If Standing out in Your Workplace was an app we’d all download it and HOW! Alas! Wishes aren’t horses.
Standing out in your workplace requires the right mix of experience, attitude, temperament, and sometimes a little patience. Earning top grades in school and finding the right foothold in one’s career is just half the battle won, and the easier half at that. The second half, a more layered, complex, and longer battle lies ahead.
Life begins when one’s career takes off. This is the time when all that we’ve learn from school, surroundings, environment, parents, friends etc is put to use. This is also when besides pursuing new found career we are also adding responsibilities to our lives, like committing to marriage, building family, etc. If we’ve picked up the right lessons, imbibed right attitude we will sail through successfully; if we have lapsed, it will show in our struggle and failure to handle challenges.
Good thing about education and working towards earning grades is that the process ends at some point. It could be graduation for some, post graduation or specialization for others. But post studies, how you put your education to use is very crucial and decides your success; this is also the point where people flounder.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your career, in mid career, or heading towards retirement, one fact that will always remain true is that one ingredient alone won’t ever spell entire success; it is the right mix of everything that will take you far. People already in jobs will relate to this better that those just starting out.
Education, interested in the career you’re pursuing, your temperament, attitude; everything has to be right. And that’s the only way to stay in business. Be it life and career! You can’t get into anything half heartedly, not put in your best and yet expect success.
While your education will land you the career of your choice; it is your technical and people skills that will help you to grow, lead, and get recognition amidst your peers and competitors; your temperament and attitude will add value to the employee that you are, the team player and problem solver that you are!
It is only when your career reflects all these qualities is when you will succeed. A genius with a bad attitude is a failure. Likewise an amazing quality to learn, grasp, and execute alone will not land you a job of your choice if you do not have formal education/ technical background to match.
Those who succeed and stand out in their work place are also seen to have the X factor. Which could be their ability to get along with their clients or colleagues, their ability to take adverse situations in their stride; it reflects in the power of their network, etc. It is also equally true that different things work for different people in different organizations in different phases of their lives.
See what works for you and what doesn’t. Don’t let social and peer pressure or comparison bog you down at any stage of your career. Be happy wherever you start, whatever you do – give your best, don’t adopt unfair means or be in a hurry to succeed. Like we said in the beginning success is not an app; it’s a journey and will take its own time to come by.
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