| Career Zone -- Putting your best foot forward in 2020
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Career Zone -- Putting your best foot forward in 2020

By Stuart Karasik

For an up-to-date, fresh-out-of-business-school perspective on which behaviors can best support your success this coming year, keep reading.

Career ZoneI developed the following list after observing a lively discussion among a group of recent MBA graduates. They were reviewing their final school project – analyzing the behaviors of successful leaders. Based on their insight, here are the Top 10 actions for you to focus on in the coming months.

While these concepts are not revolutionary, they can give you some insight into how your words and actions come through to your professional community.
 
1.    Be positive. Represent your actions and decisions in a positive light, even when there may be some negative implications or you had to change tactics and try again.

2.    Come to work prepared. Review your next day’s schedule the night before, complete any required prep work, and “hit the road running” when you get to the office.

3.    Keep learning. Refresh what you know and keep your skills and knowledge sharp.

4.    Focus on outcomes and activities. Control your emotions and don’t get drawn into gossip, personal conflicts or dramas.

5.    Make decisions when needed. In business, as in life, you don’t always have all the information you’d like before you need to act. Well thought-out action is preferable to avoiding or postponing.

6.    Address conflict. When a dispute needs to be confronted, do it. Keep your discussion professional and focus on actions and behaviors, never people or personalities.

7.    Take responsibility for your actions, good or bad. Don’t blame others when things don’t go as planned. You are the authority figure so the buck stops here -- on your desk.

8.    Unchain from your devices. Checking your e-mail and social media accounts can take over your workday, hijack your schedule and distract you from being fully-engaged in the present. It’s not necessary to respond immediately to every “ping” of an incoming message or new post. Try checking your e-mail for urgent messages first thing in the morning, after lunch and before you leave for the day.

9.    Surround yourself with positive people. Negativity can spread through a work group like the flu and paralyze progress.

10.   Communicate. Information is powerful and helps your co-workers and team achieve common goals, set priorities and develop longer-term perspectives. Remember, even though you may think so, in the office environment there are no secrets.

Cheers to putting your best foot forward in 2020!

Stuart Karasik has spent most of his career in the human resources/personnel arena. He has a Ph.D. in education, a master’s in biology, and was previously the training program manager for the City of San Diego.

 

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