How to stay at the top once you’ve got there
Success, we’re told, consists of three things: knowing where you are; knowing where you want to be; and each day, in some way, moving towards that goal. That’s why success is often referred to as a journey rather than merely a destination. And that journey can be considerably easier if you heed the advice of those who have travelled that path previously. Here’s what they’d probably tell you...
1. Demonstrate humility.
The journey to the top of your tree does not need to be a race. Even if it were, it would, by definition, be a race without a finish line. Your main competitor is yourself. Flaunting your tertiary qualifications, for example, ends up being an acknowledgement of what you don’t know. In fact, admitting you don’t know is often viewed by others as a positive personality trait. Remember, humility is not a sign of weakness or compliance. Quite the contrary, in fact; people who are humble are often assertive and demonstrate ‘strong’ characters.
2. Be generous with your support.
One of the many celebrities to entertain American troops during the Korean War was Frank Sinatra. Notable among Sinatra's behaviours was this: he refused to move the piano - his job was to sing. Few of us can afford such a luxury as being detached from many of the seemingly mundane issues - we’re often required to shift our own pianos. Demonstrate your willingness to contribute in any way possible. True leaders roll up their sleeves and contribute to the task at hand. And they’re noticed.
3. Keep your nose clean.
Business may be, as Tom Peters says, a series of relationships between people; but it’s important that those relationships present you in the best possible way. Never give others an opportunity to suggest any unethical behaviour on your part. Stay out of gossip by letting the person feeding the grapevine know that you’re not interested. Always keep your boss informed of projects you are involved in and use memos to keep others up to speed. Ensure that the outcomes of important meetings are accurately reported in the minutes.
