Today, people want to be recognised for what they do in their careers. However, recognition for your work is no longer the sole responsibility of your manager. What about self-recognition? How often do you look at the work you do and feel immense pride without having to be told what you are doing is great?
Don’t feel that this would appear over confident; how will you ever build upon what you do if you can’t be your own critic? Of course on the other side of the coin, it’s also imperative that you know when you could have done better. This is just one of the many aspects of your career journey. In this #CareerCounsel session, we will look at how you can know your work is having a massive impact and how you can push this effort even further.
How many people feel making a difference in their company is important?
To kick us off, let’s have a quick look at our respondent’s of our salary survey report and their thoughts on the matter. 37% thought that the opportunity to make a real difference in a role was absolutely essential. A further 40% believed it was important in a role, so it shows that making a difference is recognised as a big deal within a role.
How can you make an impact in your career?
You need to plan ahead; why do you want to make a difference and how can you go about it? Here are some tips:
- Performance evaluation – It’s likely you have an annual performance review to determine what’s working, what you want to improve and your plan of action for the year to come. It’s great to sit down with your manager to discuss this and any points raised should be taken constructively. You can also have your own personal ‘self-audit’. What do you personally want to achieve in the year to come? Work out what areas of your work can allow you to make a huge impact, alongside what might stand in the way. Once you know what you want to personally improve, be it colleague relationships or productivity, you can tackle the hurdles accordingly.
- Know your limits – Don’t plan too much, too soon. It’s important not to push yourself too hard, especially if it’s just for the sake of quick progression and ‘looking good’. It’s important to enjoy what you are doing in a genuine way. How else will your career achievements have a positive impact on you, and not just your business? Be genuine in your goals and work closely with your team to make the most out of what you do. Speaking of colleagues…
- A positive influence – Making a difference doesn’t end at smashing performance goals or earning the most. Consider how your colleagues will play a part in your plans; how they can help and you can help them in return. There’s no better way to progress with pride than having the people you work with shout about how much of a pleasure it was to work with you!
As a manager, how can you encourage the best performance from your team?
If you have a team of people and you want them to be open about their career goals and what will make them happy to be there, you can encourage them to speak out!
- Genuine interest in your team and what makes them proud of their work is so important. If you feel they’ve done a great job at something, ask them how they think everything went. While they did a good job, they might still feel that there was something they personally could have done better. There might also be something they feel slowed them down that you could help with. Don’t limit catch ups to monthly meetings and formal chats…this will encourage your team to be open with you.
- Ask individuals a very simple question: What do you feel will help you excel even further? Value their thoughts and see what you can do to help going forward.
- Be constructive. For example, if an employee has an idea they think will make a huge impact, they might not always come to fruition. Don’t dismiss any ideas and definitely don’t forget them. Instead, advise on areas of the idea the employee can look at to improve and come back to it at a later date. This allows your team to feel valued and that you are encouraging them to make a real difference.
Next time you are happy with something you have done at work, take a moment to enjoy it and understand the impact you are making everyday!