Tips to Make 2017 Your Professional Best Year

We all want to be a better version of ourselves in professional life. One way of becoming a more developed person is through upgrading the professional aspect of our life. The road to professional success doesn’t stop with becoming manager or even CEO. There are many ways to build career and climb company’s ladder, but some methods work better than others.

Job isn’t just a place where you go to hunker down for some eight hours a day. You go there to better yourself, to learn, and to earn your livelihood. Whenever you get a promotion, you should work to improve yourself to deliver what your new role requires and more. If you want to really get ahead over the course of 2017, You can do a lot to improve by looking at yourself. Here are some tips for personal and career growth from AfterGraduation experts, even after you’re already sitting behind the bigger desk and have a better title:

• Sharp Your Professional Knowledge

Most industries are constantly on the move and evolving. Everyone wants to be more productive, more efficient, and greener. That means staying on top of changing trends within the industry. You should have zeal to learn and understand the latest technology and updates in your field. Your company should encourage you to learn more about your line of work, and if there are any company-sponsored workshops or networking events, make sure you attend them. If you foot the bill for higher education or further learning yourself, you may be able to write these expenses off on your taxes.

• Improve your Judgement Capability

Focus on improving your personal judgement in your ability to manage and lead. Judgement is key in who you work with, who you hire and the way you approach decisions. When we rely on team members and colleagues, we are relying on the quality of their judgement. Improving your own judgement means – able to absorb and assess the information shared with you, understanding and investigating the all possible options through your experience and learning, recognizing where your weaknesses lies and and make a judgement at a speed relevant to the situation.

• Take on More Responsibilities

More responsibility doesn’t mean working overtime every night. You should be able to have a reasonable amount of downtime in your life. Working extra during very busy times of the year like the end of the quarter or before a big conference is normal, but you don’t need to consistently work weekends to get ahead. However, when you have downtime or a wide-open schedule, ask your boss what other projects need extra help. Or, if you’re familiar with other coworkers’ projects, offer to pitch in. People are loathe to ask for help when they need it, but are more willing to accept an offer. Your coworkers won’t forget your offers of help when it comes time for a promotion.

• Leave Blame Game

Even with the best will in the world, sometimes we just don’t understand each other. When that happens, the tendency for all of us is to blame the other person for not understanding the situation. Such problem raised due to poor coordination and no common ground to understand each other. We should spend more time effectively communicating with each other and less time blaming each other. Start focusing on coordination in your workplace.

• Plan Your Time Wisely

Take inventory of your time,to spend your time that leads to long-term satisfaction. Make sure you prioritize and carve out time in your daily, weekly, and monthly schedule accordingly. So be intentional about prioritizing matters of importance over matters of urgency.

• Learn to Understand Other’s Viewpoint

As we’ve seen from Brexit and the US Presidential elections, we’re looking at a world in which half of people believe strongly in their own perspective and the other half believe just as strongly in the polar opposite. 2017 is going to involve a lot of conflict unless people learn to see things from others’ points of view. In business too, the most successful managers and leaders need to acquire this skill in order to navigate their organisational worlds effectively, motivate their customers and employees, manage diversity & prevent and resolve disputes. Invest your effort to understand another person’s visual viewpoint, thoughts, motivations, intentions and emotions.

READ Too: Learn From Experience When An Interview Goes Off The Rails

• Feel Others Feelings

Emotions and feelings are typically the “soft side” of work that do not get much attention from managers. Leaders often forget to check in with how their team members are feeling, either because they don’t have time or because they find such conversations uncomfortable. Teams with leaders who help members feel safe and encouraged to share their genuine feelings with one another, often produce more creative outcomes and desire to work together well into the future than teams whose members tend to suppress or hide their feelings.

• Delegate the Load

You have to know when to say no. If you’re consistently swamped and overworked, set boundaries and tell your boss that you need a better professional work – life balance. This includes your home life, hobbies, and downtime to ensure that you bring your best self to the job.

If you have people who work for you, you can relieve some of your stress by delegating smaller tasks to them. Don’t overload them, but also give them some freedom to run with their projects. And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re overwhelmed. People prefer a collaborative working environment, which only comes when people work together. Asking people for help can build that environment just as easily as offering help can.