"I might not be very smart, but I surround myself with smart people." - Barbara Mandrell
What makes you a smart employee? Always look for people and things that can only bring out the best in you. Connect with your co-workers that will mentor you professionally and with colleagues who share the same ideals and acceptable work ethics with you. If you want to be considered professionally smart and reliable employee, how do you start working on your personal and professional development? Here is a list of the commendable characteristics of a smart employee.
Light Hearted
A smart employee has the capacity to understand and motivate people to learn and cooperate to achieve a common goal. They can be serious, but they also know when to let out a good laugh. This makes it easier to work with them (and for them). It shows that when needed, laughter is a good antidote to a stressful work task.
Another antidote that is effective in lifting your spirits and help you to be productive is 'standing' right in front of you (yes, I said it). Standing while working at your desk creates a healthy environment and helps avoid the dreaded sedentary lifestyle. Sitting all day is counterproductive and can lead to depression, irritability, and can compromise your work. Use a standing desk to make shifting from sitting to standing easier.
Believe They Can
A Smart employee knows he can do something well to excel. He has an intrinsic motivation that pushes him to do BEYOND what is expected of a regular employee. He makes selective choices based on what benefits him and his company. To achieve the goal of excellence at work he surrounds himself with people that can only push him to excel and provide quality output. The validation he gets from recognition of the works he does only show that believing in oneself is a tool to success. He can be wise in his decision and he does not wait for change to happen, he makes it happen. He is diligent and trusts that he can count on himself to change for the best.
One of the changes he will accept is that sitting all day at work is no longer a good practice - it is, in fact, a deadly practice. Since he believes in excellence, he will choose to stand for his health and use sit-stand workstation. The best way to do it is using a standing desk. To reposition from sitting to standing is made easier with a standing desk that can be adjusted to your height requirement. This is one of the work habits that can benefit him - a LOT.
Conscious Emotions
How do smart employees handle their emotions? Simple: breathing exercises when they are about to emotionally explode. He knows that when he allowed his emotions, especially anger, be his boss, he is in deep trouble. For this, he needs to make a list of what are his strengths and weakness, beliefs, attributes, and personal beliefs. This will help him assess what areas of his life needs conversion and enhancement. The more he knows about his personality type the better for him to excel in his chosen craft.
Reflective Character
A smart employee does not live in his past achievements. He makes another success, another advancement in career, and another milestone in personal development. He only looks back to check the progress of his growth and on what areas need change and updates. This reflection of what transpired in the past will him determine the course of action he needs to take to continue his momentum of excellence.
The rise of technology will help them assess what online tools they need to use to be one step ahead of their colleagues or their competitors in the same market where the company is thriving. One change that is welcomed is the practice of paperless office. It helps eliminate unnecessary paperwork and free some space that can be converted to collaborative working space. This is done with the inclusion of sit-stand workstation and the use of standing desk - and in effect will improve workers health.
Unique and Creative
A smart employee is a great reader of not just novels but books of the prominent and the exemplary. They do things differently and choose to be proactive instead of saying I'll cross the bridge when I get there”. To learn more and be awarded the enroll in online courses for personal development and career advancement. Smart employees are always looking for something new but are selective of adopting these changes because some may not be of interest in his current situation.
Some are afraid of new things that it is with letting go of the old (that does not work) where your breakthrough will come in. Take a risk to be creative and it will always be worth it.
Receptive to Ideas
The openness to new and complex ideas can be intimidating to some but not to a smart employee. He is always on the lookout for suggestions, ideas, and recommendations that can push his project or plan forward. His idea may not be original but he can find ways to diversify it. On the latest trend to increase sales is content marketing in the form of articles and blogs. This can be effective but for the smart employee, he will add video to it. Content with videos makes it more engaging and personal for consumers and that mean sales.
During a standing meeting, he can provide guidelines in the flow of discourse but he welcomes the exchange of creative ideas. The interest to listen from another person’s point of view is an indication that he allows his colleagues to shine and respect their opinion. But it must be regulated as he does not want to be seen as unprepared or lack the skills to conduct brainstorming or problem-solving.
Timely
The smart employee knows the difference between urgent and important. Getting to work on time is important but when a big client calls for an assistance, that is urgent. He knows when an opportunity is worth responding to or not. He is quick to making Deadline is respected without compromising quality.
He is a smart employee and a boy scout because he prepares a backup plan. He has different plans for possible circumstance and he acts on it - on time. He considers procrastination as a sin but delays some projects that need appropriate timing and enough funds.
Handwritten Goals
He may not write the will but he has a dream/plan book that serves as his guide. He writes his goals and read it regularly, changes when needed to keep him updated on what is the next thing to do. His planner shows how organized he is and how he wanted to execute his plans. This little book also contains his contact that will serve as his mentor, clients, referrals, suppliers, and close friends that will keep him grounded. Knowing what to do and when to do it gives him a glimpse of success that he has his vision on. This quality makes him a perfect candidate for the administrative position.
Pay it Forward
A smart employee is willing to invest his wisdom to new recruits, interns, and on the job trainees. He can impart his knowledge on how to have a healthy working habit such as using a standing desk, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, how to use apps and tools to manage time efficiently and stored files minus the physical space it requires, and a lot more.
A smart employee uses his full capacity to be considered the employee of the year, with consistently high marks in professional achievements, and the willingness to learn - more.
