Success and the New Year

By George F Franks III

At the end of every year, along with the television advertising and Christmas music are the end of the year wrap-up shows. The best of... The worst of... The top... This is not one of those articles. No. We are going to focus on how to be more successful in 2008. While there are "silver bullets" when it comes to success, following these steps will make nearly anyone more successful that they would be otherwise. Whether you work for a big or small company, a non-profit organization or even a government institution, following these steps will but you in the company of the leaders and top performers wherever you work and whatever you do for a living.

Review Your Objectives

Most companies and organizations have their objectives down to each employee either by the end of the year or by early in the New Year. If you have input to the creation of your objectives - that is great. Take the opportunity very seriously and work on it with your boss. If you do not have input in your objectives, make sure you go over them with you boss and understand exactly:

• What is expected of you
• What are the measures
• How often you are measured
• Who determines whether you meet your objectives
• What is quantitative and what is qualitative

This may take several sessions with your supervisor. These are the most important meetings you will attend during the entire year. And always make sure that you have it in writing and that your boss signs and dates your objectives. Otherwise, she may say they were preliminary or they changed and you will have nothing to prove otherwise.

Understand Your Compensation Plan

Understanding your compensation plan - even if you are on salary rather than a sales or other leveraged compensation plan is a important as reviewing your objectives. Many compensation plans include salary, individual bonus, and team award and if there is stock - some form of stock option awards. Review with your supervisor how the compensation plan works, is driven and what determines if you get a raise and how much, if you get a bonus and how much and so on. Do not accept someone pointing you to a Human Resources web site. It is important that you AND your supervisor understand how you will be rewarded for your success (beyond certificates and a pat on the back).

Be the Expert

No matter your functions or your level in the organization, make sure you know more about your area of expertise than anyone else. If someone comes to you to answer a question or solve a problem and you plead ignorance - they won't come back again. You may have heard that "no one likes a know-it-all". Well that is NOT the case when it comes to your professional. You are paid to know it all. And you must know all of that for your business or organization and more to be successful.

Find a Mentor

Companies and other organizations are on and off about formal mentoring programs. If your company has a formal mentoring program and you do not have a mentor - then ask your supervisor why and take whatever steps are necessary to get one. Even better, find someone at least two levels above your organizationally, someone who is respected and successful, and meet with them to discuss their becoming your mentor. Realize a good mentoring relationship will take time for both of you. If the person responds "no" you can either move on or be persistent. But regardless, you need to have what the Navy calls "a sea Daddy" to help you along with your career. From their perspective - and their network - they will see things that you will not be able to view.

Network

The larger the company or organization, the more they discount networking - except within the organization (such as between departments, divisions or operating units). I contend - from personal experience - that networking OUTSIDE of your company or organization is essential. Whether you are in a technical field, sales, marketing, operations, IT or non-profit management, meeting and building relationships with others in your field and outside of your company or organization is absolutely essential. Attend functions, participate on committees and offer to help others who are in your professional network. Apart from education and hard work, this is one of the best investments that you can make toward success.

Take Part in a Special Project

The words "Special Project" bring chills to many people who work for large companies or organizations. It often is viewed as additional work outside of your normal (objectives) role without additional compensation. For these very reasons, may people avoid special project assignments like the plague. I argue that special assignments can be vital along the road of success within nearly any organization. There are certain considerations though:

Do:

• Actively participate.
• Do take on a role related to your area of expertise.
• Do make sure the project is vital to the success, future and growth of the business or organization (e.g. business-critical)
• Do provide weekly updates to your boss and ideally her boss.
• Do provide a full read-out on completion of the project to your leadership team.
• Do make sure the project leader documents your contributions to the most senior person in your organization

Don't:

• Lead a special project unless you are temporarily relieved of your normal job responsibilities. It is a full time job.
• Fill-in OUTSIDE of your expertise.
• Help out with parties, recognition events, sports functions or other events not critical to the business or organization's success.
• Use the special assignment as an excuse for your boss to forget about you.
• Allow the special project leader to tell you she is providing a verbal report to your higher ups.
• Allow your boss or anyone else to take credit for your contributions to the success of the special project.

Success is viewed by many as a matter of luck. And by others as the result of hard work. Luck plays a role. Hard work is essential. But so are focusing on those things which are recognized and are the day-to-day differentiators in any company or organization. By focusing on those, success can - and will - be yours in 2008.

George F. Franks, III is the President of Franks Consulting Group, a Bethesda, Maryland management consulting and leadership coaching practice. George has over twenty-five years of experience working with companies of all sizes plus not-for-profit organizations and individual leaders. He is a member of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) and many other professional and non-profit organizations. Franks Consulting Group is on the web at:
http://franksconsultinggroup.com
George can be contacted at:
gfranks@franksconsultinggroup.com
Franks Consulting Group also publishes a free quarterly e-zine on careeer, leadership and work place topics at: http://careerandleadership.com

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