4 Key Attributes of Highly Effective Professionals

Have you wonder what are the key attributes of highly successful professionals? And can our career success be guarantee? What can we do to assurance that we remain highly in demand in this fast moving society?

Research has found these four keys held by highly effective professionals:

1. Positive Attitude and Mindset
2. Extraordinary Work Ethic & Personal Traits
3. Excellent Skills Set
4. 360-degree on-the-job knowledge

The good thing about these 4 keys elements are that you can control your level of achievement for each one! Just to begin with, you need to do a self analysis of yourself with regard to these categories.

Positive Attitude

Your attitude can make or break you. In a recent talk delivered for Civil Service College titled “Your Role in Organizational Effectiveness”, I spoke of an example in a person by the name of William Hung, from the American Idol series.

William had tremendous attitude and left a phrase during his audition that made him famous instantaneously. He said, ”I already gave my best and I have no regrets at all”. Although William was deemed by the judges that he cannot sing or dance and hence, rejected from being in the contest, he made an impact. Moving on, he crafted a singing career by selling thousands of his album within the first few months of its release. He has since traveled in many countries and realized his dream of “making singing his career”. He may be deemed lacking in skills but his attitude sure carried him through. The last I know, he is working on his singing and learning dance moves.

In this new age of intensified competition and constant changes in the workplace, many of us are highly charged emotionally and constantly stretched. However, many of these so-called “stresses” could well be simply overcome by tweaking our attitude and mindset towards it. The demands on us at work put us in many different situations and causes pressure that are beyond our control. How can we stay “up” when there are so many things that can bring us “down”? What can we do to help ourselves?

First, recognize that a negative attitude is often the result of frustration. Having a positive attitude is not easy, especially when challenges mount one after another. But this is when a positive mind-set becomes invaluable. We can consciously develop ways of thinking that puts us in control. Take time off everyday to review and reflect on the day’s doing; what we have done today and what we could have done in a different and more productive and effective way. Think through and map out your strategies so you are better ready to overcome it the next time these challenges come along. Such is the power of reflection. It does not matter if we fell, what is important is that we do not fall into the same hole twice.

It is okay to feel down; everyone does at one time or another. It is how you pick yourself up that can make all the difference in the world. Ask yourself:

What Can I Do That Will Be to My Best Advantage?


Extraordinary Work Ethic

All successful professionals realize that this is a major key to success, but what exactly does extraordinary mean? The key is:

Do Whatever It Takes to Get the Results You Want and/or Need without compromising on your integrity and hurting others.

Extraordinary, doesn’t mean that you have to exhaust yourself every day in order to physically show how busy you are. That is not extraordinary, that’s kidding yourself and compromising on other important aspects of your life.

Doing whatever it takes means a number of different things. It can mean:

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Starting earlier in the day
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Devoting time to plan and execute your task
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Scheduling time for important and urgent things as well those that are not urgent but important
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Following through on all projects
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Thinking of new ways to become more effective and efficient in the things you do
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Continuing to give your best efforts throughout the day, especially when you have had success early in the day.
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Remembering and following the classic motto “I will do one more task”

Successful people are not perfect. No one is. If you have a bad day, recognize it as such and deal with it as best you can. Just do you best.


The major difference between average and excellent performers is that excellent performers are willing and determined to do whatever it takes to get the job done…….. and done right.


There is no “9 to 5” clock for extraordinary work ethic. There is also no room for “this is not my job” thinking. I was impressed to hear during a recent radio interview that Prime Minister Lee, when understudying MPs and Ministers in his earlier days of his political career, do more and harder than anyone else. It is no wonder he become the great leader that he is today.

Your work ethic is translated into what you do with your time; how much of it is devoted to achieving customer, personal and organization goals; and your ultimate results. They’re all linked together. Just when you think you have done enough for the day, do one more.


Excellent Skills Set

A young man decided to take on a job to chop trees and he is determined to earn lots of money. He started the first day like anyone else but worked diligently until the end of the day. Receiving his earnings for the day for having chopped down 10 trees, he quietly decided that he wants to earn more money and will start the day earlier tomorrow. He started the next day 2 hours earlier, when the others were still sleeping and work his way through the day. To his surprise, he made only a small progress by being paid for 13 trees at the end of the day. More determined, he woke even earlier the following day and went on chopping hard for the day only to be paid for 12 trees. This went on for the next two days with him skipping lunches and breaks and finishing later than anybody else. Strangely, his numbers kept dropping or stayed stagnant. Frustrated, he consulted the boss of the project whom asked him, “Have you sharpen your blade?”

Make learning a way of life. Plan your learning and carry them out. If you deem something as being important, you will find the time to accomplish it. Most times when we go into a slump, the problem starts with getting away from the basics. Check and re-check your foundational skills, go back to the basics and review how you are performing from time to time. Do not wait till the end of the year and be shocked by your appraisals. Take inventory of your skills set and identify what else you need to learn to take you to the next level of performance.

Once you determined your proficiencies in each area you can list the skills that need improvement. Discuss them with your manager and your colleagues. Get their recommendations on how to achieve excellence.

When you go to a doctor, there is usually a sense of comfort in knowing this person is qualified to respond to your specific needs. The doctor has graduated from medical school, earned a degree of technical expertise and has on-the-job experience. In addition, every successful doctor keeps abreast of all new medical advances that will help keep patients alive and healthy. Would you go to a doctor who is not aware of the latest methods and advances in medicine? Or one who did not take the time to properly identify your specific needs? Would you want to return to that doctor, or recommend that doctor to your friends? Your organization, colleagues and superiors expect your skills to be as sharp and professional as they can be. Don’t get rusty!

Utilize resources that will enable you to stay informed or learn new skills. Use books, audios, video, on-line services and distance-learning opportunities. There is a whole menu of learning tools available for use anywhere. You choose! Target at least one resource to keep you up-to-date and refresh on all aspects of your profession.

Continually successful professionals (the key here is “continually”) never think they know it all. They know that excellent foundational skills are critical to their success. They are also eager to learn-from customers, associates, colleagues or self-directed initiatives and find ways to stay sharp.

360º On the Job Knowledge

Knowledge is power! You need and should want to know everything and anything about your position and your job. This includes knowing why your job was created, what it does and how it contribute to the overall ecology of your department and organization. When you know these foundational information, you can then analyze and work on crafting out an edge for yourself – what you can do to add value to the job and tasks that you currently do.

Surface knowledge just won’t cut it. Total knowledge gives you the solid foundation to not just perform, but performing at peak or at the very least, performing at a level that is way above what you are doing now.

Tap onto the power of motivation to transform your work. Afterall, wasn’t that first day at work exciting and inspiring? What happen to those compelling feelings? Rediscover those feelings, they are fuel to propel your performance.

When you are part of an organization, you become ambassador to your organization. If you don’t have all the facts and understand how your job contributes to the bigger picture, how will others know?

In Summary

Yes, very few things in life are guaranteed. In this age of globalization, constant changes and intense competitions, not just on a business-to-business front but also, as an individual, we are faced with challenges. Since you have to dance with life and work, you might as well dance well and learn a few new moves along the way.

How Can We Change Our Habits?

I've noticed that one of the hardest things for people to do is to change what they're doing to something better to be doing, when there's nothing really externally forcing them to change. But to unhook from whatever groove we're in, in the moment, and shift the focus of awareness and physical energies into something that may not be as immediately easy or comfortable...I think that takes real strength.

It seems like getting involved in a constructive work seemed so difficult. But if I can just start - to do a triathlon, write in my journal, brainstorm a project, draft an article, review my work, do spiritual practices, go for a walk...it's all a relative breeze from there. By changing the direction of my mental and physical focus, when I don't particularly feel like it...that's worthy of a Medal of Honor! Until then, I'm like the hero in Top Gun, about to do battle, but frozen ("Engage, Maverick... Engage!"), and I'm tied up in my own psychic knots.

I think it is easier than what I deal with myself to shift my attention and energies into something that I know will be better for me than what I'm doing.

Maybe this is maudlin self-absorption (like, Is this the biggest problem you've got?"). But many people let multiple aspects of their lives get to crisis mode before they have the motivation to do something different. Seems it's easier to let the drama of a problem be our driver than the intuitive sense that we should change the direction of our attention when it would still be early enough to be the ounce of prevention. In other words, dealing with things when you HAVE to is easier than the earlier intervention when you can deal with them more productively.

I'm not interested in being a martyr, however, so I try to stack the deck in my favor. I look for every trick in the book to make it easier to simply get engaged with healthy good stuff. There's nothing like having great tools in the right places. I got the best exercise outfit and props I could find, and I keep them handy at home and in hotel rooms. I bought a beautiful notebook that I find any excuse to use it (like reflecting and writing ideas and goals). I've put nutritional supplements I ought to take regularly right by the water dispenser. I follow my inclination for the coolest organizing gear I can find that attracts me to use it. (I've done some of my best operational thinking simply because I like seeing the lit-up screen on my PDA in a dark restaurant!)

But no matter how crafty I get at setting up the tricks to tip myself into good-for-me productive activity, I still have to stretch my psychic muscles to break out of a pattern and start the new one. I'm working on developing the habit of immediately jumping into anything I recognize I'm resisting, and out of anything I'm feeling not so good about doing. Doing the different thing is not hard. GETTING myself to do it deserves a medal.

Beliefs

Belief is any guiding principle, dictum, faith or passion that can provide meaning and direction in life. Beliefs are prearranged filters to our perceptions of the world. One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only an interest.Beliefs are the compass and maps that guide us to our goals, and give us surety that we know that we will get there.
To change our behavior, we need to start with our own beliefs. Belief becomes reality (placebo experiments)Drugs are not always necessary, belief in recovery always is. Belief is nothing but a state, an IR(Internal Representation)that governs behavior.Change your belief, and change your IR, which will change your behavior.
Belief is a choice.
Sources of Belief
1. Environment – Success breeds success, failure breeds failure. Generally it is part of belief values.
2. Events, small or large can help foster beliefs.
3. Foster belief through knowledge
4. Belief based on our past results. If someone succeeds once or twice, they will succeed in the future.
5. Creating in your mind the experience you desire in the future as if it were now. (Goal setting)You can control your beliefs, you can control the way you model others.You can consciously direct your life, you can change. Beliefs that have limited you Beliefs that can serve to help you achieve your highest goals

If you do not like your beliefs, you can change them. Key is to take your beliefs, and ensure that they are working for you in a way to achieve your goals and objectives.ie that they are effective and empowering. If you believe, you will keep coming back until you succeed.