Seven habits of successful Enterprise careers
A habit is a set of automatic actions and decisions. Research shows that we spend roughly 40-45% of our day in pre-rehearsed routines or ‘habits’. So what if you could optimise the 40% of your life spent on these ‘autopilot’ behaviours to be even more successful? How much faster would you advance your career? Here are some of the habits that our top Enterprise performers have found useful.
Habit #1: Set daily and weekly goals
To-do lists can be bloated and overwhelming. Try identifying three to five key objectives for the week. Work every day to accomplish the items on your list, starting with the ones that have the most leverage. Check them off one by one as you do them.
Habit #2: Network your career on social media
Social media and pulse have become an integral part of our lives. Many social networks can improve your personal brand. Use them to connect with your colleagues, alumni and other organisations and keep people aware of what you are doing. Check on the Hub, with your line manager or with your talent development specialist for Enterprise guidance on social media use. Use social media to promote work-relevant blogs, share pictures of and links to your work, and engage with other people at Enterprise.
Habit #3: Be excited about learning
In order to progress in your career, you need to keep learning. Ask your manager to teach you something new. Ask for feedback on new areas you could learn about to help your career. Be honest with yourself and others about your strengths and areas for development – and find ways to improve both.
Habit #4: Find a mentor
A mentor does not have to be senior to you or even in the same part of the business. Look for someone you admire and respect, who has qualities you aspire to, who is a strong performer in their role or who has a role that you would like some day. You may need to look outside your immediate department to find the right person.
Habit #5: Be a problem solver, not a problem finder
We tend to think of problems as just that—problems. But from another perspective, some could be opportunities. Be open-minded in examining the problem and identifying a solution. Brainstorming can help. So can writing down a ‘problem statement’ to express the issue. Begin with the words “how to...” then complete it with an appropriate verb. Try to focus on the positive outcome, so for example, instead of “how to minimise...” ask “how to maximise…” or instead of “how to stop...” think about “how to start…” Share your suggestions with your line manager and colleagues. Your efforts will be noticed and your ideas may be the start of change.
Habit #6: Take charge of your professional brand image
Does the phrase ‘dress for success’ still hold true? Yes it does. Consider how you are dressing and the image you are portraying. Dress suitably for your role, your colleagues and your customers. It is possible to combine comfort with professionalism and style!
Habit #7: Exercise
Keeping healthy has been shown to increase energy, stabilise mood and lead to faster recovery from sickness and injury — all of which are essential if you want to be at your best to accelerate your success. Increased blood flow to the brain from exercise can also enhance your creativity and ability to retain information.
