4 Tips to Stand Out at Work

I once worked for a true genius. He was an ideas man – an innovator. He could see things in ways no one else could, envisioning products, partnerships, and solutions that wowed people. In theory. But his ultimate downfall (because, spoiler alert, he did fall down) was his inability to master the basics of the job.

Words like innovation, agility, digital – they often make a hiring leader’s mouth water. But the best ideas in the world are worthless if you can’t execute them. 

I often talk to leaders who are frustrated by things like team members missing deadlines or being unreliable. And it leaves me wondering if we’ve started to over-index on the sexy and lost sight of the basics.

If you’re striving to be a superstar at work, before you start innovating in an agile and digital manner, take a moment to take stock of how you’re landing the basics. Because if you’re not getting the essentials done, you’re not adding your truest value. No one wants to hire an idea-maker who doesn’t deliver on the promise.

Here are four of the essentials that will help shoot you to the top.

If you’re not getting the essentials done, you’re not adding your truest value. No one wants to hire an idea-maker who doesn’t deliver on the promise.

Tip #1: Be reliable

A former boss once told me “Rachel, when I ask you to take something on – getting a project finished, a question answered, a memo written – I know that as soon as you put it on your list, I can cross it off of mine.”

As compliments go, that one was pretty unsexy. But over time, I came to realize that she tended to give the juiciest assignments – the most important, the most visible – to me because I was her most reliable team member. Once I said I would do something, she never had to worry or chase it down. And that was incredibly valuable to her as a busy leader. 

Don’t underestimate the power of being someone who does what you’ve said you’ll do. It builds trust, credibility, and may earn you access to the work that matters most.

Tip #2: Be a team player

You’ve got a job to do – as do each of your colleagues. As a general rule, it’s not your responsibility to pick up someone else’s slack. That said, there are always moments of exception. And sometimes the very thing to do is step outside of your “official” job description and just get the thing over the finish line.

Maybe you notice a colleague struggling with overwhelm and you see something on their plate that you know you could knock out...

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