The management of yourself is by the direction of your own thoughts.
It appears that it is time to begin if you have not.
Remember: Control your own destiny or someone else will.
There is no secret formula to being successful in life. Perhaps you share the sentiment of a friend of mine who made the decision to get himself and his life firmly under control. He told me, “This is the life I have to live. I might as well get it right”. If that is what you’d like to do, then let us begin. I think you’ll enjoy the journey.
When most people say, “I want to be successful”, I ask them to define success. This usually results in some stumbling around. “To make as much money as I need, to do the things I want to do… to have a job that I like…to go as far as I want to go in a company… to be both rich and happy, I guess.” These, the common answers I get, are deceptive perceptions because success can never be a destination. One never reaches it, because there are further goals and changing objectives. Success is a journey. One should aspire to perform each task in a successful manner and be ready to move on to another more challenging and rewarding venture.
The following list is based on the premise that you can plan for upward mobility and career success.
- Shu or empathy has positive side and a negative side. The negative side is never do to others what you do not want to be done to you. The positive side is to help others to stand up when you want to stand up yourself; help others to get ahead when you want to get ahead yourself.
- The environment you move into is a stronger force than you. It will not change to accommodate you. You cannot afford to clash so strongly with the environment that you appear to be out of step. If you want to be accepted and become part of the team, you probably have to learn how to conform to the prevailing corporate culture. If you do not want to conform to a given environment, then do not take the job. Face reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.
- Manage your job and your career. Be realistic about your ambitions, strengths and weaknesses. Do not be over ambitious.
- It is important to establish one’s credibility with the staff, the clients, the business circuit and the bosses. Make sure your work is done on time, under budget, to company requirements, and with pride.
- Be candid with everyone. Drop personal notes to colleagues who have achieved recognition. Develop a grapevine to give you feedback on your reputation. Keep close to the person whose job you may want, he or she often has a lot to say about a successor.
- Sharpen your professional outlook. Be a professional in your skills, appearance, thinking, actions and accomplishments. Dress well and look sharp appropriately, but never overdo it. When people meet and greet you, they automatically see you as the polished, successful professional that you are.
- Speak with conviction. Choose your words well. Be articulate, concise and to the point. People will respect this quality in you and because of it; they listen to what you have to say.
- Serve on committees and task forces. Especially those with high visibility in public or the organisation.
- Join the relevant professional or trade body and become active if it is progressive. Meet as many people as you can.
- Collect business cards, distribute your own. Write notes on the back of each card. This will remind yourself of where and when you met the person and what to remember about him or her.
This article was contributed by Emeritus Professor Gary Goh, who is an Author, Educator and Entrepreneur.