Would you hire you?

 

Putting yourself in the shoes of your employer might just be the perspective you need to raise your game. Here are some thoughts on attributes that get you noticed and feed your potential. A valued employee is:

Responsible and accountable: You do not limit your thinking or role to what your job description is. You think about the company as a whole and what you can contribute to make it succeed. You demonstrate a sense of purpose and mission. You aim to do your best. Your sense of accountability makes you see assignments through to the end.

More than competent: Technical skills might get you the job, keeping it and becoming valuable takes more; the right attitude, ability to lead, a strong sense of collaboration, a desire to do more than is required, the ability to take initiative. Think about ways to become versatile and functional in more than one role.

Does no harm : ‘Harm’ that an employee can inflict in the workplace includes demonstrating obnoxious behaviours such as back-stabbing, stealing credit from others, spreading negative rumours, bullying people into getting what you want and undermining others including your boss or throwing tantrums. These attitudes poison the environment and make you highly dispensable.

Has objective perspective : Being objective is being open-minded, learning to think past yourself, hearing other people out and not becoming saturated in your own opinion. You can develop objectivity by getting away from your usual environment from time to time, collaborating with people who think differently from you and putting yourself in situations where your opinions are positively challenged.

Shows practical intelligence: Don’t theorise or try to show yourself as the ‘smartest in the room’ This is about asking questions, exploring ideas, learning from experiences and using them to improve work through practical application and common sense. Plug yourself into different situations and learn to function well.

Is an agent of change : A valued employee is not content to do the same thing day in, day out with the same level of result. He or she is not happy to remain in their comfort zone, but steps out to do more and better. They think about new ideas, translate them into practical ideas, assemble who they need to execute those and remain persistent in order to get results.

Doesn’t operate on title alone: The committed employee is not status conscious or interested in getting a title before doing more. Now take action: Name three ways in which you give more value at work from now on.