This morning, I want to talk specifically to those of you who are not the top leader in your business.
If you aspire to be the top person, or just to move up from where you are today, here’s the simple guaranteed formula that always works, whatever your generation, whatever your industry:
- Show up early and stay late – focused hard work always does pay off.
- Control your own emotions – do your venting off the lot line. Venting doesn’t create any positive energy for anyone else, nor does it feel good, despite massed conventional wisdom on the topic.
- Say yes to jobs nobody else wants to do – you’ll get noticed and appreciated. Leaders get stuck with the tough jobs anyway, so it’s good practice for your future.
- Figure out how to make your boss look good – to other bosses, to owners, to customers, whatever. Make your boss shine and don’t take the credit. Your boss will love you, because you’re the only one with enough ticking upstairs to think of doing this. You will be in a league of your own, I assure you.
There are leaders in every era and every generation, it’s not about age – it’s about caring and wanting to make a difference. Spread your wings and see what kind of influence you can have in your world.