Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Cherese Jackson, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Did you grow up hearing the nursery rhyme about a little start that learned to shine? I’m sure we all have. Today I want to share with you some of the most powerful skills you can learn about developing your greatness.

Often, we find ourselves in positions and with tasks that we feel aren’t maximizing our full potential. It is in these times that our character is truly tested. Can we remain loyal in this position and help others fulfill their role or will we give our bare minimum and coast along? I want to give you some basic tools so you can shine bright wherever you find yourself.

• Understand your role and its value – Learn your purpose. There is a reason you’re on that job. You don’t have to be front and center to be important. The heart is a vital organ of your body, highly important, but it doesn’t have to shine in order to perform. It beats as best as it can at all times usually without appreciation.

• Watch the people you’re around – Sometimes people get jealous because you have the position they wanted and they feel more qualified than you. They work to make you uncomfortable and want to incite you to riot. They stir up discontentment to destroy your satisfaction with your employer to employee relationship.

• Know your leader – Learn what’s important to your management team. Learn their flow and make the necessary adjustments to ride the current.

• Be flexible – Don’t get stuck in your comfort; embrace change. Your way is only one way but not the only way. Embrace other ideas; even if you don’t adopt them at least be open to options.

• Cultivate relationships on your own time – Don’t expect your superior to be your best friend. If a relationship happens organically, let it, but don’t anticipate or try and force it.

• Perform your job with an excellent spirit – Your disposition should compliment your work. You should always maintain control of your emotions even in uncomfortable situations.

Have you ever had to sit and nurse your own wounds because you’re always the bridesmaid and never the bride? Are you always sending congratulations but never getting them? You have to be a strong person to manage those emotions appropriately without holding secret resentment and be comfortable enough in your own skin to feel like I’d rather be great a Manager than a poor Executive Director. Sometimes it’s better to shine brighter at a lower level than to be dull in a high place. It takes a lot of courage to say I’m okay with being an awesome Administrative Assistant rather than a mediocre Supervisor. I’d rather shine in a place I’m qualified to be rather than force myself into a position my skill set doesn’t support. Then waste time apologizing, while being miserable, for allowing myself to move into a place I wasn’t equipped or qualified to sustain.

What works with an organization reaching its goals is not an individual, but properly integrated teamwork. The main reason is that the vastness and the very nature of the work that an organization engages in is too great for any one individual to even think of handling upon his or her own shoulders.

In a climate of success, everybody wins. Your boss wins because you are making him or her look competent and capable. You win because you know your efforts are being recognized and rewarded. Your company wins because the job gets done.

When you’ve got a good working relationship with your superior they can be your greatest asset. Not only can they help you succeed in your current job and prepare you for more responsibility, they can also make your work satisfying and fun.

It really makes no difference what choices you have made and in which career you work, your attitude is what distinguishes you and elevates you from being good to being exceptional. A willing attitude and a desire for continual improvement, both personally and professionally, always shines through.

Take pride in doing a job well. When you can do that with assurance and confidence, rest assured your boss will always look good, and you can smile that little smile of satisfaction knowing you had a great part in making that happen.

So go ahead and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” shining brightly wherever you are!

See you at the TOP!
Cherese Jackson