Some time ago a graduate just starting their career asked me for advice. The question they posed was ‘what are the things that can help a career’?
I gave a response at the time and then thought about this question for days after the meeting.
The first things that came to mind were technical skills and expertise… but the more I thought it, the more I realised that doing well is about having the right attitude.
Unfortunately, intangible attributes like ‘attitude’ are often overlooked in favour of more tangible skills, despite its importance to leadership.
The following are 5 attributes I feel are important in any career, and on reflection have certainly been important in my own.
#1. Do good work
These three words are deceivingly simple. When we’re doing ‘good work’, we get a sense of focus and pride. We show our best skills and leave each day creating something better than was there before. If you are constantly seeking to do ‘good work’, the work you do today will be better than the work you did yesterday. While at first you will be the best measure of the work you do, if you do good work- you will become known for it. Aim to be known for delivering great things that help the business you’re in and its customers.
#2. Foster a positive outlook
There will be aspects of your job that frustrate you. There will be setbacks. Sometimes these setbacks will occupy your thoughts, and threaten to distract you from larger goals. As you progress the challenges will become bigger, but so will your goals, and your ability to deal with and navigate ‘prickly issues’ will also expand. My advice is to foster a positive outlook. Spend time each day thinking about the positive things you’ve done. Learn from what you could have done better, without dwelling on it. There’s a difference between taking a learning from something and judging yourself negatively for it. A positive outlook will make you more adaptable. It will also make you happier at the end of the day. And most of all, others will appreciate it.
#3. Collaborate with others
Very little work can get done without the input of others. This is even more so today, as organisations adopt ‘matrix structures’. It seems like a cliché, but being able to work with others (to affect change, have healthy debate, solve problems together) will get you far. What’s more, you’ll win the respect of people and maybe make a few friends in the process. When leaving companies, so many people I’ve worked with say “I’ll miss the people” before they say “I’ll miss the work”.
#4. Focus on the priorities
As we progress in our careers, our time becomes more and more scarce. There will be more people to see, you’ll have larger opportunities to tackle, and there will be unexpected issues that beg for your attention. You’ll quickly realise you can’t do everything. You’ll have people and teams to help you, and they’ll be a tremendous support, but even with them you simply will not be able to do everything. You’ll have to prioritise. Focusing on the 20% of activities that create 80% of the results is a great place to start. Ask ‘what’s essential’? Ask ‘what’s impactful’? Ask “what can we stop?” As Steven Covey says “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
#5. View happiness as a key measure of your performance
Treat happiness in your job as one of your key measures. Overall, on balance at the end of the day, we need to know we’re enjoying what we do. If you are not happy for a significant period, I recommend having a conversation with your boss. If you run your business and are your own boss, you might have to have one of the toughest conversations of all… a conversation with yourself. These things are simple to say…. but hard to do. I do hope though that in your current role you are more happy than not. Overall happiness and general job satisfaction is the secret to high performing individuals and teams.
If you are thinking about a change in career or role, you may find my article on factors to consider in your career decision useful.
