7 Stepping-stones to Career Growth and Excellence

Written by Steve Brunkhorst


Achieving excellence in our work is an integral part of feeling genuinely satisfied in life. We want our careers or businesses to blossom, making us financially secure and content with our achievements. Here are seven stepping-stones that lead to career growth and excellence. When used as part of a total action-plan, these stepping-stones can contribute tremendously torepparttar fulfillment that you desire.

1. Make a Commitment to Excellence

A passionate commitment to excellence is a primary step to growth in any endeavor. It is not enough to say we want to be excellent; we must make a commitment.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner, employer, or employee, commit yourself to becoming excellent in your chosen field. When you commit yourself to excellence, you will grow personally as well as professionally.

2. Empower Yourself and Others by Continuing to Learn

A commitment to excellence requires continuous learning. Keep your skills sharpened by readingrepparttar 142641 latest books and attending seminars, classes, or workshops. Ask for feedback from clients, customers, supervisors, co-workers and employees. Frequently assess yourself and look for key skills that need improvement.

By empowering yourself with knowledge, you will reaprepparttar 142642 rewards of continued growth and excellent performance. You will also inspire others to seek empowerment, excellence, and growth.

3. Multiply Your Efforts through Networking

Tell many people aboutrepparttar 142643 specific ways that you can help to meet their needs. For example, instead of saying, "I sell real estate," you might say, "I help low income families find quality, affordable housing in areas where they've always wanted to live." Tell people what makes your service or product special. However, keep your interactions light-hearted and spontaneous. Ask questions that show your interest inrepparttar 142644 other individual. Make your personality as well as your service memorable.

Compile a list of people with whom you want to work or do business. Attend seminars or workshops and network at every opportunity. If someone does not need your service, he or she might know someone who does. Keep a supply of business cards with you at all times. When you have built a business relationship with someone or gained a satisfied client, ask for referrals. Personal references will bring a large percentage of your business.

4. Communicate Powerfully

When networking or interacting with co-workers, communicate powerfully by remembering three letters: ALC. These stand for Ask-Listen-Clarify. Ask questions to determinerepparttar 142645 needs and desires of others. Listen empathetically—not only to hear, but to understand. Then clarify by rephrasing and repeating back whatrepparttar 142646 other individual said. If necessary, rephrase your question and ask additional questions.

Powerful listening isrepparttar 142647 key to powerful communication. Pay attention to body language. Listen to non-verbal cues that reveal feelings behind spoken messages, and then clarify. Powerful communication will lead to continued career growth, excellence, and satisfaction.

Increase Productivity: Five Powerful Actions

Written by Steve Brunkhorst


How can you makerepparttar best use of your energy to increase productivity each day? Here are five actions that can increase productivity and leave energy to spare. They will also help you to achieve more balance between your work and personal life.

The key to increased productivity is to focus on managing actions and energy rather than time. I am going to refer to time as energy because using time always involves energy expenditure. Investing your energy wisely will provide you with additional energy in return.

1. Manage actions and priorities.

Time management is action-management. Think of time as physical and mental energy that you expend through actions. The feeling of "no time" can arise from too many priorities or unclear priorities. Neglected self-care can also leave one feeling unable to complete necessary tasks. Begin your day knowing exactly what you intend to do. Outliningrepparttar 142640 day on paper each morning is a great action-management technique.

What must you do before you can use your time-energy more efficiently?

2. Keep skills sharpened.

Keeping your skills sharpened will result in more productivity. A client complained that he did not have time to complete his college reading assignments. I soon learned that it took this student 10 minutes to read something that his 15-year old sister could read in 3 minutes! His problem was not time; it wasrepparttar 142641 need to improve reading skills.

"I don't have time," is a common phrase that we've all used without giving it much thought. But what does it really mean? Time excuses signal (1) other priorities, (2)repparttar 142642 need for action management, (3)repparttar 142643 need for organization, (4)repparttar 142644 need for physical or mental energy, or (5)repparttar 142645 need to sharpen a skill.

Sharp skills allow completion of more actions with less effort. Sharpen fundamental skills frequently. Take courses that will keep you up to date withrepparttar 142646 latest information in your career. Routine skill sharpening in all aspects of life is a wise energy-management choice. Personal skills and career skills will often overlap, affecting productivity in both these areas.

What skills could you sharpen that would create more time-energy and productivity?

3. Focus purposefully.

Feelings of time scarcity crop up when thoughts or actions do not pertain torepparttar 142647 purpose at hand. Actions that are off purpose do not support one's values or goals. Up goes stress; down goes productivity. Purposeful focus allows a sense of urgency without creating negative stress.

Create daily reminders to check your focus and action-priorities. Many reminder services are available without cost. Establish firm boundaries to prevent energy-consuming distractions. Be assertive to maintain those boundaries.

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