OFFICE LIFE

How can we as ambitious employees entering the corporate world quickly distinguish ourselves as excellent workers? The question is, to what extend do we effectively carry our task as required? In the early years, our goal, in other words, is to make our bosses smarter, our team more effective, and the whole organization more competitive because of our energy, creativity, and insights. We have tried to do our job professionally because for years we've been taught the virtue of meeting specific expectations. We were told to expand the boss’s expectations of us and then exceed them. If possible, we have to fully answer every question the boss ask, plus a swerve they didn’t think of.  Indeed, for years we’ve been trained to believe that boss is always right. To avoid disagreement, we were advised to tell lies and make our bosses smile. And we thought working was hard! Those days are over.

How could we change the game? First of all, forget some of the bad advice we learned in office. Don't panic. Just get in there and start thinking big. We are in the real world – to good bosses, it doesn't make any difference to them if we work hard, but not knowing to tell them the truth though that will make them cry.  Remember that in reality, the way to look great and get ahead is to over-deliver. In other words, give the boss shock and awe -- something compelling that they can be proud of. In time, those kinds of ideas will move the organization forward, and move us upward. But be careful of the fact that people who strive to over deliver can swiftly self-destruct if our exciting suggestions are seen by others as “overact” or “trying to show off”  

Someone said we need to do the extra legwork and data-- an analysis, for instance, of how the entire organization might excel over the next few years. We should talk based on the data driven, not based on emotion or perception. Yes, that's right. But in reality, personal ambition can backfire. Now, we're not saying curb the enthusiasm. The minute we do it, we run the risk of alienating people, in particular our peers. They will soon come to doubt the motives of our hard work. They will see any comments we make about, or when we say, how we as a team could operate better, as political jockeying. And they will eventually taking us as their competitors, and, in the long run, that's a label that we can't overcome. Don’t worry, and keep on moving. By all means, over deliver -- but keep our desire to distinguish ourselves as a winner to ourselves. Always believe that reasons can be created, and work professionally is always rewarding at least internally. 

We’ll be a great worker!