We’ve spent some time on this blog discussing the warning signs that you may be in firing range at work, or that you’re unhappy in your current job situation. This week, CNN.com has an interesting piece on ways we might unknowingly sabotage our own efforts at a successful career. Among the highlights:
- Not keeping your skill set current: The business landscape is ever-changing and there is more demand for jobs than supply. Not staying on par with colleagues and those vying for your job will be a deathtrap. Companies are looking for ways to reduce expenses or get the maximum return on their investments, and if someone else is capable of producing a greater return, you are at risk of being replaced.
- Failing to deliver results: Winners in business know that it's all about accountability. Those who harbor a sense of entitlement for simply having put forth effort, irrespective of the results of those efforts, are guaranteed to fall by the wayside.
- Confusing efficiency with effectiveness: Those who think that communicating via e-mail replaces the need to actually talk with people around them fail to recognize the importance of personally connecting with others in today's highly automated and technological environment.
- Believing you are irreplaceable: As soon as you convince yourself that you and only you can do the job right, your star will surely start to fall.
- Knowing all the answers: Professing to know it all can readily stagnate a career. Winners remain unceasingly interested in learning ideas and approaches. They stay current, get new ideas to follow up on and earn the respect of their teams.
- Losing perspective: Intuitive business people recognize that, despite their best attempts to do everything right, sometimes they approach roadblocks and seek the advice and perspective of a respected friend, colleague or even a business coach.
This is a great wake-up call for the current crop of employees who believe that merely showing up to work equals a paycheck. All talk of the labor shortage aside, as things stand you must continually prove your value in order to be worthy of a place in most organizations.
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