promotion

A friend of mine who has a career in a service industry recently asked me to comment on skills and traits that are impressive to managers and that imply leadership potential. My response was the following list, and the hypothesis that pursuit of these habits might enhance the probability of promotion. What do you think? Are there items you would change or replace?

1. Provide quality customer service. Don't settle for just getting the job done. Seek to exceed expectations in every transaction with superiors and customers. Go the extra mile and beyond, without being asked, showing creative initiative.

2. Be an excellent communicator. Ask questions and share information efficiently and accurately, without wasting the time of those you serve. Use e-mail and other online tools as effectively as possible to maximize productivity. 

3. Do sweat the details. Always be thinking one step ahead of the process, anticipating issues and resolving them ahead of time. Be known as a detail person.

4. Avoid procrastination. Think ahead, do ahead. Make detailed checklists and plans with deadlines and follow them. This applies to daily and weekly responsibilities as well as long-term projects. Break big projects into small pieces. Be known as a person who gets tasks done well before deadlines, not as a person who puts out fires.

5. Be responsive. Quickly respond to all communications to show concern and attention to detail. Never let any customer or colleague doubt that you have service as your primary goal.

6. Cultivate organizational skills. Use digital and analog tools to stay on top of task lists and subordinates and their assignments. Make your calendar organized, make your computer organized, make your smartphone organized and yes, make your workspace organized. Attention to extreme tidiness in workspace and in the space you control within the organization will impress others concerning your professionalism, and send a message about your style. Appearances do matter when it comes to evidence that you are a highly organized person.

7. Work predictable and realistic hours so that your family has a sustainable lifestyle, but be on call at all times for customer service and problem solving.

8. Offer creative suggestions and show your value by solving problems inexpensively and through collaboration. Become known as a problem solver who gets things done quickly, ahead of schedule, under budget, and without reminders.

9. Request feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. Request a 360˚ anonymous review at least annually to see how you are doing. 

10. Be a good manager of volunteers and subordinates. Show respect, demand excellence, mentor with 3 compliments for every correction, display a sense of humor.

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