99 Ways To Become a High Performer

Estimated reading time: 4 mins

A List of Bitesized Quips…

Here’s a list of 99 things to do to become a high performer. If you regularly do all 99, then I’m sure you’ll be on the road to super-stardom…

  1. Tell people what you are doing
  2. Ask people what they are doing, and offer help
  3. Enter recent achievements into your ‘external profile’ on LinkedIn and other social networking sites
  4. Practice articulating your achievements
  5. Communicate progress across your sphere of influence
  6. Discuss failures, and what you did to recover
  7. Describe what you have learned, frequently
  8. Coach other people (with their permission)
  9. Find a personal development coach
  10. Always ensure that your goals and objectives are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound)
  11. Regularly review your projects and extract learning
  12. Send polished updates
  13. Join company activities and teams
  14. Always respond to employee surveys
  15. Focus on your performance objectives
  16. Attend company parties and events
  17. Praise fellow workers – it will be reciprocated
  18. Instead of reporting problems, highlight solutions
  19. Align to the truth, always
  20. Offer to be a spokesperson for your organization in the press
  21. If you compete in sports, offer your back to your organization – sponsorship
  22. Get involved in focus groups in your organization
  23. Prepare for one-to-one meetings in advance
  24. Learn basic project management skills, and use them, if you don’t have that experience
  25. If asked, tell people about the good things in your life, rather than what’s dragging you down
  26. Have fun – and share the fun
  27. Be upfront about the things that are acceptable to you, and the things that are not
  28. Set standards, as well as conform to them
  29. Take risks, and manage them
  30. Be nice to support staff, e.g. Personal Assistants
  31. Network, network, network
  32. Press flesh, as well as the keyboard
  33. Conduct working lunches
  34. Keep meetings short, and stick to the agenda
  35. Show how you make decisions
  36. Make yourself accessible
  37. Don’t be afraid to approach Execs
  38. Be creative and go forward with your ideas
  39. If your ideas are rebuffed, try again
  40. Avoid email unless it’s necessary
  41. Always follow-up
  42. Give feedback, often
  43. Ask for feedback, often
  44. Assume authority, until told otherwise
  45. Empower yourself – don’t wait for others to do it for you
  46. Focus on your strengths
  47. Don’t spend too much time worrying about your weaknesses
  48. Smile
  49. Roll your sleeves up
  50. Don’t let your status confuse your usefulness
  51. Use your role as a springboard, not a fence
  52. If the need arises, bypass procedure
  53. Stand up for what is right
  54. Find sponsorship from someone senior
  55. If you can, sponsor someone else’s development
  56. Keep yourself fit and healthy
  57. Dress accordingly – but not necessary with conformity
  58. Avoid ‘groupthink’
  59. Institute a ‘10% stretch’ – each month set yourself a 10% higher target in something
  60. Find role-models
  61. Become a role-model yourself
  62. Make many friends
  63. Help people
  64. Invite colleagues to social events
  65. However you do it, remember people’s name
  66. If conflict is necessary, don’t avoid it
  67. Don’t wait to be asked to do something if it needs doing
  68. Don’t work late, work smart
  69. Never use excuses
  70. Never accept excuses
  71. Before you hit Send, read it again
  72. Sell, don’t tell (if you don’t have to)
  73. Share the joy and fruits of success
  74. Share your knowledge, don’t withhold it
  75. Be different
  76. Support a worthy cause, or create one
  77. Know how you spend your time
  78. Know that your time is precious
  79. Appreciate that other people’s time is precious
  80. If in doubt, ask
  81. Learn how to forget status, eventually
  82. Lead from the back, as well as the front
  83. If you really must blame, then blame yourself
  84. Hold other people to account
  85. Read about something outside of your core interests
  86. Always be a jobhunter, even within your current employer
  87. Change jobs frequently, even within your current employer
  88. Organize your workspace at least once a week
  89. Create an opportunity for a colleague; expect nothing in return
  90. Never take No as a bad answer – it’s Maybe you shouldn’t accept
  91. Make sure your body is running on a full tank – don’t work hungry or thirsty
  92. We have two ears and one mouth –  listen more than you speak
  93. Don’t put anything off to tomorrow that can be done as well today
  94. Remember that delegation is not abdication – true as delegate or delegator
  95. Make sure the boundary conditions are clear, in whatever you’re doing (i.e. uncompromisable conditions or standards)
  96. Don’t start working until you know what you have to achieve
  97. Plan, but don’t over-plan – a plan should be S.M.A.R.T. too
  98. Take frequent breaks – as often as you need to (and can do)
  99. Remember, you’re not a super-hero – so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t behave like one

Do you have a hundredth…?

Then tell us your high performance tip by leaving a comment below!

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