Recognition
Deliver an Oscar-worthy performance in the workplaceFew of us may be professional actors, but many of us do "perform" in our jobs. And how often is our "performance" Oscar-worthy? RANDALL CRAIG - Special to Sun Media |
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If you're like most people, you want to do a great job, but are you doing the "greatest" job possible? To do the greatest job is not about your efforts, rather it is about the results of your efforts surpassing expectations -- and surpassing anyone else's results.
When asked, most award winners will say it was hard work and support from others that helped them achieve their greatness.
But what does hard work and support from others mean? Digging behind these words suggests several specific activities:
Put in your time. Nobody can be the greatest without spending time learning their craft.
Put yourself in harm's way. Stretch yourself in new ways -- and prove you are up to the challenge.
Rehearse your presentations. If your message is important enough to give, then it's important enough to deliver well.
Get feedback from your clients. Consider engaging a skilled consultant to collect feedback in client interviews.
Tape yourself during your presentations, then review the tapes and videos in detail. If you are humble enough, review them with a trusted adviser.
Focus beyond the spoken word. Tear apart your old written reports and marketing materials, and look for ways you could have improved them.
Find a coach. No matter how great you are, surely there is something that you can do better. A coach, in a certain sense, can play the role of a "living mirror," providing feedback and instruction beyond what you can see for yourself.
Engage with a mentor. While playing a similar role to a coach, mentors provide a different, often more senior perspective.
Give back. If you are approaching greatness, you have an obligation to give back to your professional community, workplace, and to everyone else who helped you find your success. Not only does this make the system work, but by teaching what you know your knowledge deepens even further.
Be grateful. The thank-you speech is almost as important as the award itself. The speech does recognize all who helped make the Oscar winner great, but more importantly, what is said and how it is said is a reflection of the winner's character.
Randall Craig is the author of numerous books, including Leaving the Mother Ship, The Working Resume, and the best-seller Personal Balance Sheet: A Practical Career Planning Guide.
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