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5 Ways to Become the Ultimate People Person at Work

May 13, 2021

Don’t we all, to an extent, wish to be people magnets, surrounded by admirers, signing autographs, waving and smiling at the camera? Okay, maybe a bit too much! Nonetheless, an appropriate comparison. Celebrities often represent the best form of personality we all aspire to be. They seem to be perfect people persons who carry influence, style and positivity. Nowadays, we all are expected to become celebrities in our personal and professional lives, marketing our best versions to the world. If you wish to get that extra special treatment at a party or the consideration for a promotion, we certainly cannot overlook the advantages of being a people person. Note, a people person isn’t a people pleaser (a term with negative connotations) nor a highly extroverted individual (yes, most of us are not extroverted). All of us can strive to become the ultimate people person to gain advantages in the workplace. Here are five ways to be one:

Choose a Workplace That You are Passionate About

Working in a place that offers you learning, socializing and work experiences that inspire you will mean that you will come across to others as a positive and motivated individual. This means you will be prompted to pitch in ideas in meetings, and see that the end results of your efforts culminate in reaching the higher goals of the company that you are aligned with.

Prioritize Listening Over Speaking

Listen more than you speak. Show a genuine interest in coworkers when they relate something personal. It is easy for them to see when you aren’t actually paying attention, so mean it. This would mean putting in your part by speaking where necessary to keep up the flow of the conversation.

Behave Well, Really Well

You may think Victorian era pleasantries are out of fashion nowadays, but they are very much in demand at work. Words like “thank you” and “please” are still applicable, so are greetings like “hello” and “good morning.” Asking things like, “How was your past day (or the weekend)?” surely works too.

Help a Co-worker in Times of Need or Trouble

While you may be remarkably busy in your own work, it is never a bad idea to help a co-worker. Maybe they forgot to save a presentation and have an hour to submit it. Offer to take half of the work off their shoulders. Perhaps, they need to leave home early to attend to a sick family member. Jump in and take on their tasks for the day.

Have a Sense of Humour

Even if you do not know how to tell a good joke, you can for sure appreciate one. Laugh when it is appropriate to encourage positive relationship-building with peers. Relating something funny that happened to you in a stimulating way can surely uplift the mood of your co-workers.

If you wish to conquer the hearts of your co-workers, implement the five ways mentioned to become the ultimate people person.

Arslan Ahmed | Staff Writer

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How to Overcome the Glass Ceiling

By assistantdesigner@theedgeleaders.com on

May 12, 2020

- Blog

If you ask someone in the workforce what job satisfaction means to them, you’ll often hear it defined by a variety of factors, including culture, pay, vacation time, and room for growth; in this instance, we will be focusing on the latter. Nobody wants to feel like they aren’t able to move up in an organization. It makes you feel unappreciated and can quickly result in you becoming disgruntled and disengaged. What many don’t understand is that advancement has to do with a lot more than just being good at your job and that opportunities often exist but you have to proactively seek them out. Today, we outline some of the best ways for you to seize the opportunities available in your company.

Define your own expertise

The type of work you take on, and the way in which you present yourself, will decide how others see you and your role. Take some time to reflect on areas where you have the most passion/knowledge for and learn to see yourself as a professional with respect to that particular expertise. If you grow to see yourself as a marketing expert, for example, and constantly describe yourself and take on work in that capacity, then others will grow to view you in that light as well.

Don’t allow yourself to flounder in a role where you are merely performing up to standard. Find ways to acquire work or assignments that allow you to take full advantage of your greatest strengths and really allow you to showcase your unique value as an employee.

Seek high profile projects that allow management to notice your strengths

A good work ethic is a useful characteristic to have, but it won’t do much for your career if it isn’t directed towards something that the company is paying attention to. Talk to management and co-workers about important projects coming up, and express your interest in contributing; however, to build the necessary trust between you and the company, you will first need to…

Study your workplace culture

Not all success can be attributed to the quality of your work or the depth of your expertise. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of whether people like working with you or not. Keep an eye on common informal practices and expectations outside of your regular duties.

Network within the company

Very rarely do we accomplish anything completely on our own. At some point, we all need someone to help open a door for us to walk through, and with that in mind, it is important to cultivate a list of allies at your workplace. These are individuals who will go to bat for you when it counts and who will vouch for your ability to perform and support your desire to be given more important tasks. They can also be people to whom you can express a desire to take on new roles. Your allies will inevitably be a diverse set, running the gamut from co-workers to superiors.

Acquire additional training

Working on more important assignments may require you to learn new skills or expand your current knowledge set. Take time to acquire new certifications that are relevant to your desired role and inquire about training programs offered by the company.

Landing your dream role or moving into a desirable management/executive position is all about being active. Promotion tends not to happen if you wait around passively for someone to recognize your hard work. By actively seeking out ways to make yourself visible to the higher-ups, you create opportunities for your career to keep growing and evolving.

Lance | Contributing Writer

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What Great Employees Do Differently

By Admin on

April 14, 2020

- Blog

There is a lot of competition in the workforce, not just in finding a job but also for attaining a higher position or raise. Being a good worker is not enough, as most employees in a company are. Great employees possess special characteristics that differentiate them from the rest. They do things differently and take advantage of opportunities that are presented to them. The following are some of the traits a great employee should have:

Takes action. Waiting for instructions and only doing what is require is what an average worker does. A great employee will go further, even if it is risky. They go the extra mile to make a difference and they are the ones who take on the tough tasks others are not willing to do.

Passion. They love their job and are enthusiastic about it. They go to work not just for a pay check or promotion, but for the satisfaction of what they do.

Ambition. Career success is one of their main goals. Employee’s ambition is what helps a company succeed. They create new ideas and are always looking for new ways to make procedures more effective and efficient.

Autonomy. The ability to work without supervision is key for effectiveness. A manager needs to work with people that will not require too much hand-holding or supervision. Employees who understand instructions quickly and are able to help others do so are an asset for any company.

Energy. People with good energy and a positive attitude are not just more productive, they also help make the work environment more enjoyable. Having someone on the team that is always positive and enthusiastic helps others do their job better and contributes to a better workday.

Reliability. This is one of the most important aspects, as having someone you can trust and depend on is key for success. It’s imperative for a great employee to be dependable. Supervisors will be able to trust that any job given to this particular employee will be done on time and accurately. This is a person anyone can trust, and a true asset to the business.

Knowledge. They know their job and the company well. They know how to excel and understand how to best meet company goals. Understanding the company’s mission is important for them and knowing their supervisor or manager’s leadership and work style is key to their success.

Being a great employee takes time and dedication. Feeling appreciated and recognized also helps motivate workers to keep doing their best. If you are a company owner or manager, make sure to focus on these characteristics in your employees because even if they like their job, feeling undervalued will shadow all of their efforts and negatively affect their performance.

Viviana | Contributing Writer