1. Be clear about your goals
As Michelangelo once said, “The great danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Understanding what you aim to achieve is the first step towards succeeding in the workplace. This starts with setting achievable and measurable goals to find clarity and focus for your career path. Use these goals to motivate yourself daily to work towards creating a career that you want. Goals need not be far-fetched and can be as simple as finding a job that makes you happy or managing your schedule for a better work-life balance.
2. Take the initiative to learn and go beyond what is asked
Learning doesn’t end in the classroom. In fact, many of the real lessons start in the workplace. Whether that’s learning how to communicate effectively while working in remote teams or using a new tool for the first time, you’ll need to allocate time to learn the ropes. The key is to be more relevant and knowledgeable to better succeed in the workplace. If you ask a recruiter about important traits they look for in new hires, they would often mention curiosity, adaptability, and possessing the potential to learn and grow.
Managers are also on the lookout for people willing to go the extra mile. For example, if you’re asked to review a presentation, instead of simply editing the document, consider adding helpful guiding questions, suggestions, or even research that better supports the points. While it is important to set healthy workplace boundaries, it is also a virtue to lend a hand to make a difference in the workplace.
3. Cultivate positive workplace relationships
If you’re an introvert, it may feel easier to work independently. Even so, you would still need to collaborate with others in the workplace to accomplish team goals, hence it is of great importance to cultivate positive workplace relationships and nurture different talents within the team.
Establishing authentic workplace relationships will take time, especially when working remotely, but it’s not impossible. Consider organising activities such as a virtual training meeting, perhaps over lunch, to encourage the exchange of ideas and to help team members learn different skills.
4. Adopt healthy routines
Adopting health and wellness programmes can improve one’s lifestyle and decision-making process, bringing higher productivity and job satisfaction. When you are healthy and work out regularly, your immune and cardiovascular systems are strengthened, enabling you to better tackle daily responsibilities and make smarter decisions. The good news is that you don’t need to pay a fortune to stay healthy and fit; going for long walks and jogging are free of cost and just as effective.
5. Cultivate self-awareness
Cultivating self-awareness helps you narrow the disparity between your self-perception and how others perceive you. The process allows you to learn about yourself and make improvements so that you can better align with your goals. Consider asking trusted colleagues and friends for areas of improvement. Alternatively, you might benefit from working with a career coach to help you cultivate the right skills to shine in your role.
Finding success in the workplace
Applying a bit of effort to take these steps every day can help you shine in the workplace. Nonetheless, success doesn’t happen overnight. It is a long-term process that starts with understanding yourself and setting the right goals.
The article is contributed by ValueChampion Singapore.
