This "fruit for thought" article is for all human beings, who somehow find themselves in the role of breadwinner and striving to improve their living standards. This could also easily be titled as "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.

The reason for choosing to write on this topic were my observations of the behavior of a diverse set of young and aggressive colleagues whose focus for success is very clear but somehow they have not figured what can get them there the right way. Hence, I figured that revisiting some of the oldest and basic principles in work ethics would be a nice way of sharing some thoughts with my young colleagues.

The answer on how to cultivate good work ethics is simple yet not so easy to execute. I decided to shorten them into 12 basic rules to follow and execute as I have seen other successful people do.

1. Make yourself one of the linking pins in your organization: A linking pin is someone to whom everybody turns to, to get information and advice from. It is also someone who can link persons, sections and departments for better co-operation. But most important of all, it is someone who can exert influence upwards, downwards and sideways in the organisational structure.

2. Cloak yourself with expert knowledge in your technical field of operation: You can bluff your way during interviews, but once you have been appointed, people expect you to perform. This is where the cookie crumbles or you succeed. The point is you must not only perform at an average level, but you must display exceptional or above average expertise, so that others can start to rely on your opinions and advice.

3. Produce accurate work: Cultivate a habit to carry out your work correctly with a minimum of mistakes. Sloppiness or tardiness must definitely not be present in your attitude, personal appearance or any of your work outputs, be it notes, memo’s, letters, spreadsheets, conversations or anything related to your work. Strive for professionalism in whatever you do.

4. Be quicker than most: This is one of the best ways to demonstrate your superiority and efficiency. By executing duties and tasks speedily, you are being more productive and can entice more important tasks your way and thereby not only increase your merit ratings, but also your ultimate job rating. If you can perform your duties speedily, do not wait and stay idle, but present yourself to your superior for more work. Find a balance to be both quick and accurate.

5. Display awareness of productivity: This must start with your own self-evaluation. Ask yourself constantly if you are giving more back to the organisation in value, than what you are being paid every month. Although not easy to calculate, just thinking about it may have enough of an impact. As salaries are one of the highest cost elements in any organisation, this is one of the first cost elements that come under scrutiny during times of cost reduction efforts. You have to show your worth in order not to be included in downscaling of the labour force. But more positively, you have to show your worth to be counted in for consideration for promotion.

6. Get rid of time wasters: Arriving late for work, stretching of tea and lunch breaks and elongated private conversations on the phone are not only wasting your valuable time, but are a reflection of your poor awareness of productivity. Are you a role model for getting rid of these time wasters or for abusing it? Are you earning respect for your ethical conduct in eradicating time wasters or are you just one of the crowd? If you discipline yourself and others around you on the economical use of time, you are on your way to earn a respected leadership role. Others must detect a sense of urgency in your execution of duties to begin to respect and follow your example.

7. Be open-minded and ready for organisational changes: Whenever changes are announced, be positive and display a leadership role in executing the new policies and strategies. If you participated in the planning of the changes, then you were forewarned. But even if you experience unexpected changes, be first to look out for positive reasons for such changes and to influence others around you to accept it with positive attitudes. Defending superiors and higher management will increase your leadership status and trustworthiness. In a political sense it will display your role as siding with management against the disgruntled crowd.

8. Arrange and organise your paperwork: A good filing system allows you to retrieve required documents and information fast for own use or for use by other parties. It is a reflection of your efficiency and your ability for sound logic thinking. If you surround yourself with paperwork to impress on others how busy you are, you are making the mistake of your life. It can be interpreted in many different ways, like you cannot cope with the workload, you cannot delegate, you spend too much on time wasters, you are too slow and worst of all you cannot manage yourself or others.

9. Read up on the principles of supervision and management: Familiarise yourself with the knowledge on how to be a good supervisor or manager. If you can display management capabilities, you will sooner be identified for promotion. It is better to be promoted for your managerial capabilities than for your technical proficiency. It will allow you to perform your managerial duties better. Apart from being technically proficient, prepare yourself in advance for possible promotion. Make yourself ready and available for your employer and the future needs of your organisation.

10. Confidential information: Your treatment of confidential information is going to be a good gauge of your character. You only have to make one mistake in this area, not to be trusted ever again. If you have a problem in this area, rectify it quickly. Your superiors and employer have to trust and rely on your discretion with confidential information. Some information must be kept confidential or secret until it is time for disclosure.

11. Show initiative: Make suggestions to improve methods of work and systems. See problems as opportunities for improvement. Do not just report problems, but analyse it wisely and make recommendations for improvement. Recognise opportunities for improvement and development and utilise it.

12. Be honest, open and direct: Harboring a secretive attitude of slyness with hidden agenda’s will not remain a secret for long. Other persons will eventually detect it and despise you for it. You can just as well fire yourself, because that is where you will end up. Nobody will trust you after you have been exposed. Be open and direct in your communications and handling of conflict situations. Do not be afraid to air your opinions, as long as it is genuine and true. Truthful mistakes can always be remedied later on.

Summary: The Real Mantra for Success

Life is ever so short that nobody can really afford to remain average in the obscured crowd of nobodies. Make yourself stand out as someone with strong principles and work ethics, so that others can rely on your strengths. Qualifications alone, without work ethics, are totally worthless. Make the following words part of your life and your philosophy on your outlook of work:

Tenacity – keep on trying.
Conscientious – keep on thinking about ways to finalise and improve your work.
Humorous – make life bearable and enjoyable.
Urgency – you must finalise your work with speed and accuracy.
Trustworthiness – proof yourself to be a reliable and dependable person.
Openness and honesty – be a person of honour and proud of yourself.