2. Communicate powerfully.
It is imperative that you communicate effectively in order to gain a rockstar status at work. An age old saying goes something like this, “It’s not really what you say, but how you say it.” Communication is what separates an ordinary employee from an exceptional one. Having effective communication skills is the key to a leadership position. When you communicate well at work, it eliminates misunderstandings and encourages a healthy and peaceful work environment. Efficient communication with colleagues, your manager and upper management will help you to get noticed. It also lets you get your work done quickly and professionally.
3. Get all booked up
To gain a rockstar status at work, education for you doesn’t end when you leave school, college or university. Read up on your profession in textbooks, newspapers and specialist journals to tune into the latest knowledge, trends and ideas. Not many of your colleagues will make time for this, so it will put you a step ahead of the rest.
4. Put yourself forward
When there is an opportunity to be a spokesperson, take it. It might be speaking at a conference, meeting with another business or doing an interview with a reporter, but aim to get your name and face out there and associated with the company. Leading a challenging project will showcase your skills and position you as a potential leader.
5. Your greatest hits
To gain a rockstar status at work, you must have a catalogue of hits and successes. So, keep a portfolio of your best work. You could simply keep a folder on your desktop and copy files and emails into it, or you could make a physical portfolio in a ring-binder. Either way, make copies of impressive documents and work achievements (certificates from courses, emails where you land new clients, photos from training days you organised, meeting agendas, positive appraisal notes…anything!). When it’s time for your annual appraisal, request a pay increase or go to an interview, you will be sure to impress like a rockstar.
6. Knowing me, knowing you
To grow into your best self, you need to have a mentor or a coach at work. Get to know the people that matter at work and in your field. Introduce yourself to some of them and ask one or two of them that you admire to mentor you. As well, when you meet new colleagues, clients or customers, put your best foot forward. To standout at work, you need to be memorable, so first impression matters.
See Six Powerful Ways to Stand Out at Work
7. Manage your workload efficiently
When you want to impress so that you can gain a rockstar status at work, you can fall into the trap of saying “yes” to everything. Doing this will put your fingers in many pies. This may leave you feeling frazzled and over-stretched, it’s not wise to always say “yes” to everything. Know when, and how, to politely say “no” with reasons, and your work will be all the better for it.
Infographic: How to Gain a RockStar Status at Work
8. A smile costs nothing, politeness gets you far at work
Often it’s the employees at ground-level who notice the glaring inefficiencies in business, because they are close enough to the day-to-day tasks to see what really works. Smile and be polite to everyone. If you’ve noticed a way to save costs, improve productivity or customer service, then put your idea forward. There’s nothing to lose and it could just be the thing to get noticed at work. Ruthless career-climbers might fulfill their job tasks flawlessly, but be too busy focusing on number one to endear themselves to colleagues. Be polite, friendly and helpful towards others. Ask people about their day. Hold open a door. Be kind.
9. Find your voice
Even if you’re shy, try to speak up in meetings. You don’t have to dominate the floor (and it’s probably better not to) but being so quiet that you blend into the background won’t help you get noticed at work. Be memorable. Make a great impression. Introduce yourself when you meet new colleagues, clients or customers maintain eye contact and speak up.
See Five Steps To Standing Out At Work
10. Dress to impress at work
There’s a business adage that tells you to dress for the job you want, not the job you already have. So even if your dress code is casual, donning something a little bit smarter will speak volumes about your ambition and professionalism. If you want to gain a rockstar status at work, don’t believe the saying that you should never judge a book by its cover. Frankly, if you’re in any organization with lots of employees who are always smartly dressed, then you better dress sharply too. Ensure that you always dress appropriately for work with clean, ironed smart clothes. That old worn out jeans and shirt that you love to wear or your lucky pants might be comfortable, but they are certainly not going to let you gain a rockstar status at work.
11.Right on time
Do whatever it takes to be punctual, because timing is one of the most visible marks of efficiency. If you’re late to the office or to a meeting, not only does it make you look like a slacker, but it also seems rude and dismissive of your colleagues’ time. They will be insulted. Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier if necessary!
12. Make others look good
This might seem counter-intuitive when your goal is to standout at work, but you should help other people to shine as well. It will set you in a positive light when you work together, and they will like you more for it too.
A good question to ask yourself first before you embark on following how to gain a rockstar status at work is, ‘what do I consciously want to accomplish in my work life? Do I have the commitment and competencies needed to achieve it?’ If you are not sure that becoming a rockstar at work is truly what you need, then it’s time to do what will make you happy.
Now that you have explored how to gain a rockstar status at work, what else can you add to the 10 points shared on the Infographic above? Add you comments below.
