Are you thriving at the workplace?

Gauri Chhabra
If you come to think of general happiness and wellbeing at the work place- it is improving, sure. We talk less about discrimination, and we’re getting closer to equal pay regardless of gender. But that doesn’t mean that workers are thriving unhindered. The big difference is that these days, the barrier to advancing is more likely to be self-constructed. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence to demand the salary you’re worth or the promotion you deserve. Maybe you’re risk-averse, and inclined to hand over the high profile and high visibility assignments to someone else. Maybe you don’t have a mentor. Maybe you aren’t a mentor yourself.
Whether you are thriving at the workplace or are a mere survivor- depends totally upon you. Each of us is a brand, in competition with other brands, and in order to succeed, it’s important to learn to stop getting in your own way; to create your own path. Here are some tips to excel at your workplace.
Blow your own trumpet:
People know that marketing is an essential part of moving up in the workplace, and yet you hold back. The reason: You don’t want to be seen as bragging about yourself.You have been taught to underplay things and keep a low profile.
But there are plenty of ways to further your personal brand-and to get the recognition-without grandstanding. The first step is to be sure you can define and understand your brand: what you can offer, who needs to know about you and why. Be clear and direct about the benefits you offer. If you’re simply stating the facts-to the relevant people-it’ll be hard to take that as being needlessly self-promotional. It’s only when you talk about your achievements to someone for whom those achievements aren’t relevant that you can sound boastful.
Another approach to indirect, non-braggy marketing is to work to be included on the big and difficult projects. Those are the jobs that bring visibility. At the very least, try to be on cross-functional teams and projects so that people outside your workplace inner circle get to see you in action. Or take on “extra credit” work like writing articles or finding speaking opportunities. Just be sure the extra work isn’t the kind where you’re in a room working on something that gets you zero exposure. Pick things where the extra work will be recognized.
And lastly, but most critically, do a great job. There’s no better marketing tool than a good reputation. Take pride in your work by paying attention to every detail. Avoid careless moves like being late or missing deadlines. “Talent alone won’t make you a success.” You need to blow your own trumpet- at times.
Clear your Communication Skills:
One timeless and industry-neutral piece of advice I give to employees of all ages is to learn to be the best communicator you can be. I talk to a lot of people in senior positions, and everyone agrees that ill communication is the biggest problem among employees today, particularly among those just coming out of college. You simply aren’t prepared to create and convey a point of view. But sloppy communications hurt you. Clear communications, on the other hand, make you stand out.
Technology is surely partly to blame. We email and we text, and we use shorthand that’s getting ever shorter, and as a result we’re losing our skills in clear, concise expression. One way to reverse this trend is to use every opportunity you have to speak in front of groups. Presentation skills are like muscles. They need to be stressed if they’re going to get stronger. And, like running or lifting weights, the more you do it, the easier it gets, the more you can take on, and the more accomplished you become.
So, in order to thrive, make sure your voice gets heard.
Be your own self:
Lately, many women have rebelled against the idea of “working like a man.” But while we support the general intention-women certainly don’t need to be “like a man” in order to be successful-the fact is that, woman or man, there are always things we can learn from the other gender to help advance our careers. Men are, as a whole, assertive, aggressive, task-oriented, risk taking, dominating, and competitive. Women, meanwhile, are instinctual, nurturing, collaborative, communicative, and responsive. There are some excellent qualities in here that both genders can and should adopt. The fact is that all of one-all “male” traits-or all of the other-all “female” traits-is not how to lead.
Some of the best advice we ever heard on the topic of “how to be at work” is to know who you are-and to be that. Don’t try to adopt a style that doesn’t fit. That said, your ideal workplace persona is very likely a blend of both masculine and feminine traits. Don’t reject something that could work just because it may be how someone of the opposite sex “would do it.”
Wear your own self- be natural and move up the ladder.
Make Your Impact
If we are keen on not just surviving but thriving in the workplace, it is important that we make an impact at work. This is not something that’s done on the odd occasion; this is continuous daily impact. Look for the win-win if you can. But don’t let that, or a need to people-please, stand in the way of the best decision.
It’s better to look hard than it is to look soft. Build your own brand and create an impact. People should know and respect you for who you are- not the kind who would please all kinds of people to sail through. If people find you a hard nut to crack- so be it.
Mentor all the way
Finding a mentor-and being a mentor-is critical. And yet most workers are reluctant to ask for mentors, even when they want them. For those searching for a mentor, the key is to look beyond someone who can give you advice. Find a champion, and make yourself valuable enough to warrant his or her time. Mentoring is one thing, but finding someone with actual follow through-someone who will advocate for you-is quite another. It’s the difference between talk and action.
At the same time, once you have something to teach, become a mentor to someone else. Mentors get nearly as much from being teachers as their students do from being mentored. You may be afraid to give those below you too much good advice, for fear of being replaced. That’s a common fear. But being able to tap into the younger worker’s brain, community, and connections is invigorating. Knowing “what the kids are thinking” is what helps keep the veterans on their toes, and thinking fresh. And that’s what career progress is all about, isn’t it?
Summing up:
For those of you who might be thinking- ‘I already do this”, let me remind you- life is a continuous uphill process and the entire mankind is on this uphill task.
If you do not continuously dissolve and evolve you slowly and unconsciously change lanes and become survivors instead of thrives. Therefore, to escalate your path to success, tread softly, hone the above skills and step up your pace and happiness at work. Once started it is never ending.
Happiness, they say, feeds on itself…

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