The skills offered by you are more important than mere seniority or years of experience you have. Hence, as an employee, you need to show your employer that you have the skills that make you an asset to the company and you are worthy of a salary hike or a promotion. Here is how you can do it.
Don't wait for the day of the interview to show them your skills. Start the process much before that. Show it to them through your day-to-day activities and tasks you perform.
Think of every activity and task as an opportunity to impress your stakeholders.
Keep all the data of your achievements noted in a sharable format. When the time comes you can bank on it.
Do not miss any opportunity to have direct and fruitful interactions with your stakeholders and senior leaders. They need to know you exist.
If your employer is impressed, the interview for promotion could just be a mere formality, as they would have already chosen you for the next level.
Now you know how to make your employer think of you as a future leader. The next step is to acquire or enhance the following fifteen skills to improve your performance; increase your productivity and prepare you for higher positions.
1. Keep Updating Your Skills:
Don't stop learning new skills once you get a job. This is a sin in today's highly competitive business environment. You should keep sharpening your skills to stay up to date with the current trends. If not, your skills will be obsolete and you will no longer be needed, let alone promoted.
2. Be A Good Listener:
Once you gain some experience, you get into a habit of instructing people more rather than listening to them. That's where the learning tends to stop. If you really want to improve yourself, listen more and listen well. People automatically share more with you if you "Listen to understand and not to respond." Thus, you increase your chances of learning from others. Great leaders are good listeners.
3. Appreciate Feedback:
Learn to ask for and appreciate the feedback. If anyone shares feedback, thank them and ask for ways to improve rather than being defensive. Start working on the feedback as soon as you receive it. Ask for help if needed.
4. Be Adaptable:
You should be adaptable to the ever-changing business needs. The ones who are reluctant to change eventually are left behind others who embrace change. Consider every change as a learning opportunity.
5. Be Proactive:
After spending some time on the job, you definitely become aware of the finer nuances of the role you are in. It then becomes imperative to be proactive and avoid anything that might lead to an otherwise avoidable failure and cost your employer. Being proactive helps you to plan well and stay ahead.
6. Be A Team Player:
Some jobs may require you to be an individual contributor (IC). However, if you wish to move up the career ladder, where you will be required to lead and guide others; you must become a team player. Do remember, not all excellent-performing ICs make good leaders. Share your experience, ideas, skills, etc. to help others and contribute to the team's success whenever possible. It will not only make others appreciate you but also get your employer's much-needed attention.
7. Stay Positive:
No one likes whiners. People always appreciate positivity. After all, being positive helps you stay focused and increases your productivity. Being negative only takes you down.
8. Set Goals:
Get into a habit of setting goals as it helps you channel your energy and resources for greater results. All successful leaders are good at setting goals and achieving them.
9. Manage Your Time Effectively:
Those who finish their tasks on time are highly appreciated. Only those who manage their time well can be efficient, set goals, and achieve them. They are also considered to be good team players and hence are wanted by all.
10. Manage Your Conflicts Well:
A business can't afford to have too many conflicts going on within the workforce. Conflicts directly affect processes and result in loss of time and resources. The ones who are good at managing and resolving conflicts; and creating win-win situations, make effective leaders.
11. Better Your Communication Skills:
You need to be good at expressing your thoughts and sharing your ideas effectively. A good leader has to have this important skill. Whether it's a meeting, discussion, brainstorming session, speech, or interview; good communication skills help you.
12. Take Initiative:
When you take initiative, you have a better chance of being noticed by your employers. Do not be afraid of the unknown or the first one. Step ahead and take on the challenges.
13. Write Effective Emails:
Almost every official conversation happens through emails now. The way you write emails speaks a lot about your personality. Do remember, your emails reach people much before you even interact with them. They create your first impression and hence they are vital.
14. Learn Effective Usage of Microsoft Excel or Similar Tools:
Microsoft Excel or other similar tools play a vital role in a leader's career. The effective management and presentation of data are crucial for any leader. That's where excel becomes your main tool. There are many who just keep using the basic functions of excel without even realizing what they can achieve by using the advanced ones. All smart leaders want to learn excel to excel.
15. Acquire Leadership Skills:
Learning to think and act like a leader will help you contribute to the success of your employers. Stakeholders always want leaders who speak the same language and share the same vision. Hence, acquire and enhance your leadership skills.
Sawan is a Learning/Training consultant with over thirteen years of rich experience in training. He has been associated with companies like Amazon, Various Multinational and Domestic Companies, Leading Training Organizations, and prestigious Educational Institutes. He is a go-to person for setting up and leading training teams, managing training programs, and creating and curating content for online and offline learning. He is passionate about helping companies revive their training interventions and enable their workforce to achieve business goals.