The ultimate achievement of success in business, is truly displayed when you are in fact the boss. A managerial or ownership position certainly has its perks and rewards; however the path towards this achievement is a merciless trudge where only the strong survive. Having the key fundamentals in business will only make the process easier. Here are a few skills you must have to be successful in corporate America.
- Work with Integrity
In corporate America, times may seem rough, the environment can be cutthroat, but one must always possess the ability to remain honest throughout the process. Dishonesty towards coworkers, customers and clients will only come back to bite you in the long run. Always stay true to these people, and yourself as well. No one is perfect and it’s justifiable for people to make mistakes at times. The truly honest person will admit their mistake and use it as a learning experience to never replicate that mistake. People will appreciate that more than a faster answer that may not be completely correct. - Be Punctual
When asking an owner what their biggest pet peeve is, many will say the tardiness of employees. The reason why most people are employed is because they showed up to the interview on time; why should showing up to work late be any different. Work like you are always trying to land that job, never take your position for granted. In addition, always work a full day. Hard workers work hard 100% of the time they’re at work. If you can execute this skill, then it is that much easier to teach it and expect it from your own employees. - Be Respectful
It should be a given that one always works with the utmost amount of respect, but it should be shown to every person you come in contact with. The saying “You never know who’s watching” applies here, as you never know who you are making a connection with. You could easily be talking to the CEO of a fortune 500 company and not realize it. In addition, working in an environment where everyone is respectful; and there is no drama, will be a positive influence on the employees and make the workplace a more positive one. Always show respect and your employees will one day follow in your footsteps. - Be Organized
Being organized is clearly a given, however make sure your thoughts and ideas are organized too. Ensure any ideas or concepts are well researched and well thought out should you present them to your superiors. Being unorganized and unprepared is worse than keeping it to yourself until ready for presentation. It is difficult for someone to change their impression of you if negative. Keep everything as simple as possible and never overkill anything with complexity. - Be a Leader
The ability to lead or coach is clearly a must for owners. The whole point of the system is to learn, understand and ultimately teach. Having great leadership skills will already put you at an advantage in the corporate world. Learning and grasping concepts are great for the individual person, but training in those very concepts are more valuable. A saying that best fits this skill is: “You can give someone a fish and feed them for a meal; or you can teach someone to fish and they can feed themselves forever.” - Be Brave
Bravery and courage are essential components of success. Dream big, but act small. Always do the little things and never ease up on the basic functions of work; but also set goals for yourself and always strive to reach them. Setting goals is a great way to gauge yet also inspire yourself. Never be afraid to take chances; worst case the chance you take is just a learning experience. The motto “You always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” applies here. Take shots often and fire at will. If you can execute these skills in corporate America, there is a great chance you will be successful in the end.
It amazes me how often some of my coworkers are late for work. A wise coach once taught me, “If you’re early you’re on time. If you’re on time you’re late”. These are great tips for corporate America as well as life in general…
I agree, all these skills are essential in the workplace. This was a nice take on highlighting important attributes for success.
I like Mary’s answer (above); to me, it is unconscionable to be late a lot. Being late says a lot about how much one really cares and the idea of being responsible. If I were a boss, someone who was late and continues to be so–even after being asked to change–would be gone quickly.
The author makes very good suggestions here. I especially like how the owner or boss’s perspective is revealed.
I place a high value on demonstrating integrity, being organized, and being on time or early. These are 3 of the most basic and yet important keys to success in any work environment.
It amazes me to see people who show up consistently late to work. You know what time you have to be in so just get up a few minutes earlier. The ironic part is it is often people who live the closest so it isn’t like they are hitting lots of traffic coming from 5 minutes away!
This is definitely a well thought out list. Absolutely abide by all those tips and you will succeed!
Respect is obviously a big one. That might be rule number one.
Being organized will really help a lot of the other areas. I cannot work in chaos!
Respect is number one for me. Treat people with dignity and kindness and you will be rewarded.
Organization will help on many areas. I hate working in a mess and disorder – makes everything seem so chaotic and it is hard to find your work and things you need.
Each suggestion on this list is important so I don’t think I could single out one as being the one to absolutely follow. All these skills are necessary to being successful in your career.
Loved the point about organizing your thoughts too. Many people don’t think before they speak or do research to support their view. This makes you stand out in a positive way for sure!
it blows my mind that punctuality is an issue for so many people. I have a very long commute, but I know when I have to be in for work and I get there early every single day. I’m usually one of the first too!
Brave is actually a good tip. People are always so fearful at work. You need to be brave and courageous sometimes.
I agree with Kiernan, being brave is underrated! It can help you excel and bolster your confidence and ability to stand back up when you do fail.
Organization is something that could help you in achieving a lot of these suggestions. Keep things in order so you don’t have to stress out or work in a cluttered space.
Respect really is crucial. If you treat others with dignity it will be returned to you – atleast in most cases!
The tip to be a leader is a great one. If you want to be a great leader you also have to follow the rest of the tips to be a good example so it all just ties together.
As far as being punctual, I’d even say be early. Always give yourself some extra time to get where you are going and give yourself time to settle in when you get to work.
A positive attitude is a really good asset that people often lack. I have a coworker who complains all the time that he doesn’t get to work on the bigger projects or he doesn’t make enough, etc. etc. – but then he doesn’t step up and show he can take on the important tasks. Complaining will get you nowhere, but positivity and a can-do attitude will show your worth and are far more productive.
Here is a tip for punctuality: If you are going to show up late to work, maybe don’t do so with a giant Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts cup in your hand. Maybe if you skipped the caffeine fix you’d be on time for work! I see this a lot – people showing up late to work, but obviously made a stop along the way even though they knew they had a time crunch. Just set the alarm 15 minutes earlier and plan the morning a little better!
Integrity is sorely lacking these days. It is ridiculous the lengths people will go to try and get ahead in a company. A bunch of snakes in offices lately! Just do your work and mind your business and don’t take others down with you.
Call me old fashioned because I think parents should be responsible for teaching kids the proper way to approach work. Bring back the ethics class in high schools and help students prepare for life after graduation.
I work in a small factory, in the office. And you’d be surprised how polite and on time everyone is. Everybody is glad they are working for such a good boss that it’s just natural to do our best for him. He respects us and we are thankful.
It’s not so easy to be brave or to be a leader when all your ideas are knocked by the boss. He doesn’t want to change anything.
Morale was incredibly low at my old job because many of these great tips were ignored by the leadership. These things trickle from the top so if the company isn’t being run well you will see lots of unhappiness. Definitely follow these tips, especially if you are going to lead.
It is kinda sad. A lot of people don’t have these qualities.