13 ways to be a great employee

I sometimes wonder if I could take what I know now and go back in time would I have been a better employee. There were so many things that were never explained to me, but became obvious once I was managing and leading others who were often far better employees than I ever was.

Whilst there is a much stronger focus on culture and team building than when I set out in my first job, still so much time is spent teaching leadership, but very little is spent on how to be a good follower, especially for those who didn’t have great coaches. The fact is that no company succeeds without disciplined, loyal, and effective followers, which you’ll find out quickly the first time you have to manage a team or start a company. If you can avoid some of these mistakes, you’ll be far more likely to get into a position of leadership faster – and be better at it from the start. If Only I’d Known These Things…

1) Keep your word, do your job
Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it – always!  No excuses. This isn’t your high school English class where you can beg for extensions. Get your work done, on time, with as little drama as possible. This is your single most important job.

2) Your manager wants you to succeed
One of the most important things to realise in hindsight was that most of my managers really did want me to succeed. Yes, there are a lot of toxic managers out there and we have all had our share of them, but don’t let those poor managers trigger you into setting yourself up as the enemy of your manager. In normal healthy work environments, your manager usually is not your enemy. They’re busy and under pressure and ambitious too. Truly, they want you to succeed, because as much as anything, it’s just easier for them than dealing with the issues that come up when you don’t. Coaching, managing, and yes, firing and hiring people is a LOT of work, and they really do think it would just be easier if you could be great at your job. So help them as much as you can, and think for yourself as much as you can, and you’ll be a hero to your manager.

3) Your manager is not your parent
If you’re fresh out of school or college, it’s especially easy to continue on in the role of child. After all for your entire life to date your parents and teachers and professors have been authority figures with a lot of power over you. We’re all unique and are made up of our own individual set of experiences, so things can even be triggered when your manager demands things of you in a way that reminds you of that parental relationship. But your manager is not your mother or father. They have a job to do, and so do you. Don’t read so much into everything they say or do. They’re human, they make mistakes, and they’re not trying to keep you insecure or powerless. Seek a mentor to discuss these issues with. As you grow in your career, these issues will come up – even as you lead people, you learn about your triggers and a good mentor will make you a better manager, too.

4) If there’s a problem, don’t wait, or hide it..
Say something before it gets so bad you want to quit, you start acting out, or someone gets fired or arrested. Managers assume you are fine until you say something. They’re busy too, and yes, it’s their job to ask and check in, but if not, you need to own this for the sake of your own career.

5) But don’t complain about everything either
Those who rarely complain usually get immediate attention when they do finally speak. Figure out what’s in your manager’s control and selectively air your gripes in those ways. Try not to whine about the rest or you’ll become known for doing just that. Work isn’t easy, and no one wants to hang around complainers.

6) Get stuff done with no drama = you’re a star
Those who get “stuff” done and create no interpersonal drama are highly prized in organisations. Be that person. Don’t let your emotions run your decisions. Take a breath, cool off, go for a walk. Make decisions with your head and think long term as much as you can. If you are truly this person and you are not highly prized for this trait, something is wrong, so leave your manager or your company. Tell a prospective manager that you are this person, and prove it, and you will be hired.

7) Ask for what you want, explicitly
Managers are busy but they want you to be successful and happy. It’s easier for them! So, get to the point. If you want help, or just want to explore some ideas without judgement, or need something, just say it out loud, explicitly and as clearly as you can. Don’t just flop down on your manager’s couch or the conference room and vent your emotions. Think it through, and figure out exactly what you want. Then ask for it.

8) Make your manager look great and good things will happen
If you do this and you are not being rewarded, get a new manager. Don’t bother complaining about it, because it’s not going to change. Move on and don’t waste time trying to wonder whose fault it is.

9) Be loyal to your manager
You never look good when you bad mouth your manager, and it always gets back to them. At that point, trust is dead and your career in that organisation is likely now at a dead end. Loyalty in people is highly valued by managers. Don’t gossip about them or your other team members. Believe me, they notice when you do, even if they never say anything to your face.

10) Fess up ASAP
The minute you think your deadline is at risk, or you know you’ve made a mistake, own it. Don’t hide it! The earlier you fess up, the more time your manager has to help you fix it and help you clean up the mess. It should go without saying that nasty but avoidable surprises are unprofessional, and you should never repeat them.

11) Choose your allies carefully
When starting a new job, bide your time with forging close relationships – you never know but the first person to befriend you might be doing so as they’re disliked by everyone else. So pick your friends and allies carefully. Spend time observing where power and influence flow in your new company, both formally and informally, to avoid inadvertently making a career-limiting move early on.

12) Choose the right moment to share your experience
While some people in authority might not respond well to hearing how you did things in your last job, feedback is the breakfast of champions, so play smart as you share with them ideas which you could bring to your role with your new employers based on your previous experience elsewhere.

13) Pick up after yourself
Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Keep your work space orderly. Apologise if you make a mistake. Volunteer sometimes, but not always, to take on grunt work. When a manager asks for volunteers they (should) value/reward those who do. Stop if they don’t.

IMPORTANT: None of this excuses poor management!
There’s an inherent assumption in everything I just wrote. The workplace you are in and your manager must be reasonably rational and healthy. If your culture or leader is toxic, I suggest you get out as soon as you possibly can. Don’t convince yourself into thinking you can change that. In fact, the longer you stay, the more damage you will do to your own psyche and your career as you adopt unhealthy habits.

At the same time, the purpose of this article is to challenge you to think about the parts of the relationship with your manager that you can own, even in the earliest and most powerless parts of your career. You do have choices in every situation, and those choices can either push your career forward, or stifle it.