5 Ways to Level Up Your Career
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Level Up Your Career with These Five Non-Negotiables
Advancing your career requires more than just technical skills. Whether you're aiming for a leadership position or simply want to excel in your current role, these are my five “musts” that will help you level up to achieve your goals, no matter what industry or role you’re in.
#1 Prioritize establishing great relationships.
Building strong relationships at work is crucial. This means connecting with your boss, coworkers, and even colleagues from other departments.
“Create a network of people who speak well of you, even when you’re not around.”
Create a network of people who speak well of you, even when you’re not around. This isn’t about being a fake person or insincere; it’s about being genuinely kind and helpful.
Positive relationships will lead to unexpected opportunities. Former and existing colleagues often become influential contacts in the future. The more people that know and like you, the more doors will open.
#2 Master conflict & feedback.
Conflict and challenging conversations are an inevitable part of life, both in your personal and professional relationships. Being highly skilled at giving and receiving feedback, navigating difficult conversations, and resolving conflict are essential skills. Become excellent at them.
Don’t wait for your company to provide training — take the initiative to improve these skills yourself. There are countless resources available to you, from free blogs and videos online, to books, courses, etc. that can help you learn these skills. Becoming proficient in effective, nonviolent communication and conflict resolution will significantly enhance your personal and professional relationships.
“As tempting as it can be to join in negative conversations about other people, it’s a really bad look for you.”
#3 Avoid workplace drama.
Steer clear of workplace gossip and drama, 100%. Adopt a strict rule for yourself not to badmouth anyone, stir up drama, spill tea about other people, none of it. As tempting as it can be to join in negative conversations about other people, it’s a really bad look for you.
It’s cruel, immature, fits into the category of workplace bullying, and it harms your reputation to be associated with behavior like that. Refuse to participate in gossip and workplace drama. Just flat out don’t do it.
For a little help with that, here’s a #culturedrop video about how to shut it down and not engage: How to Shut Down Toxic Talk & Gossip at Work
#4 Be in control of your own weather.
Take ownership of your attitude, energy, and behavior. Your words, body language, and overall demeanor has a significant impact on those around you. Be intentional about bringing positive energy to your interactions and the people around you, whether with customers, clients, or coworkers.
Being mindful of your influence on others affects your professional relationships and reputation, as well as creates a more pleasant work environment for you and everyone around you. Be someone people enjoy working with, want to be on a team with, and look forward to being around.
“Aligning your job with what you’re naturally good at and enjoy goes a long way to reduce burnout and increase joy.”
#5 Know yourself.
Understanding your strengths, motivations, and preferences is vital for a more fulfilling career. Tools like personality tests (e.g., Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, DiSC, etc.) can provide valuable insights into what drives you.
Aligning your job with what you’re naturally good at and enjoy goes a long way to reduce burnout and increase joy. If you thrive on strategic thinking, for example, seek out roles that allow you to use this skill. Knowing yourself helps you choose roles and tasks that bring you joy and keep you engaged.
Bonus: #6 Do excellent work.
Strive to be great in whatever you do. Taking pride in your work and doing it well not only feels good, it will set you apart. This isn't about being perfect or fake, but about creating a sense of pride around doing your best. Even if you don’t love your job (because that’s likely not going to be the case every moment of your entire career) it still feels good to do your best.
“This isn’t about being perfect or fake, but about creating a sense of pride around doing your best.”
By incorporating these five things into your work life, you give yourself a huge leg up when it comes to career growth. Prioritize relationships, master conflict and feedback, avoid drama, own your impact on others and how you show up, know yourself, and do high caliber work that you’re proud of. These don’t just help you to advance in your career, they also make it a better journey along the way.
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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