Complacency is a common phenomenon that affects the workforce. It can manifest as patterns of employees taking fewer risks, neglecting to share ideas for continuous improvement, and skipping great professional development opportunities. Employees can get stuck in a rut. It happens to people settled in a company for many years and people who quickly master their duties soon after joining a new firm. If managers fail to address complacency, established workers can fail to progress to the next stage of their respective careers. Here’s sound advice for managers and direct reports on how to step up your career in a short time:
1. Block time to immerse yourself in the publications trending in your industry. In the digital age, we have numerous noises to filter out. We may fail to make time to read the latest developments in industry magazines, newsletters, blogs, and conference proceedings, which are rich in ideas for expanding our skills and anticipating the needs of our customers.
2. Immerse yourself in mentoring and coaching activities. This could include working with a coach who is preparing you for a promotion and dedicating at least an hour a week to helping co-workers with less experience who are learning their jobs and developing their own skills.
3. Establish a new personal goal for each month. A typical job includes goals for productivity, workplace behavior, and professional development, many of which a manager tracks for the purpose of employee performance appraisal. Creating a personal goal challenges you to work harder in an area that is relevant to your current interests.
When you find yourself in a rut, a new position might just create the spark you need to keep your career from plateauing. Visit our career page to learn more.