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Have you ever sat somewhere having an evening coffee with your peers, and as everyone shares the progress of their career, you are sitting there wondering what you’re going to say when it’s your turn to share? It seems like you’re the only one who’s stuck at the same job, doing the same thing. Have you ever been curious to find out how they did it? Do you, for a second, feel slightly envious of your peers and want to know how they managed to grow faster than you in their career?
If you are feeling this way, then this article is for you. We delve into 10 traits you should manifest to grow faster in your career.
1. Treat challenges as a step closer to achieving your career goals
It is natural that one too many times you may be faced with challenges at work. The nature of the challenges however small does not matter. It only matters how you handle them. Those who treat challenges as a learning hotspot, have opportunities to experiment with new ideas or provide creative solutions to existing problems. Such people have greater chances of excelling than those who delegate duties and responsibilities when caught with challenges.
2. Transform failures into opportunities
Failures can bruise one's ego. They often result in heartaches and disappointments. Worst, they make you second-guess yourself. Are you good enough for this job? Failing has the potential of killing self-confidence – a vital ingredient for career development and business survival. However, instead of having self-pity, be accountable. When a solution does not work this time, you have to do it differently next time. Churning the negative energy of failures into something positive requires you to change your perspective to understand. what worked and what did not work. Mastering this trait makes you less prone to emotional stress.
3. Be the definition of optimism
Well, to be honest, no one excels by constantly being negative about circumstances. To be optimistic requires obedience and pragmatics. In dire situations, when there is a single solution to a problem, do not kill yourself by trying to change what is beyond pragmatics. To be optimistic is to be rational as well.
4. Redefine what career development means to you
Career development takes place in a horizontal manner and vertical manner. Vertical means going upwards the ranks, while horizontal means excelling within departments. Before embarking on your journey of career growth the first step is determining which road you desire to take. This would require setting up individual career goals, and aligning them to the company’s vision.
5. Be open to feedback and criticism
How else are you to know whether you are progressing at something if you do not ask for feedback? Being open to feedback makes us approachable and coachable. It helps to avoid mistakes and pitfalls that one would naively make on their own. Refrain from being the type of person who sees feedback as a weapon waged upon them by coworkers. Instead, treat it as constructive criticism. If for example, you feel offended or attacked when you receive feedback, take some time off to compose yourself and reflect upon it privately.
6. Strive to achieve more
How starved are you for the next promotion? Are you comfortable being in the position that you are in right now? If you are, then chances of you prospering are already diminishing. When your employer notices that you are thirsty to achieve more beyond your current role, you are likely to be given additional roles and responsibilities within the company, and eventually a promotion. However, striving for more does not mean that you are entitled to a promotion, if it doesn’t happen do not be like flies buzzing with office gossip about how you are being mistreated.
7. Have a mentor and a protégé
Having a mentor has one definite advantage. That is, you will always have someone on your side who can advocate for you. Seek out mentors whom you can learn from, and enable those mentors to know what you seek at the end of the relationship. What is your objective?
In addition, it would do no harm to have a protégé or mentor someone in return. Having a protégé also provides a network where you can learn. The business of mentoring can take place either formally or informally. In either of the cases, always be grateful when someone allocates time to assist you.
8. Flexibility should come in handy
Would you be willing to handle a project in another department? Or would you decline the offer?
Day-to-day business operations change frequently, more often, you may be required to lend a hand. Sometimes the demands may go against your career goals. When that happens, will you accuse your boss of misusing your skills? You should be aware that to be flexible not only means working long hours and on weekends, it also means, how ready are you to offer assistance when called upon.
9. Network all the time
Spend time with your peers who have excelled at what they do, and ask them how they did it. Be curious enough to know how their blueprint of success worked for them. Aside from peers, also build your network thoughtfully around clients and subordinates and your management team. It is from these foundations of professional connections that you may learn and derive a working formula.
10. Curate your work
Aside from organizational goals, you as an individual have personal goals that need to be achieved. Sometimes you may be focused on achieving organizational goals but you are far from achieving your personal goals. Make it a habit of taking stock of your personal goals periodically.
In conclusion, these traits are pointers of where you should start. With time, you could design your own way and be successful at it. Believe in yourself.