8 Ways to Stand Out and Build A Reputation of Excellence

8 Ways to Stand Out and Build A Reputation of Excellence If you dont feel you are getting the recognition you deserve, try implementing some of these ideas today and see what happens. Tired of being overlooked and missing out on promotions? Then its time you build a reputation of excellence and get promoted (or poached!) What people think and say about you when you arent in the room is known as your reputation (personal brand).  And it matters a lot. Think about the people youve seen get promoted. They werent necessarily more qualified, were they? What did they do that earned them the privilege of being selected? You want the people you work with to perceive you as someone who cares about the work you do and the people you work with. It is up to you, each and every day, to bring the best version of yourself to work. Master  Your Role Before you are ready to take on new challenges, you must perform your job exceptionally well. That means youll have to do more than just complete assigned tasks. Youll need to do your job exceptionally well. Performance and understanding of technical skills are only part of mastery. You must provide proof that you care about the work you do. This includes arriving at work on time, fully completing projects before the deadline and with a high level of accuracy. It also requires you demonstrate emotional intelligence, which is your ability to understand your emotions and the emotions of other people. Dont overlook the importance of developing your self-awareness, empathy, motivation, self-regulation and social skills. [Read 90% of Top Performers Have This to learn more about emotional intelligence] Champion  a Special Project Once youve mastered your current role, look for other opportunities within your organization to lead a special project. Large or small, every team has a project that ends up on the back burner due to time constraints or insufficient resources. Touch base with your manager first and ask if there is a postponed project you could help with. (Carefully) Suggest Improvements Instead of complaining or criticizing an initiative, provide an alternate solution that would improve upon the task at hand. Its easy to find fault, but much tougher to suggest alternative solutions. But be aware, you have to earn the right to make suggestions. And if you do speak up, be prepared to lead the project. Highlight  The Work of Others Go ahead and talk about the great things your company and team have accomplished. Give a public shout-out on social media to someone who went out of their way to help you solve a problem or thank the team for working together to meet a deadline. It is far easier to highlight the work other people do than it is to promote your own efforts. Contribute Within Online Communities In other words, share what you know and help other people. When you contribute to online communities, not only do people see you are a valuable resource, they also recognize the fact that you took the time to help other people. Simply offer help or share lessons learned with other people in online communities. Look for questions youve had experience solving and share how you overcame the hurdles. Being a compassionate community member earns you recognition and respect. Always Do the Right Thing There will be times when youll feel ambivalent about what youre being asked to do. You should listen to your gut. Speak up, stand up or walk away. From avoiding office gossip to taking a moral high ground on how to resolve a client issue, your reputation is also determined by where you stand on ethical or moral issues. Its up to you to stick to what you believe in. Just realize, not everyone will have the same beliefs you do. This could become a potential problem and may even result in you losing your job. At the end of the day, you will need to stand behind any decision you make. Over Prepare For Everything Over prepare for your upcoming meeting. Know the facts and know how you will present the information to best connect with the people you are speaking with. You can even over prepare for meetings you attend without having to present. Review the meeting agenda topics, familiarize yourself with past meeting minutes and/or action items and show you are paying attention take notes. Even your workday can become more efficient when you establish a productive routine and create a list of action items. Build strong habits today which will carry you forward in your career. Treat Others Kindly Theres an old saying that implies you should treat others as youd want to be treated. Be kind. Remember the simple things like saying thank you when someone holds the door or does a favor for you. It takes very little effort on your part to make someone feel recognized and appreciated. Its often the small things that matter most! This article originally appeared on US News World Report On Careers