How many of these traits do you possess? The more you have it, the nearer you are to being a Super Employee. So work on it.
Do all the followings and you will be a Super Employee.
- Know who is your Boss. Understand his culture, his like and dislike. (his values , his interest, his behaviors and etc). Make his priorities your priorities. Suit your style to what he expected. Making conversation with him will be much easier if you can click to his likings. Also know who is his second man. It will make your life much easier.
- Have good rapport. Have good rapport with the Boss. Rapport enhanced communication and communication enhance trust. Life will be difficult if communication and trust is at it’s low. Most of your energy will be zapped on matters to overcome communication barriers instead of pleasing him.
- Know how you are evaluated. If you do not know how your performance is being measured, how can you improve your performance? Know precisely which skills, behaviors and accomplishments you will be evaluated on and rewarded. Focus on them like a hawk. Find the answer on “How good can I make it?”.
- Do not be sloppy in your work. It undermines trust. Do not make assumption that the Boss will correct your facts, memos, spelling, supporting documents, etc. You can be sure some things will get changed and mistakes corrected. Soon you will be asked to show more facts/figures, and you will see more changes, and more amendments. Soon all your work will be given to someone else. If he endorsed your memo, his image is at stake.
- You must be dependable. Do not just come with problems. Come also with solutions and some options. Problems usually have several aspects; key tasks, dates, people and resources needed. Which one do you want your boss's input? Plan the appropriate question to ask. Write it down so that you might not forget and have to bother him again. Your boss is busy. His best bet, if pressed for a decision, will be to say Wait or No. If you want his decision, help him decide. Quickly remind him what you have discussed the last time you met him and the objective rather than rushing to the 'what' and 'how‘. Quickly summarize the propose options and criteria for the work. Focus: where you need his help (informing, decision. etc.). Be prepared with facts, provide graphics/ visuals. After the meeting, summarize the decision. Once a decision is made follow through. If there is any new development which could render the decision wrong, let him know immediately. Do what you have promised.
- Manage his time. You may represent only one percent of his problems, don't make it as if it is 100 percent. You have worries, problems and issues to tackle. While your time is entirely devoted to them, do not expect your boss's time to be the same. The simpler the problem, the less time you should have him spend on it. Get all the things ready. Choose the right moment.
- Always look energetic. Show that you are taking immediate actions whenever there is complaint or instruction in front of the Boss. Be a motivator: the person everyone wants to be around. Who would you prefer, the one with zest or always looking tired and grumpy? Show Commitment. As if you are going to work with the organization for a very long time and working to finish up things as if the dead line is yesterday. Do not be the one to whine or criticize the Boss or company’s direction.
- Make your boss look good. Finish your work on time and with a high level of professionalism. All he need to do is to put his signature. Bring your boss ideas that will help him and the department. Do not assume he knows as much as you do (You spend all of your time on the issue), but assume he can understand. Do not flood him with technical stuff he does not understand, hoping that it will knock him down and force him to agree with you. It will become a barrier in communication leading to lack of trust. Use simple language, with examples, best practices, summaries that help him see a perspective. By creating understanding, you relieve tensions; create trust that can lead to better decision-making. Keep his secret if you have any. If you do not have anything good to say about him, better not to say anything. Enhance his image. Be properly dress and presentable when you are around him. People will associate him with his subordinate. Show respect. If you play the “bad cop and the good cop” role, you will have to play the bad cop role. He want to look good.
- Show that you can take some responsibility. Take some responsibility for work outside your job scope. If you make mistake, admit it and move on by focusing on what you have learned rather than what you have done wrong. If you always make mistake and the only things you have to offer is just say sorry, your Boss will certainly get tired of it. You will be a burden instead of helping. Mistakes are made all the time despite our best effort. However, the more important question is what can you do to make it right or better still, how to avoid it?
- Be systematic. Plan your activities and resources. Your filing system must be good to retrieve what you have done. Have schedules to follow so that you might not be mislead. You could also measure what you have done. Rank your work by importance (importance means, you will be punished for not doing it) not by urgency (urgency can also mean that you can get away with or without excuses). Be on time. Arriving for work early or meetings on time shows you are dependable and able to manage your time effectively. However if you are too early for a meeting, people might think that you have too much time to spare. You must be deem to be seen busy. In a Japanese Company, if you are seen walking around, it means you are wasting time.
- Be useful. Provide your Boss with accurate information. Remember, information is not just data or statistic. If he can not use the data, in his work, it is considered garbage. Turn stone into cut diamond: analyze the results before reporting and not be the mailman. Data overload creates stress/ rejection. Keep him informed all the time. Be his ears and eyes. If possible be his “brain” (I have a Japanese Boss who at his Farewell Dinner had mentioned to me that : “ You are my brain”. This is because I wrote his key note address in the Company’s monthly magazine and speeches. All he needs to do is endorse it).
Make your Boss aware of the happenings in your organization or current issues. Do not just give only bad news: give good news too. Make sure the Boss does not get the information from others too often, as this shows that you are too slow in informing him. Simplified the report. Contribute to his informal network (help him shape his vision of the world and how to act) so that you do not always have to be defensive about information fed by people you think are not reliable. Wrong information lead to wrong decision. Have the file ready at any time. If the Boss want the information. You can extract it instantly. Instead of saying you are still looking for it or are still typing it out.
- Enhance your knowledge and skill. Take advantage of company’s training programs and get involve with projects outside your expertise. Invest in self development. Read a lot. Stay up to date with new technological and new changes in your field. Have that “Hungry Spirit” to always be better. Keep yourself well informed. Keep up with the industry and company activities. You can produce information on your job without delay. So ensure that your statistic or information can be excess at all time.
- Always be courteous. Always give the greeting first. Show respect and loyalty to your boss and speak well of him to others. (At the very least do not bad mouth him to anyone.)
- Always be flexible. Sometime the demand for your time and effort can be insane. It goes beyond your job descriptions. Bosses need people who can adapt and go with the unplanned needs. Even getting his personal chores done.
- Take care of your health. How can you contribute to your work if you are on sick? Be productive means being at the work place and contribute. You are as good as you can perform. How can one perform well if he is sick? Worst, if he is not around when required. As they say “Water in America cannot dose off fire in Malaysia”.
- Work first, before personal life. You have to plan your personal life in advance. If you are the one who took leave because your spouse has to work. So where do you stand? Your spouse seems to be more important than you are. For a super employee, balance life is a myth.
You are expected to work long hours and do any type of assignment. According to Charles Darwin, “It's not the strongest or the smartest of the species that survives, but the ones who can best adapt to change" If you are good but not available when required, others will take over your place.
- Do more than expected. Do the extra mile. If you can, expand your job scope, do it. Take on added tasks, do extra hours, and do not say, "That's not my job."
- Show that you are a team player. Show your boss and colleagues that you care for them and offer to help out when they need it. In an organization no man is an island. Even if you are very good in your field, if you cannot work in a team, you will be sideline. Ever heard the phrase “majority rules”.
- Show positive attitude. Always portray a positive side. Do not let others think you work because you have to. Make it as if you are the model employee. This will enhance your credibility.
- Make yourself available at any time. Work comes before personal matters. The higher you go, the less time belongs to yours. It is as if you have sold your time to the Company. As they say “The higher it is the less time you have for the family” . As the Boss you will certainly want your staff to be around when you need them. After all, the Boss has Bosses too. Wait until he goes back. He might want your service when his boss, want the information there and then. Make sure your phone is always on. Make sure you return his call.
- Have Strong Communication skill. He likes it if you can speak on his behalf and settle the problems. This will save the Boss time for other important things. He like things done without the hassle to do it himself. He does not have to contact the parties concerned unless he likes to. It is best that you practice HORENSO (Japanese corporate ways of efficient communication) in your daily work to enhance your work efficiency and relationship with your bosses and colleagues. HORENSO will help enhance your communication and social skill.
- Be transparent. Do not promise what you can not deliver, and avoid surprises. Be transparent and predictable. Surprises can backfire. In doing your work regularly involve your boss and colleagues in the process, agreeing on key indicators, so that neither you nor him will be surprised by the end results.
- Keep his secret. Be a trusted person. Bosses sometimes like to spill out some confidential things up to get ideas and views from people he knows can keep secrets. Keep his secret if you have any (personal or work related). If you do not have anything good to say about him, better not to say anything. No one likes babbling staff for a subordinate. Do you?
- Never give-up. Accept the Boss complaint with open mind. Do not criticize him. Most Bosses will guide their staffs who show genuine commitment and willingness to improve. Develop thick skin, so that you do not get hurt easily whenever hostility comes your way. Always believe time will heal. If there are glitches along the way, the Boss and colleagues are angry with you, let time heal the anger. Persevere, continue with your effort. Have a strong support system. At least have someone you trust to share your happiness and sorrow throughout your mission of being a Super Employee. It could be your friends, parents or siblings. It will make it much palatable.
- Do it NOW. Whatever you do, do not delay. Do the most important work first.