How to "Bring Something to the Table" in the Workplace

The term “bring something to the table” is one that has long been used in business settings.

It starts right from the interview where you are asked questions like:

“Why should we hire you?”

“What do you believe that you can offer, that other candidates can’t?”

“What can you tell us about yourself that is not on your CV?”

It simply means “to provide or offer a useful skill or attribute to a shared task, activity, or endeavor”. (idioms.thefreedictionary.com)

In short, value.

Giving a satisfactory answer to those questions and getting the job is just the first hurdle. Then comes the actual work…and the promises you made at the interview may begin to flounder in the wake of new things to learn, new people to adapt to, and an unfamiliar work environment.

You’re too busy trying to keep up to even remember that there is a table to bring anything to!

But when the frenzy of newness dies down and you begin to settle in, how do you make good on your promise, so that there is no question of whether you were the right choice for the role? How do you establish yourself as a person of value?

Organizations hire employees to help them make money, save money or grow the business by promoting the brand; because the unique value proposition of the employee, i.e., generally their ability to think, fixes a business problem they face and there are no other cheaper or more effective alternatives. For example, a company hires a marketer because they face a business problem: a lack of customers. (business2community.com)

Whether you’re new at the job or have been at it for a while, your goal should be to deliver on any of these three.

In my experience, the tasks assigned in the workplace fall into three main categories:

• Those you’re familiar with and have done in your past work experience.
• Those you may have an idea of how to do and can translate that knowledge into practice, even if you have no hands-on experience.
• Those you don’t know how to do at all and need to learn or be taught.

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1.??????Those you’re familiar with and have done in your past work experience.

?It’s likely that you’ve already established yourself as competent in this area. It’s one of the reasons you were selected, after all. Demonstrating value in this area means being consistent in doing what you know, while constantly upskilling or reskilling yourself on how to do it better.

?For example, are there ways you can automate a system that already works to make it more efficient? Are there applications you could introduce that would save money for the company by reducing or eliminating costs? Are there best practices that you can adapt to fit your culture or work systems? Are there ideas you have been considering that you could initiate on the job?

?Efficiency translates to speed, and speed means saving or making money for the business

?2.??????Those you may have an idea of how to do and can translate that knowledge into practice, even if you have no hands-on experience.

Here, the key is to bulk up on your practical know-how by shadowing someone who already knows the job well or getting a coach or mentor to help turn that knowledge into skill. Taking that initiative positions you as proactive, as an unapologetic learner, and as someone that can be volunteered for new projects.

This enhances your visibility in the workplace, increases your worth to the business, and motivates them to invest in your development. You are considered a talent, and this contributes to promoting the brand and value proposition of the organization.

?3.??????Those you don’t know how to do at all and need to learn or be taught.

In this situation, a good first step is to start from the known and work your way up. Play to your strengths.

Which aspect of the unfamiliar task do you know well? Your familiarity with that aspect can help you make connections that allow you to contribute to the success of the less familiar aspects of the task.

For example, you find yourself working as a salesperson and have no prior experience selling. However, you are good at report writing. While learning the skills to help you be a better salesperson, you can be that person who keeps accurate records of your team’s sales calls and the revenue generated from them. Be the person that helps to manage your client database, categorize your clients according to their value to the company, and feed your team data that helps them be more strategic in lead generation and prospecting.

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The table may be a proverbial one, but you can create a seat for yourself at it. So, find your niche and own it!

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***For more career tips and lessons told with fun and quirky stories, you can subscribe to my blog at toyintalkstalent.wordpress.com.

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