I’m fairly certain no one wakes up one morning and says, “I want to be the worst employee at my place of business today.” Or grows up to have a dream to “Find a place of employment where I can really decrease productivity and bring the team down.”
People inherently want to succeed; they want to find value in their work. But, life happens and sometimes it’s hard to remember that. Eventually it can feel like being a good employee is no longer an option, or turning it around and getting started on a more productive, positive path seems overwhelming, exhausting and impossible.
One of the best points Emmie Martin makes in her Business Insider article is that the “good news is that anyone can mold themselves into a high performer, simply by changing their outlook and attitude at work.”
While changing your outlook and attitude might be simple, it can often be anything but easy. We at Dale Carnegie recognize that – it’s why we offer the courses we do! – and want to offer some additional tips.
First, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We agree with Emmie Martin that holding yourself accountable is a quick way to turn it around. Just like changing eating habits or incorporating a gym routine into your schedule takes time, so does changing your attitude. That being said, if you do back pedal into that snarky place of negativity or laziness, ‘fess up! Admit it quickly, and emphatically; apologize, and move forward.
Which brings us to our next tip. Don’t worry about the past. Worrying or getting hung up on past choices won’t change anything. If anything, it only delays the positive changes you are capable of, thus slowing down your ability to increase your employment value. Your strengths and talents are exactly what the world needs – once you have the right outlook and attitude.
Lastly, do the best you can. Always strive towards your own personal best, whatever that may look like. Leave behind the comparisons and the competitions and focus on being the best you can. As Martin says, “focus on your strengths.”
We at Dale Carnegie believe in you and your ability to succeed – comment below if any of these tips were helpful or struck close to home, as we want to continue the conversation with you.
Martin’s ideas on how to become a high performer can be found here: http://www.businessinsider.com/ways-to-be-a-high-performer-at-work-2014-9
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Western and Central PA, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Pennsylvania. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @dalecarnegiepa.
Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net/sheelamohan