How to be a star at work ppt @ bec doms mba

1. HOW TO BE A STAR AT
WORK

2. You probably know a star or two
where you work – colleagues who seem to
be more productive, more effective, more
together. They sail their way to the top.
They set the standards everyone else has to
follow. How do they do it?
What sets star performers apart is
they know how to use what they have. Do
you?
YOU CAN!

3. Star performance offers other benefits besides an
enviable reputation. Money, for instance. Stars
get rewarded for carrying the team. Other teams
want them, so stars have more employment
options. And because they know how to do more
in less time, they have life beyond work.

4. Read this summary to
learn how to get stellar
results by changing your
daily behavior. Stars are
made, not born. If you
have the drive to make it
happen, you too can be a
STAR.

5. Look for Opportunities to Exercise Your Initiative
 Stretch beyond your job description. Look for
solutions for small local problems. As you gain
experience, you’ll be able to tackle bigger
issues that affect the company’s bottom line.
 Help out your co-workers, your team, your
department. Your initiative must benefit
someone other than you or it isn’t an initiative.
 Stick to your idea from start to finish. Rally the
resources you’ll need.
 Accept the risk involved. You’ll be staking your
reputation on your initiative & occasionally
rocking the boat. That means you’ll make
enemies. Learn to live with it.
Show a little initiative. Better yet, show a lot. Doing your job, even doing it well, isn’t enough.

6. Develop Effective Work Habits to Increase Your
Value
 Stay on the critical path. Critical path leads to happy
customers, profitability, & increased shareholder value. If
you don’t see any critical path connections in the work
you’re doing, find tasks that do.
 Get into the flow. What distinguishes star performers is
that they know when & how they are most productive. To
achieve flow, you must first enjoy & find meaning in your
work. Then you need to create a work environment that
provides enough mental space to concentrate.
 Practice self-management. Review your productivity level
on a regular basis (whatever works for you). Plan ahead
for for crises.
Star performers don’t just manage their time, they manage their careers. They make sure
that what they do & how they do it add value to their employers.

7. Put Together an Expert Network
 Networking Etiquette
1. Learn what networking partners expect.
2. Choose your partners wisely.
3. Network before you need to.
4. Don’t try to create a network through cold calling.
5. Do your homework.
6. Credit lavishly.
7. Get up-to-speed fast.
8. To take, you must give.
You can’t be a star alone. You need other people, now more than ever before.

8. See Issues as Others See Them
 The Five Cs
– Customer perspective. Your job has an impact on customers.
Talk with your customers to better understand their needs &
motivations.
– Colleague perspective. Instead of being defensive, listen to what
your colleagues say. They may have useful advice you can use to
improve your work.
– Competitor perspective. Do you know who your competitors are
& how you stand up to them?
– Company-management perspective. Learn to think like a CEO.
This means knowing what your organization’s goals are, which
are most important, & how your work fits into them.
– Creative dissonance perspective. Step outside your field and
draw ideas from other disciplines. Think cross functionally.
You can see a big picture better when you look at it from different angles.

9. Use Teams to Your Best Advantage
 Check for company support. Start at the top down to your
own department. If teamwork is both valued & necessary at
your company, you will be expected to join many teams.
Learn to choose wisely & participate effectively.
 Make the right decision. Exercise judgment & control. If you
think you’re wrong for an assignment, explain why & suggest
a qualified candidate to replace you on the team.
 Play an active role. Once you commit to a team, be
proactive. Work with the team leader to influence both the
composition & the direction of the group.
Before you decide whether to be a team player or solo flyer, find out what
approach works best for star status at your company.

10. Be the Kind of Follower Leaders Want
 Sheep followers. These people are passive & completely
dependent. They do what they are told, & no more.
 Yes-people. They’re dependent but they participate
enthusiastically.
 Alienated followers. These independent thinkers once
were active participants, but at some point they become
disillusioned by someone or something.
 Pragmatic followers. They do what it takes to survive.
Usually, this means they take the safest route possible,
even if it means sacrificing their own good ideas.
 STAR FOLLOWERS. The kind leaders know they can
depend upon. Competent, conscientious, cooperative.
Followers contribute about 90% to the success of any organizational
outcome-leaders, only 10%.

11. Be the Kind of Follower Leaders Want
 QUALITIES OF STAR FOLLOWERS:
 Make leaders’ job easier.
 Offer input or information while there is still time for
them to act on it.
 If you & your leader disagree on an issue, get your
facts straight before making your case.
 Use persuasion, not threats.
 Have the courage to stand up for what you believe is
right even though speaking out may mean losing your
job.
 Be prepared to stand alone.
Followers contribute about 90% to the success of any organizational
outcome-leaders, only 10%.

12. Earn Your Status as a Leader
o Expert Leaders. Most teams are made up of experts
whose knowledge complements each other.
o People Persons. They earn their leadership status by
working in the trenches with teammates not by sending
orders down from the top.
o Momentum Builders. Individuals who know how to jump-
start a project & see it through to the end.
People make good leaders because of their expertise, people skills, or ability
to get something done.

13. Learn the Unwritten Rules of the
Game
 Check out the landscape.
 Every company has its own personality or culture.
Look for clues everywhere.
 Learn the accepted practice before charging in.
 Volunteering for committees & assignments is a good
way to learn more about your company.
Create your own niche.
 Develop expertise that others don’t have but need.
Call it street smarts, call it organizational savvy. It’s no mystery. It’s a
skill you can learn.

14. Communicate Your Message
Effectively
 Whenever you do a presentation, tailor your
message to your audience.
 Craft your speech around your audience’s
needs, not your own. Make it interesting &
relevant.
 Keep props to a minimum. Use them to
enhance, not dominate your presentation.