“No amount of money ever bought a second of time.” – Tony Stark, Avengers: Endgame
Networking and relationships are powerful levers when starting and growing your business. It’s not just your skills or your resume that make for a successful venture. Little workplace habits and attitudes count for more than you think. Of course, the significance is amplified once you are committed to growing your business.
Even if you are going somewhere you know, it doesn’t mean you know what to expect. The journey is fraught with feedback from people, partners, customers and factors you cannot control. When it comes to business and relationships, have you ever received tough feedback? Were you told something truthful but difficult to hear? Before you give up, remember that tough feedback is information, not your destiny. When you receive tough feedback, be humble enough to actually consider it. Not all feedback will validate the stories you tell yourself. The truth is, we are responsible for our attitudes, not the company we keep. Attitude is a decision. Entrepreneurs who are able to make a business pivot or achieve a significant goal know how to apply feedback and bounce back from setbacks.
That’s the power of invisible skills. Disregard them and they turn into weaknesses over time. Irrespective of when you entered the workforce, during COVID-19 or decades ago, if you have developed some bad habits, we need to shine a light on these invisible skills.
Don’t be that someone who doesn’t:
1. Get to work
If you agree to take on a task, contract or job, then go to work. Show up on time and get to work. Don’t start counting the minutes and hours and stall your efforts only to delay the project. Over and over again, CEOs, consultants and career experts bemoan that employees who can’t get the job done are dismissed and not recommended for other jobs.
2. Own your words
If you say you are going to do something by a particular date or time, then commit and communicate early if you cannot. There is more value in owning a mistake through honest communication, than hiding from communication, hoping a mistake stays unknown. Once you commit to fulfil a particular result, a mistake cannot stay unknown. The spotlight shines on you until you get off the stage.
3. Exceed expectations
It pays dividends when you go the extra step. Value is a currency. If you only do the required minimum and nothing more, you are not marketing your currency. Make a habit of going beyond the minimum in all jobs. Practitioners, contractors, partners and staff who add value end up being invaluable. It shows you enjoy what you do and that you are not afraid of hard work.
4. Understand tact
Diplomacy, delicacy and subtlety are understated values. Don’t sit where you know the same person has a set seating preference at meetings. Don’t eat the food you didn’t put in the work refrigerator…especially if it is not labelled in your name. Don’t replace a private conversation with a work email cc’d to everyone and the kitchen attendant. Yes, avoid red font colour in emails. Being rude anywhere, whether intentionally or accidentally, will make you unwelcomed. Never engage in useless power struggles.
5. Appreciate flexibility
Don’t constantly complain about the other person, the weather, the environment, the type of work or the work conditions — all factors you cannot control. You signed up for the job, the payment, the perks and everything that comes with it. A simple rule of thumb, “As long as there’s life, there’s hope.” Recognize the good that others contribute, through thoughtfulness and small gestures. They too could have chosen differently. Reciprocate!
6. Express gratefulness
An attitude of gratitude multiplies opportunities and ‘second chances’. John wasn’t the most skilled worker; in fact he made many mistakes. But he was always the first to say ‘thank you’ by word or deed, whether it was to offer a discount, a bonus, an extra hand, a phone call or a token that wasn’t requested. He also spent no time complaining about the quality of the gifts the company offered. He was simply grateful. This attitude always landed him repeat business. Also, he never had to ask for referrals.
7. Grasp silence
Do you strive to always have the last word? Resist the temptation. It makes you look petty. If you react to every small word or perceived tone, not only will you not have the energy for the significant challenges, but it will make you look small. It tells your partners, bosses and audience that you are not yet ready to rise to the level of leadership – and you cannot be trusted with bigger jobs and larger responsibilities. If you wield your ego to ‘one-up’ and ‘win discussions’, this is also the surest way to lose business relationships. And if you are looking for reasons to be offended, you will find them at every turn. Learn to let go… Even if a client / customer / job breaks up with you, don’t burn the bridge. Stay graceful. As it turns out, no drama is a good principle in business and personal relationships alike.
Pro-tip:
Give value in advance. What does this mean? Connect a person with a need, to a person with a solution. Help someone else accomplish their goal with no expectations. Share, Connect, Support, Listen, Help. Give a testimonial, contribute to someone else’s marketing efforts. People need people, and the world needs your contribution. It’s easier said than done, but if you want a better job, start with a better attitude. If you want a new job, start with a new attitude.