Administrative Assistant
Did you know, that 75% of current professionals feel stuck in their jobs due to a lack of growth potential? (Oracle). If you’re feeling stuck, you might be wondering, how do you take your career to the next level? How do go you about elevating your job performance to get the recognition and outcomes you are desiring? Follow the steps below to discover ways to elevate your job performance.
Plan, Organize and Prioritize
The first step in elevating your job performance is to create a task list. Rank the items on your list from most important or urgent to least important or urgent. Proofhub.com says, “Understand the difference between ‘urgent’ and ‘important.’ Always focus on tasks that need immediate attention.”
Once you have outlined your list of to-dos, put your least favorite task at the top of this list or after the most urgent items have been completed. We as human beings have a natural tendency to procrastinate the tasks, we enjoy doing the least. Putting the least favorite tasks at the top encourages us to get it done in a timely fashion.
Once you have made your list and ranked the order of importance, figure out a plan on how you’ll accomplish these items. This planning, organizing, and prioritizing can not only include daily items, but how you would like to advance in your career, as well.
Nicole Dohnal, MARS Solutions Group Senior Vice President of Operations plans her goals and to-dos and utilizes two separate calendars to accomplish this, a personal one and a professional one. She also believes in goal setting, “…goal setting is something that is big for me, whether it’s personal or professional, I do both. I have professional goals in place for six-month, two-year, and five-year” targets.
Communication is Key
According to Expertmarket, “97% of workers believe that communication impacts tasks every day.” To elevate one’s job performance, communication is essential. Communicating effectively can be the difference between a job you like and a job you love.
Nicole Dohnal agrees, “…taking the initiative to not be pigeonholed into one position and wanting to learn the different aspects of the company…and finding out what I was really good at,” aided Nicole in her job growth over the years.
She initially began her career in the staffing industry as a recruiter in 2013. As she felt more comfortable in that position, she started asking more questions about different roles and departments within the company. Her supervisors recognized her curiosity, saw her willingness to learn and initiative to ask questions. This led her to a sales position, and eventually to leadership roles.
Be Open to Feedback
Feedback or constructive criticism can strike fear into the hearts of many, but it should be something to learn from and appreciate, not be afraid of. Constructive criticism when offered appropriately, is given to help employees learn and grow from their mistakes.
Peter Stark says, “…the only people who will give you tough feedback are the people who really care about your success.” When provided with feedback, be sure to ask the individual questions to gain clarity and insight on what you should be improving upon.
Furthermore, thank the individual providing you with the feedback, and take the extra step to put their thoughts into action. Peter Stark continues, “Being good at accepting feedback is one thing…but taking action on the feedback you received is what separates great leaders.”
Read
This may come as a surprise, but reading is a proven method to elevate your job performance. Nicole Dohnal, “…. reads all the time…a lot of work-related material…I usually have two books going at a time, fiction and non-fiction.”
AICPA says, “One important way reading helps your career is by helping you develop empathy. When you connect with a character and begin to understand their feelings and emotions, you are increasing your empathy. You gain valuable exposure to other perspectives, which can help you better relate to your coworkers and clients.”
Additionally, according to AICPA, reading a variety of both fiction and non-fiction books can create “better communication, expand your vocabulary, reduce stress, increase your focus” and offer “exposure to leadership.”
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
When trying to elevate your job performance, don’t forget to take time to celebrate your accomplishments and the tasks you are tackling along the way. Feel free to take time out of your day to enjoy a small treat because you completed something off your “least favorite tasks” list.
These small pick-me-ups help you to realize that the hard work you are doing is worth it. And that positive feeling you are left with, in-turn motivates you to continually work harder, therefore elevating your job performance.
Trying to elevate your job performance may seem like a daunting task at the initial onset, but after you begin to introduce the various tips and tricks into your daily routine, it will begin to get easier, and you will finally be rewarded with the confidence and capabilities you have been craving for so long. “Set the example to work hard but have fun too.” – Nicole Dohnal.
