’t fear their success.
- Be positive and enthusiastic: Let your sense of humour out when appropriate and remember that people generally want to be around happy, positive people. See the good in others, look for solutions (not problems). Always encourage others.
- Don’t assume people are psychic: There is no way that management can know everything that is going on. Tell them. Let them know about the good things you are accomplishing. Appropriate self-promotion is a vital career skill.
- Motivate others to take action: Think of yourself as an influencer and motivate others to do things that compliment your ideas to improve the company and make a difference for clients.
- Be a perpetual student: Seek out training and education, read business books and trade magazines and learn from your mentors and heroes (and enemies). Learn from your mistakes.
- Manage your career: Don’t wait for your boss to set your targets or send you on training. Research training courses that would be beneficial and then ask your boss to support you. Make it happen.
- Take responsibility: In business, people tend to say: “The report was completed on time.” Change the language so that it points to you: “I completed the report on time.” Just changing that small focus of your language can help others to see what you have achieved.
For more insights from Donna Rachelson, or to buy one of her insightful books, visit: https://donnarachelson.com/
This is an edited version of content from her book, “Play to Win – what women can learn from men in business.”