HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW OTHERS DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN THRIVING CAREERS? DO YOU FEEL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO DO THE SAME? MY TWO PART ADVICE COLUMN WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP WHAT IT TAKES TO BEGIN AND CREATE A WORTHY AND SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
4. Stick With It
Some people get stuck or become unhappy with their jobs and careers because they are not evolving as fast as they should. Some quit when the going gets tough because they believe they don’t have to take crap from anybody. Challenges and limitations are what force us to use our creativity and if we quit before that creativity can awaken and inspire us, then we’re doing ourselves a great disservice.
Career building takes patience. The thing that defines our human experience the most is time. Time is what breaks everything down so that it doesn’t happen at once, at least according to Albert Einstein. We must master the art of patience, by developing self discipline and allowing things to happen in their due course, acting and seizing and opportunity when the time is right, to giving others their time in the sun as we are sure to eventually get ours.
Sticking with it also means understanding that sometimes things must end. That doesn’t mean we must stop, but rather choose an alternative course of action and allow things to finish when its time is up. Everything has a season and is constantly changing, as we too are constantly changing, it’s with this self discipline and vision are we to know when it’s time to move on.
5. Master Relationships
Even if you’re amazing at your job, you still need interpersonal skills. This means having to deal with people from diverse backgrounds with different ambitions and perceptions. The worst of it implies dealing with butt-kissers, to egomaniacs, workaholics, and lazy and incompetent people. The best of it implies collaborating with passionate, like-minded people who want to take their work and skills to the ever evolving next level. Sometimes, we deal with tough clients, sometimes we deal with dream clients. No matter the type of person we are to meet, interpersonal skills are valuable in developing excellent customer service experiences and lasting professional relationships.
Improve your skills with coaching, read inspiring and educative literature, ask around the office for ways you can improve your attitude and public image, reach out to those with excellent interpersonal skills and ask for their advice. Make relationships a priority, because relationships are what lines our coffers and builds our livelihoods.
6. Be A Strong Communicator
As we must develop our interpersonal skills, it’s essential to be a strong communicator. Even if we’re not dealing with people every day, we must be able to articulate what it is we want from ourselves, need from our colleagues, and expect from those around us. Clarity in communication is what calms disagreements, if not altogether avoids them, and what helps us create what we really want to see in finished results.
Choosing powerful, effective words and articulating ideas are what builds strong cases, reflects who we are and what we believe in, and gets what we need done. If we avoid improving our communication skills, then we’re hurting ourselves and others because we’re saying no to opportunity, stronger relationships, and long term success.
** Read Part 1 of tips for having a successful career.
Do you have advice for building a long and successful career? Share it with me and others and let’s make this list longer together.
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Leslie, Inc. offers solutions for finding happiness through one-on-one coaching, mindful leadership retreats, and digital products. If you’re ready to GET HAPPY, check out Leslie’s guide packs. For more tips on achieving your state of happiness, sign up for Leslie, Inc’s weekly newsletter.