THE SKY'S THE LIMIT - part 1

When your company's employees work together as a team, they multiply their effectiveness. A study of high-tech workers in a California laboratory showed that the star performers outperformed their mid-range co-workers by a margin of 8 to 1.

When researchers looked for the reasons, they found that the star performers were more adept at working with others. They identified work strategies that paid off for these knowledge workers. They can work equally well for you.

Go-getter
The people who get ahead are the people who are willing to reach out for additional responsibility. They perform beyond their job descriptions, volunteering for additional activities and promoting new ideas.

Share knowledge
In today's competitive world, nobody knows everything about doing business. You have to share your knowledge and expertise with others. Just as importantly, you have to be able to tap the expertise of the people you work with.
The researchers discovered an interesting difference between the top producers and the middle performers at the California laboratory.
The top producers established relationships with their fellow workers before they needed the expertise. When they needed help they knew whom to call. Their co-workers were willing to share their knowledge, because they the favour would be returned.
The middle performers waited until they needed the expertise and then they went looking for it. This cost them time, because they had to earn the trust of their fellow workers before they could benefit from the expertise.

Manage Yourself
Productive salesmen do not need a manager to look over their shoulders all the time. They know what needs to be done, and they do it without being told. They regulate their work commitments, manage their time, monitor their performance and take responsibility for their career growth.

Be A Team Player
The most valuable people in any organisation are team players who look for ways to coordinate their efforts with others. They work to achieve the goals of the group, and are willing to exert their efforts in the areas of their expertise.

Be A Leader
No one can make you a leader by bestowing a title on you. Some of the most effective leaders are leaders simply because people are willing to follow them. They are good at helping their groups achieve consensus on common goals and at developing plans for achieving these goals.

Be A Follower
There is a difference between a follower and an underling. Followers look for ways to help their leaders achieve their objectives. Underlings wait for their leaders to give them specific orders and instructions. Followers think for themselves, but share their thinking with the group. Underlings would rather let someone else do the thinking.

to be continued....

*Article by Nido Qubein, an international speaker & consultant.