By Pamela Jett, CSP
It is a myth that good work gets rewarded. The reality is that good work alone is not enough to experience success. Several years ago a participant in one of my workshops shared the following:
Pamela, I work so very hard. I am always on time. I don’t waste time chatting and gossiping. I come in, I get to my desk, and I get to work. The numbers prove that I get more work done than any of my colleagues. They seem to waste time going to lunch with people, participating in extra activities, and, in general, seem to brag about what they get done. I am frustrated because others seem to be getting promoted and I, the top producer, am stuck – it’s not fair.
While I could understand this person’s frustration, it was also clearly evident that she bought into the myth that good work alone is enough to get ahead. The reality is that while good work is a first step towards getting attention, authority, and opportunities, good work must be leveraged with good career management communication skills.
Top notch professionals recognize that it is their responsibility to “mind their own business.” They recognize that it is not their leader’s responsibility to know and track how valuable they are, it is their responsibility to communicate their worth and value. They use powerful communication skills to leverage their contributions and increase the likelihood that this good work gets noticed.
One simple way to communicate your value is to replace the words “idea” and “suggestion” with more powerful words such as “solution” or “plan”. People will pay more attention to a “solution” than they will to an “idea” or a suggestion. This is a small change that can make a big difference. And, if you really want to communicate your value, make sure you put your contributions in writing (even if you present them to a group). This increases the likelihood that you will get the credit you deserve when your solution yields great results. Additionally, people will take you more seriously simply because you took the time to put your contribution in writing.
If you are looking for more powerful communication tools to “get noticed” and “get ahead”, join me on February 4, 2010 at noon PST for a powerful one-hour teleseminar to help you “Mind Your Own Business.” Can’t join the live event? If you register, you will receive a download to listen to at your convenience. Register here: https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?program=Jett2010 An audio CD version is also available at http://www.jettct.com/success-store
If you have a great suggestion on how to “Mind Your Own Business” that you believe will help others experience career success, please leave a comment. I would love your suggestions!
Tags: career development, communication
