Nine Sure Fire Ways to Boost Your Career

1. Differentiate yourself using a Personal Value Proposition. A PVP a description of how your unique mixture of five key elements creates and/or adds value for an organization and the people in it. A personal examination of these elements reminds you of all the strong, positive things you bring to the table and it points out the gaps you need to close before you can position yourself more effectively. Examine each element separately, combine all the data and created a succinct summary of what you have to offer.

The five elements are:

• The knowledge you have about the events and trends in areas critical to or of most interest to your company and clients;

• The kinds of internal and external networks that you can tap into to meet corporate/client needs;

• Your ability to generate and implement superior solutions to organizational issues and concerns;

• The academic, technical, or interpersonal tools you can bring to bear in key situations and; finally,

• The personal attributes and strengths you have that sets you apart from others in the organization.

2. Describe yourself in terms of the outcomes you create, not the activities you engage in. Fashion a one-line proclamation, a marketing slogan if you like, that reflects the outcomes you create for your company and its customers.

3. Make it your personal mission to always make others, including your boss, look good. Someone once said, "you can have anything you want; all you have to do is give others what they want." While there is the odd exception to be sure, most people are fair and honest-willing to share credit where it's due. Making others look good sweeps you up in their success and almost guarantees that they will help you enjoy successes of your own.

4. Be a can-do person; take to heart the words of the old song, "the difficult I can do right now; the impossible will take a little while." Instead of saying "I've never done that," say, "I'll learn how to do it." Don't be afraid of steep learning curves. Remember the organization hired you because you were smart. Look for the opportunity in difficulties rather than the difficulties in the opportunities.

5. Develop success from failures. Don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes. But if you do either take responsibility-don't project or rationalize. Admitting a mistake or failure and moving forward is proactive not reactive. Above all, identify and remember the learning opportunities in the situation. Forget about everything else and move on.

6. Ask for help. IQ expands exponentially. Together, two people bring four times the intelligence. Super-hero individualism is often counter-productive.

7. Remember the Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule as it's more commonly known. Eighty percent of your effectiveness comes from twenty percent of your activities. Manage your priorities and don't waste time spinning your wheels by engaging unimportant activity.

8. Get yourself in front of an audience. Learn to make effective presentations and make as many as you can. Good presentations are the mark of a true professional. You, your ideas and skills receive broader corporate exposure that, in my experience, can result in challenging new assignments, larger budgets, greater general recognition and even raises and promotions.

9. Develop and use internal and external networks, both formal and informal. People who network well often receive and move information faster, cut through organizational politics more quickly and, create solutions better suited to the needs of their companies. Research in different types of organizations shows that those who develop and use networks usually get to serve on more successful teams, receive early promotions more often, get higher compensation, and get better performance reviews.

About The Author

© Dr. Tom Olson 2004, all rights reserved Permission to reprint article granted as long as this signature remains intact.

Dr. Tom Olson is the author of Don't Die With Your helmet On. Visit www.Dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com for more information about Dr. Tom, the book and his work

info@dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com

---

The Amazing 3-Step Formula To Success!

Believe it or not, there is a special 3-step formula... Read More

Glimpsing Your Personal Heaven

In my private practice for the past 13+ years I... Read More

The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!

The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of... Read More

Discover Your Path to Success - Part 3

If you have read this far, we both know you... Read More

What is Success Really?

Every single one of us is trying to reach success.... Read More

How Do You Spell Success

A person who is illiterate can look at a word... Read More

Modelling Your Way to Success

The fastest way to succeeding in anything, be it online... Read More

What if... You Could Have it All? 6 Steps to Living Your Best Life

What if?you could have it all? 6 Steps to Living... Read More

The Synchronicity of Success

I love the idea of synchronicity.Perhaps it's just part of... Read More

Success from Failure

Those of you who know me, know that I am... Read More

Identity Theft - Defining Who We Are

Identity theft!We've all seen them. The commercials use the voices... Read More

Strategy - Personal and Business

Many different daily tasks require a strategic process to be... Read More

Quick Steps To Make This Your Best Year Yet

Looking for a way to make this year your best... Read More

How To Improve Communications With Those Who Were Difficult To Communicate With In The Past

You talked but didn't get a response. You talked but... Read More

Knowledge Is Not Power

Whoever first said that knowledge is power was probably selling... Read More

Easy Steps to Work-Life Balance

Knowing when to disconnect, shut it off, unplug, or walk... Read More

Check Your Comfort Zone At The Door

No matter what goals and dreams you desire, there's a... Read More

How To Acheive Your Full Potential

If you want to make more of your talents -... Read More

Self Improvement and the Power of Concentration

One the most important Self Improvement skills to develop to... Read More

Success Formula Revealed - How You Can Apply The Ultimate Success Formula?

When you analyze the traits of successful people, you will... Read More

If NASA Can Launch The Space Shuttle, Then You Can Become A Successnaut

The recent mission of the space shuttle Discovery is NASA's... Read More

Do You Fear Your Own Success?

Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More

Authentic Success

A More Effective WayI own a stack of self improvement... Read More

Your Success

Success starts in your mind. Positive Thinking creates the advantage.Success... Read More

Nothing Comes Easy

I am constantly approached by people when I am speaking... Read More

Who Makes You Better?

Commit yourself to spending time only with people who are... Read More

Neutralize The Negatives!

We are repeatedly told that we should forget about unpleasant... Read More

The Power of Small

Routinely, I rise out of bed before the birds, and... Read More

8 Ultimate Secrets Skyrocket Your Success!

Whenever I ask people this question, "what do you really... Read More

Top 10 Miraculous Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal

In earlier generations it was common to keep a diary... Read More

Creating Meaningful Success

'No man is an island' the saying goes. The implication... Read More

Own Your Success

Are you getting frustrated because the work you continue to... Read More

Candleburning 101

One of the questions that I am asked most often... Read More