You know you’re good at what you do and deserve more recognition, increased responsibility and a probably even a promotion. But does anyone else know? Many employees are passed by or completely overlooked simply because senior management doesn’t know how valuable they are.
In a Newsweek article, Sharon Allen, Chairman of the board, Deloitte & Touche USA, said: “Take responsibility for your own career. Don’t assume that others are aware of the good work you’re doing. When I was a young accountant, I was unhappy about not getting a promotion. I went to my supervisor and told him all of these things that I thought I should be given credit for and he said, ‘Well, gee, I didn’t know that you had done all of these things.’ It was a real wakeup call. You don’t have to be a bragger, but I think it’s very important that we make people aware of our accomplishments…”
Your accomplishments are the currency you use to calculate your value to the company. When tracking accomplishments, focus on:
- Business results
- The value you’ve provided to the company
- Fact-based, concrete details
- The specific feedback you receive from others
- Quantifiable data is especially persuasive because it measures the impact of your accomplishments
Not only does tracking your accomplishments create concrete examples of your value, the tracking process itself will give you confidence. As you become aware of your progress, you will be more comfortable telling others, in specific terms, how you provide value to the company.
Like Ms. Allen says, you don’t have to be a bragger. Take advantage of opportunities to communicate your accomplishments. If others don’t hear about them from you, they can only operate from perception and second-hand information.
[fancy_box]Today’s guest blog post is courtesy of Joel Garfinkle who is recognized as one of the top 50 leadership coaches in the U.S. He is the author of seven books, including Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level.[/fancy_box]
