We all strive to move up in our careers and earn a promotion. We work long hours, meet deadlines and try to present our best selves at the office. But at times, despite our best efforts, it seems like we are running in the same spot. It can be annoying that other people get ahead while you wonder where you went wrong.
The truth is that some habits can impede you without you even noticing it. These little things can snowball and drastically affect how you are perceived in the workplace. Identifying these habits will empower you to modify your approach and increase the likelihood that you land that promotion.
Putting Off Work That Needs Doing
Avoiding important work for too long can lead to bigger problems down the road. You might have the idea that pressure gets you working faster, but that can lead to severe errors.
More importantly, your boss will eventually realize that you never seem to get anything done on time, and are always rushing in the 11th hour. This behavior will damage your reputation and make them unable to trust you with bigger projects (or a promotion).
Not Taking Initiative
You think just putting in the work is good enough; it is not. Those who get promoted know how to help people without having to be told. They seek out problems to solve and new ideas to test. If you are just sitting around waiting to be told what to do next, you may as well have a sign on your forehead that says: Not Ready for More Responsibility.
When you take action before being told to, it demonstrates your leadership capabilities, and that is what bosses want more of.
Poor Communication Skills
We need a common language to communicate well at work. It can lead to confusion if you cannot simplify your thoughts enough. At the same time, if you simplify too much, your team might not see the details of what they need to do, which can lead to errors or missed deadlines.
Communication must also be timely. If you fail to update your boss, they may very well think you’re trying to elude them or not showing up for work. Clear communication indicates you are professional and reliable. Two crucial qualities if you want a promotion.
Avoiding Feedback
Negative feedback is never fun, but being too averse to it can stunt your growth. When feedback is given to you and you ignore it, you are missing out on an opportunity to get better. Ultimately, your boss will probably notice you aren’t learning or growing in areas that are weaknesses for you.
When you are committed to getting better, and actively show it through action, people will notice. That commitment to do better is something bosses often seek when determining who gets that promotion.
Gossiping About Colleagues
Although office gossip might be seemingly harmless, it could lead to very serious outcomes. Your coworkers will probably stop trusting you and your boss may begin to see you as a troublemaker.
Employing this practice hurts your credibility and makes it very difficult for people to view you as a manager. Stop trying to create office drama and get ahead of the game by focusing on work.
Being Chronically Late
Being 5–10 minutes late might not look like something serious, but being late to work or meetings can discombobulate the schedule of your team. It is an utter disrespect for other people as well.
If you keep doing it, your boss will start to consider you a non-reliable person. Being on time is a bare-minimum requirement of work and falling short of it can severely damage your prospects for advancement.
Failing to Network
You might miss out on opportunities if you do not have the right connections. At work, you need to be known and seen by decision-makers. Otherwise, they might have forgotten about you when it comes to promotions.
Creating a circle of contacts within your organization can lead to opening some doors that may otherwise be bolted shut.
Not Updating Skills
The workplace is a morphing beast. Ignoring trends may cause you to appear out of touch with people who are staying current. Employers look for employees who can catch up with new technologies and standards.
Taking the initiative to update your skills and improve your knowledge indicates to your employer that you care about where the company is going and that they can put you in charge of its future direction.
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