There are some very BASIC characteristics to look for before you promote someone. Obviously we are looking for the right set of skills, behaviors and attitude. But even more basic than that are some habits to look for.
HABIT 1. Show up on time – If my friends heard me say I’m always on time, they would crack up. I actually have a reputation for being “fashionably” late. But the truth is…I usually am on time in my business. I have never missed a flight, or been late to an interview or meeting with a client. Why do I make such an effort to be on time in professional settings?
Because I know in that scenario my reputation is on the line. And so is the reputation of anyone who is persistently and consistently late or missing deadlines. I think the word to remember here is COURTESY. When looking to promote for a position, look for someone who has a reputation for being on time or early. This shows among other things that they are organized, focused, and respectful of others.
HABIT 2. Do what you say you’re going to – When working with managers in organizations, one of the main complaints I hear is that people don’t do what they say they are going to do. And that has a ripple affect at work. If you’re waiting on someone else to complete a task, you typically can’t complete your assignment. And now, you have to keep following up with this other person – babysitting – to get the result you need.
This also has a negative impact on relationships. If we don’t do what we say, people learn that they can’t trust us. Trust is a huge component to being promotable. How many times have we heard the saying “People do business with those they know, like and trust”? It’s the same when it comes to giving opportunities and promotions – we tend to give these to people we trust. (RELIABILITY)
HABIT 3. Say please and thank you – This is probably one of the first things we are ever taught to say in life and there’s a reason for this. It’s the foundation for manners. There’s nothing we notice faster than someone who doesn’t say please or thank you to us.
But why wouldn’t we say it when we’ve been programmed since childhood to do just that? I think part of it is the nature of our world now is so rushed, technical and impersonal. We do so much communicating – especially younger people – via email, texting and instant messaging that please and thank you have become superfluous.
The first place “please” and “thank you” seem to go by the wayside is with people closest to us. When is the last time you thanked your assistant for staying late at work? When was the last time you thanked your HR Manager for hiring the right person? This is the simplest form of RECIPROCITY.
HABIT 4. Finish what you start – This is one of the biggest secrets of really successful people. So many people start things and don’t complete them. Truly successful people focus on getting things done.
I just read a really good tip on this from one of my marketing mentors, Dan Kennedy. One of his secrets for getting tons done is to set aside a specific block of time and commit to what you will complete in that timeframe. Not what you will work on or start – what you will finish.
So instead of me saying that “On Tuesday afternoon I will work on my book”, I now say “On Tuesday from 2-4pm I will complete chapter 4 of my book.” This one tip alone has helped me finish projects that having been lagging for months!
Finishing what you start is a form of keeping INTEGRITY. Whether you’ve made the commitment to others or just yourself, you show that you are a person of your word. That makes you someone worthy of promotion.
