How to climb the corporate ladder
If you're wondering how to improve your chances for promotion at work, and to move up the corporate ladder, so to speak, you might find the following tips useful.
Be the expert
Albert Einstein once said that if you study a subject for only 10 minutes a day, every single day, after one year you'll be an expert on that subject. Use this to your advantage. Gain more information and knowledge about your role - or the role of your choice - than anyone else currently doing that role. Try to distinguish yourself from all the others. You can bluff your way through interviews, but once you've got the role, you need to perform. Make sure you do. You need to display exceptional or above average expertise, so that others can rely on you.
Be accurate
Develop the habit of doing your work with a minimum of mistakes. Sloppiness or tardiness is a definite no-no for someone wanting to be promoted. Strive for absolute professionalism in everything you do.
Be faster than others
By doing your duties faster than everyone else, you are being more productive and can encourage your managers to give you more important tasks to do. If you're sitting around twiddling your thumbs, you know you can do more. Do it. And do it fast. And then ask for more. This will gain you attention and merit points.
Display productivity awareness
As yourself if you're giving more to the organisation than what you're being paid for. It might not be easy to work out, but just thinking about it is better than ignoring it. If you can improve your productivity, it has a direct bearing on the results. This will be noticed by others. Making the organisation more money from your efforts will not go unrewarded. But be patient. It might take a little bit of time, but you won't be ignored. You have to show your worth to ensure they consider you for promotion.
Don't be a time waster
If you arrive late for work, have long breaks and private phone conversations, you're wasting not only your time but the organisation's time. You need to shape up if you want to be promoted. Be a role model for others, show them how to save time and use time productively. If you're a time waster, you're only showing the organisation that they'd be wasting their time in promoting you. Show them you can be more productive than anyone else.
Be open to change
Not everything is going to be the same forever. Business requires growth, and growth requires change. If you're not open to change and taking advantage of any opportunities that result from it, you're just going to be left behind. Display a leadership attitude by moving forward with strength and enthusiasm. Defending your management's decisions to your fellow staff will only increase your leadership status and trustworthiness to the organisation.
Be organised
Whether you have your own office or share space with others, showing that you're organised will only help your promotion possibilities. In order to be considered for promotion you need to not only be able to organise yourself, but also other people. If you can't even keep yourself organised, there's no way you're ready to keep others organised.
Read and understand management principles
Make sure you are knowledgable on how to be a good supervisor or manager. Start practicing effective management principles even if you're not a manager, as the practice will help you be a better manager when they promote you to one. Prepare yourself in advance for the possible promotion.
Confidential information
You must understand and respect the need for confidentiality. You only need to make one mistake in this area to never be trusted again. You have to prove your understanding and ability for discretion, so that you can be trusted.
Display initiative
Involve yourself in suggesting improvements to the way things work. See any problems as opportunities for you to show how they can be improved. Make sure you analyse andy problems and make suggestions for improvements. Don't just report problems, do something about them.
Following the above tips will make you a valuable asset to the organisation, and they will surely promote you. Good luck!
Be the expert
Albert Einstein once said that if you study a subject for only 10 minutes a day, every single day, after one year you'll be an expert on that subject. Use this to your advantage. Gain more information and knowledge about your role - or the role of your choice - than anyone else currently doing that role. Try to distinguish yourself from all the others. You can bluff your way through interviews, but once you've got the role, you need to perform. Make sure you do. You need to display exceptional or above average expertise, so that others can rely on you.
Be accurate
Develop the habit of doing your work with a minimum of mistakes. Sloppiness or tardiness is a definite no-no for someone wanting to be promoted. Strive for absolute professionalism in everything you do.
Be faster than others
By doing your duties faster than everyone else, you are being more productive and can encourage your managers to give you more important tasks to do. If you're sitting around twiddling your thumbs, you know you can do more. Do it. And do it fast. And then ask for more. This will gain you attention and merit points.
Display productivity awareness
As yourself if you're giving more to the organisation than what you're being paid for. It might not be easy to work out, but just thinking about it is better than ignoring it. If you can improve your productivity, it has a direct bearing on the results. This will be noticed by others. Making the organisation more money from your efforts will not go unrewarded. But be patient. It might take a little bit of time, but you won't be ignored. You have to show your worth to ensure they consider you for promotion.
Don't be a time waster
If you arrive late for work, have long breaks and private phone conversations, you're wasting not only your time but the organisation's time. You need to shape up if you want to be promoted. Be a role model for others, show them how to save time and use time productively. If you're a time waster, you're only showing the organisation that they'd be wasting their time in promoting you. Show them you can be more productive than anyone else.
Be open to change
Not everything is going to be the same forever. Business requires growth, and growth requires change. If you're not open to change and taking advantage of any opportunities that result from it, you're just going to be left behind. Display a leadership attitude by moving forward with strength and enthusiasm. Defending your management's decisions to your fellow staff will only increase your leadership status and trustworthiness to the organisation.
Be organised
Whether you have your own office or share space with others, showing that you're organised will only help your promotion possibilities. In order to be considered for promotion you need to not only be able to organise yourself, but also other people. If you can't even keep yourself organised, there's no way you're ready to keep others organised.
Read and understand management principles
Make sure you are knowledgable on how to be a good supervisor or manager. Start practicing effective management principles even if you're not a manager, as the practice will help you be a better manager when they promote you to one. Prepare yourself in advance for the possible promotion.
Confidential information
You must understand and respect the need for confidentiality. You only need to make one mistake in this area to never be trusted again. You have to prove your understanding and ability for discretion, so that you can be trusted.
Display initiative
Involve yourself in suggesting improvements to the way things work. See any problems as opportunities for you to show how they can be improved. Make sure you analyse andy problems and make suggestions for improvements. Don't just report problems, do something about them.
Following the above tips will make you a valuable asset to the organisation, and they will surely promote you. Good luck!
