Get promoted and make an impact - be extraordinary

3 Mar 2015

It's great to have a firm idea of your career ambitions and, once you have a clear goal in mind, translate it into an action statement that you can easily remember and recall every day.

This action statement will serve as your compass, it will drive how you approach each day and task within it. Examples of relevant action statements might be 'exceed expectations', 'raise the standard' or 'strive to do what would be expected of me in the role I want to get promoted to'. With that action statement in mind, you can apply it to the following:

Do your job

This sounds straightforward, but first you need to go back to basics and be absolutely clear about what you were hired to do and achieve:

Know your key performance indicators and the areas that you and your business need to achieve successes;

Identify your responsibilities and accountabilities;

Know what tasks you need to accomplish;

Learn how your position fits in the grand scheme of things; and

Strive to go beyond what is on your job description; you need to stand out from the crowd if you hope to get promoted.

Innovate the mundane

A hallmark of an extraordinary employee is efficiency. Find new ways to improve even the mundane work: improve your turnaround times, increase output, refine quality and ensure peers add value to their work and themselves. Innovation will not just help you improve your work; it can help the whole organisation.

By being innovative you show you are concerned about the company's processes and success. Likewise, it underscores your creativity, your ability to find improvements that no one else saw. Again, this can be a differentiator for you.

Expand your skills

To be at your peak performance you need to know your current skill set and what skills you need. Likewise, your potential to grow in the company increases when you have relevant knowledge and skills. The more you can contribute to the company the higher your value.

Learn necessary skills and knowledge, keep updated with developments in your field/industry, learn from more experienced peers and ask questions to broaden your perspective. It is also important to seek constructive feedback from key decision makers in the business. If you acknowledge their feedback and adapt your behaviours accordingly, you will be noticed by those who make decisions regarding promotions.

Have a productive attitude and habits that lead to constructive action

An exemplary employee not only exhibits knowledge and skills but possesses exemplary attitude and habits. Attitude is everything to be professional at all times, be disciplined, be of help to others and be respectful, apply the corporate values to your role, have positive office relationships and be of a positive disposition.

The right mindset facilitates productivity. In addition, it cultivates positive relationships.

Employees may not be indispensable; however, they can be seen as valuable assets to the company. Once you've consistently proven your worth, the company will take note of your effort and, more importantly, your contribution. As harsh as it may sound, employees are investments of the company. Increasing your worth to the company means increasing your value.

Being extraordinary is a daily choice; so ask yourself: What would an extraordinary (insert your job title) do today? Then go do it!

Deirdre Elphick-Moore

About Deirdre Elphick-Moore

Deirdre Elphick-Moore, has an Honours Degree in Psychology and over 10 years of international experience in human capital management at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Co-founding The Office Coach in 2009, she now focuses on personal and workplace effectiveness training and development. Her relaxed, engaging style encourages people to learn more, remember more and apply more in their workplaces, as well as inspiring to consistently better themselves in the work place. Contact her on az.oc.hcaoceciffoeht@erdried.