By Abel Pagaling
The current high employment rate shows there are more employees than there are jobs available. At the same time, global competition is putting pressure for businesses to be lean and profitable. This means businesses will look at everything within their operation to ensure they have the most efficient process and the BEST employees. Processes that don’t add value will be scrapped. And employees who underperform or just meet the expectations will find themselves looking for another job sooner or later.
With a tight job market, you don’t want to be the one knocking on businesses’ doors. Ask those who have been out of the job and they’ll tell you how tough it can be for many of them to land that next position before the employment insurance runs out.
Here are four ways to impress your boss the RIGHT WAY so you don’t become part of the statistics.
1. Focus on the outcome, not on your activities.
Looking busy to fill your time in the workplace is a non-starter if you want to stay employed.
Being busy with work activities will not necessary remove you from the “lay-off” list, although it might put you at the bottom.
What you want is to be on the “essential employees” list. These are the people your company can’t afford to lose.
To be on this list, you need to deliver results, which means you need to focus on the outcome, not on your activities? Be clear on the value you are adding to your organization. You need to deliver results constantly.
For example, if you’re asked to complete an item at 3 pm, complete it by 2 pm, and ask for another task or project to work on. You might not get a new item, but the gesture will impress your boss. He knows you’ll get the job done and that you’re not wasting company time.
2. Show up over-prepared for your role.
Know your material, and know it well.
If your boss asks you about an item in your line of work, you need to be able to give an expert answer.
Too many employees prepare only for scheduled meetings. If you want to impress, you need to be a walking expert on what you do.
There’s nothing more impressive to an employer than over-prepared staff who know her work inside and out. Anticipate questions your boss might have for you. Speak his language. Be his go-to person. Strive to be worth more than the company is paying you.
3. Work with change.
Competition creates change, which means you will encounter change sooner or later. This could be a new workflow, new technology, or a new boss.
Don’t be the employee who resists change because “it doesn’t make sense” to you. If you have a new boss, establish a good relationship right away. If there’s a new tool or software you need to start using, do your homework and learn it quickly. If you want to impress your boss, learn more than what’s required.
The bottom line is when there is change, get the ball rolling ASAP. Be adaptable. There is no “good” change or “bad” change. There’s only change. How you respond to the change is what will make it “good” or “bad.”
Embrace change and see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Remember, “How you see it, is how you feel it.”
In the workplace, delivering results is what keeps the lights on. And when the lights are on, you have an employer.
Impress your boss with you action, not your negative reaction. Work with the change.
4. Give new ideas.
Bosses are primarily tasked with two things.. results, and how to deliver them.
The first three suggestions dealt with results – focus on the outcome, be over-prepared, and working with change.
But to impress your boss, suggest new ideas. Look for ways to improve your results, your team’s results, then your department’s results. Be the “outside of the box” thinker.
One bright idea could significantly improve your team’s performance. Have several of those every year and you will make it easy for your boss to carry out your quarterly or yearly performance reviews. It will also make it difficult for her to put you on the chopping board list.
Your job is your livelihood, but it can also be your adventure. Be the employee that your boss will run towards, not run away from.
Impress your boss the right way and who knows, you might get the higher position from a former employee who just “did” what they needed to do.
Abel Pagaling is a co-founder of FCM.
He is a manager, an entrepreneur, a writer, a community servant, and a motivational speaker. His passion is personal development and leadership.
Email: abel.pagaling@filcanmagazine.com
#Filipino Canadian Magazine #filcanmagazine #FCM magazine
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