Raise the Standard: How to become a top performer in your organization
How to go from below average to a top performer
People across organizations, and as a matter of fact, in all spheres of life, can be divided into 3 main categories. There are low performers — people who often do not contribute any meaningful things to the organization. There are high performers — those who work hard and think innovatively to create solutions to challenges in the establishment. The majority of the people fall somewhere in between these two groups.
It is the norm in corporate organizations to rank people according to their performance for each fiscal year for promotion and compensation planning in the following year. I started my career at a very young age, and I have been privileged to be ranked among the top performers once or twice, but on most occasions, I was always ranked with the majority of the employee as an “Average contributor.” This was no big deal to me, until one particular year when I challenged myself to never be ranked as an average contributor anymore. I decided to raise the bar.
It is much easier to coast along and contribute the bare minimum that will allow you to get along in an organization, but because you are reading this piece, I know you want more in life. If you are currently among the 70% of the people in the average performer group, or even if you are a low performer, there is a question you may have at this moment. How can I become a top performer in my organization?
The first step to becoming a top performer is to desire it. Earlier in my career, even though I had a good work ethic, I was ranked as an average performer, because I was young, naïve, and I really did not understand the benefits of becoming a top performer. I did not know that I started building my personal brand from the first day that I joined the organization. My desire then was to do what my boss told me and nothing more. I did that very well, and I got ranked per my performance. So do you desire to become a top performer? If so, read on.
The second step is to become a recognized expert in the organization. A recognized expert is a solution provider. This is someone that proactively solves problems, and he is the “go-to-guy” when challenges arise. I’m sure you must know this, there are always some specific people that comes to mind whenever there is a problem in your organization. After I made up my mind to raise the bar, I started joining the ranks of the “go-to-people” in my company that proffers solutions to the organization’s problems. If you want to become a recognized expert, you should raise the bar, raise your hand, and always be willing to be among the solution providers.
The third step is to develop a growth mindset. I went from being an average guy to a top performer when I changed my approach to my career. I became conscious of the fact that some people are the “gold standard” in the company. I aspired to join them, I learned what it took to become one, and I earned my spot in the top category.
Finally, there is no way you can become a top performer at what you don’t enjoy. In my book, Winners’ Ways, I wrote about the need to love what you do and do what you love. Loving your career is essential for your productivity, because your annual appraisal is based on your productivity and contribution to your team. To enjoy what you are doing, you must be in the right career. A career that suits your passion and interest. Check out my training video on how to choose the right career here, if you are just beginning your career.