20 Ways How to Perform Better at Work

Doing well at work is not just a matter of getting paid. It is also about self-satisfaction and feeling that what you do, matters towards a bigger picture. I know how important it is to have a job which fits all these criteria. Nevertheless, I want to focus on another equally important topic which is doing well at your current job.

Know their expectations

This may not be obvious to you right away, especially if you are new at your job. Take your time to find out what your boss expects from you. It can also help to know the expectations of other people you work with. After all, we rarely work alone. Your duties may be more or less entwined with the duties of others, so you will benefit to understand how your work fits with the rest. Knowing what is expected of you will help you focus your attention and energy on what matters, rather than be scattered over tasks no one appreciates.

Anticipate their needs

As you spend more time in the organisation, you will begin to perceive patterns that emerge within the department. You will anticipate the needs before they emerge. It is very useful to develop this skill as it gives you time to act. You can deliver solutions in time or even ahead of time. This proactive approach is very well perceived within any organisation.

Get to know your boss and your team members

Working with people requires more than just basic social skills. Teamwork relies on all the members working together in a coherent manner. This means that individuals perform better in a group as they are working in a mutually supportive environment. You cannot perceive your work colleagues as faceless people. They are all individuals with a unique set of personalities, hopes and needs. Knowing what makes them tick will not only show you how to work with them effectively, but also how to do well at your job as a whole.

The same applies to your boss. The more you know them, the better you get at anticipating their mood, their desires and their fears. If you can make use of this information and address their hopes and fears early enough, you will get a competitive edge and put yourself in a position where everyone respects you and wants to work with you.

Find a mentor

Find someone senior at your organisation to be your mentor. Ideally, you trust this person and you two get along well. Find the time to have regular meetings with them either over lunch or coffee. This will provide a great opportunity for you to ask them all the questions you have regarding the company operations and general questions about your growth. As the time goes by, such a person will become an invaluable asset to you.

Improve your communication skills

Good communication is a must in all social interactions. Failing to communicate well is the major reason for arguments amongst people. You would be surprised to know that many people still struggle to communicate well. There are two fundamental rules of effective communication which are listening and speaking. You need to listen to the person to understand what they want from you and you need to know how to articulate yourself well so that the person understands your point.

Never stop learning

Immerse yourself in your industry by learning more about your subject area. Go to conferences, seminars and short courses relevant to your industry. Aim to become an expert at what you do. You may also want to expand your horizons into other areas which are loosely connected to yours. This may become useful if you decide to shift your career into a slightly different direction.

Generate ideas with action plans

Ideas are great but they are even better when they come with action plans ready for implementation. This is because ideas by themselves do not bring profits. Your manager will love you if you give them solutions in a form of a proposal either verbal or written, as to the problem in question. Such an approach saves everybody’s time and sets direction on what matters.

Work smart

‘Work smart’ is a very overused statement that often lacks a proper explanation. However, this specific working style denotes a perfectly balanced and flexible working routine. Flexibility and balance are the key here. You want to be flexible enough as to deliver good quality work when and where needed to achieve excellent results. But you also want to balance the time when you work more, with time to rewind. So, make sure to over-deliver, but do not work long hours, weeks by weeks without a decent break.

Volunteer for side projects

 Ask to get involved in side projects across the departments or even internationally. You will not only come across as proactive, but also learn other sides of business. You will get exposure to new challenging scenarios and grow socially as you meet various people or even culturally if you get sent abroad.

Ask the right questions

The very first meeting with my big boss was designed in such a way as to let me ask him questions. The topic wasn’t specified, and there was no formal structure to it. All I was told is that I will need to ask him questions. I asked him general questions regarding the company and various businesses. At the end of the meeting, he concluded with a statement: “I understand why you’ve been picked.—Because you ask the right questions.”

Asking the right questions can indeed take you a long way. Questions prompt your thinking process. If you ask questions in the right way, you get better and more accurate answer. This is regardless of whether you are asking someone in person or if you are searching for the answer in Google.

Become reliable

Your reputation is something you will have to build starting from your first day at work. It takes time for people to get to know you and your working style. You want them to get to know your good side. Show them how reliable you are. Make sure you always do what you say you are going to do with quality and within the right timescale. Don’t make people chase you and don’t do things too quickly either, as they will question the quality of your work. It is all about the balance of time and quality.

Accept feedback gracefully

Don’t be scared to make mistakes. They are a vital part of your learning curve. However, make sure you learn from them. Do not get offended or upset when people give you feedback. They do that not to put you down but to show how you can improve. Accept their words gracefully and thank them for pointing out things you could do better.

Speak up at meetings 

This point is especially difficult to satisfy when you are an introvert and you tend to speak scarcely. Meetings are one of the best ways to show off your talent. Make sure you speak up at meetings so that the management knows that you have something to contribute.  

Exercise professionalism

Professionalism ranges from the way you dress (which shows your attitude towards work) to delivering on time, not missing deadlines, getting things done as you said you would and showing up to meetings on time. Every profession requires a distinct type of professionalism.

I encourage you to develop your own style. Your professionalism is a vital part of the image of you that other people will develop in their minds. If you want them to respect you, learn to act professional. Come across calm and as if having everything under control. This attitude will make your colleagues comfortable around you.

Record your achievements

Keeping a record of your achievements has many benefits. You can easily remind yourself what you have been working on in the recent past. It helps to build your self-confidence as you notice the amount of goals you have accomplished. This is particularly useful when you are feeling low about yourself. Finally, keeping a track of your achievements always helps in writing your yearly performance review which will ultimately contribute to your salary increase.

Ask for help if needed

There is nothing wrong in asking for help. On the contrary, it is a very useful exercise which can save you from trouble on multiple occasions. If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification. You may be surprised but people will be more than willing to explain better. It is far worse to neglect miscommunication as it can develop into something which is not easy to fix.

Refuse tasks

You should know that you are only human. There is only so much you can do. Every one of us has a distinct working style. You should have this in mind when people give you tasks to do. Do not accept, if you know you can’t deliver. You would be better off refusing the tasks or asking for an extended deadline rather than rushing through things just to get them done.

The Big picture

Do not lose the sight of the bigger picture. You are a part of an organisation which has a certain purpose and values. It operates to bring profits to its stakeholders and to serve its customers. Learn the values of your organisation and find out how it operates. Your organisation will benefit, if you can understand it better and adjust your working style accordingly.

Positive attitude

Positive attitude will take you far in many aspects of your life, even at the workplace. Come to work with a positive mind-set and leave the office every time feeling grateful for another day of “job well done!”.  Don’t assume things will go wrong before they genuinely do. Approach challenges with an open-mind and see possibilities, where others see obstacles.

Like your job

If you hate your job, you cannot be good at it! It is as simple as that. Life is too precious and way too short to waste it on a crappy job, negative colleagues and an angry boss who never gets satisfied. You will be better off finding another job. The world is such an enormous place and there is so many opportunities out there. All you have to do is to open to those opportunities and grab the one that is the most appealing to you. You do not have to chase happiness. Let it come to you instead and when it does, simply say: yes!