I’ve been working at Starbucks now for a month, and I have noticed something that I wish I had communicated to my students back when i worked with Campus Crusade. It’s a simple, three-step guide on how to be better and more impressive than 90% of the working world. Are you ready for it?
- Do what is asked of you, when it is asked of you, even when nobody is watching.
- Smile.
- Repeat.
The first and last step you might have guessed, and they’ll probably get you to the 75th percentile. But that second step, no lie, will push you right over into employee of the month category. Yeah, it wil require you to act as though you are enjoying yourself, but the funny thing is that after acting like it for a few minutes, you find yourself actually enjoying yourself.
Try it. You might like it.
Good thoughts. I work with a lot of students in my position at OU and attitude is what matters most. Someone can be as talented as possible and a lousy attitude will sink you faster than you can even imagine. I do want to comment on Number one for just a moment: I cannot count the number of times that I have had someone question a task I have given them. Sometimes even just a simple one like “do your timesheet” or “clean the lab” (when I was a helpdesk lead). I had one student question why we had to to timesheets (my answer of “do you want to get paid or just work for free?” seemed to work). One thing that I have noticed is that some people want to do as little work as possible. I have noticed this at my Ramsey Job (FPU Shoutout!). We have requirements to be available on the phone a certain amount of time and most people seem to want to avoid doing their jobs…even going as far as pushing things until they nearly get fired. I guess my caveat to Number 1 would be “You were hired to do a job, do it!”
I wish my summer staff could get this concept. I think it comes with life experience, AND having some time being the person who is supervising those who need to do those things. Maybe we’ll update the staff manual just to be these three things.
I love this post. Thanks for sharing your life the way you do man. Totally raw. Totally real. Here’s to a bright future!