SIX YEARS LATER, YOU STILL HAVE THE SAME POSITION AT THE SAME COMPANY? BECOME AN ELITE PERFORMER

We all have faced many challenges throughout this year. Some of us have had their dream jobs, others are still looking for new challenges that match with their career aspiration, some are struggling to keep their jobs. The truth is that life is not fair but while some have not been lucky others have decided to make their own luck.

For those who work in companies using performance management system, the end of the calendar year is almost always the period for performance assessment. In companies valuing high performance, it is a period of stress because the stakes are high. They could be the rewards or your position at the company itself. At that time, most of us try to finish the project started, and even sometimes, it is hard to remember why we promised our manager to multiply the sales by 500%? J; but from my experience, not all the employees live this period with anxiety. Some have clear plans, already know the value of their achievements and are just waiting for the future actions of their companies (job change, more projects, growing opportunities…). This latter category is what I call Elite performers.

During this year, I have made some researches and observations to understand, not from an HR point of view but from an individual point of view, what make elite performers…elite performers. Put in a simple way: what differentiates elite performers from the rest?

Firstly, we all know or have seen elite performers. They are those talented people who are still growing, tackling with success new challenges and getting promotion at a fast pace. On the day-to-day work, they work relentlessly and are not easily discouraged by obstacles. Be it raining or snowing, they end up getting their job done. They even give the feeling of being super humans and are a source of inspiration for many of their co-workers or relatives. But in a more practical way: how to be an Elite performer? For inspiration purposes, I can share with you some common traits you will find amongst high achievers, but at the end, only your choices (actions) will determine your achievements.

1-????Clarity: The Elite performers know exactly what they want

Clear goals and objectives are essential to your success. If you don’t know exactly what you want or what you have to achieve, you will work endlessly on the completion of fuzzy or zero added value tasks. We often get caught in the daily routine, meeting demands of co-workers, bosses, customers, doing what we can for the present. But If you don’t take the time to get really clear about exactly what it is you’re trying to accomplish, then you will spend your life achieving the goals of those who do. In a metaphorical way: do you start building a house before drawing the plan, or do you draw the plan before starting the construction? You better know the answer and be intentional about your daily actions and activities.

2-????The cost: With every promise, there is a price to pay

You are who you are today because of the sacrifices and choices made in the past. The future follows the same rule. After deciding exactly what is it that you want to achieve, the first thing you have to understand is that optimistic goals will require sacrifices, let it be time, money, energy…. More often, this is the most difficult part because paying the price in order to grow needs you to get out your comfort zone: working longer hours instead of chilling with friends, investing in your education (courses, programs) instead of buying the new iPhone, waking up earlier instead of enjoying the comfort of your bed.?

The second principle is that you have to pay the full price, in advance. You have to sow before the harvest season comes. You have to understand that the result of your efforts will come long after the present moment. In the end, you cannot reap what you have not sowed

3-????The mind-set: Perfection is a myth, but excellence is a culture

I don’t believe in perfection, but I do believe in excellence. Excellence from my perception is a process of continuous improvement. What you know today will be obsolete in a few years. The MBA that you took in 2003 was designed for the context and practices of that period. As our environment changes, our professional practices should evolve too in order to cope with our context, especially in high competitive settings. One of the common traits you can find in high achievers is an ownership responsibility. We all ask to be empowered but when facing difficulties and failure, we do not want to take responsibility. Having the right mind-set is what will separate your actions from the rest. You have to be committed to excellence, and take every challenge or failure as an opportunity to learn something new and grow. Don’t wish for an easy life, but work for getting the right skills that will help you navigate through storms (don’t put the blame on the weather?J)

4-????Execution: they don’t wait for external source of motivation before taking actions

Did I say that paying the price is the most difficult part? Well it might not be because execution is tedious and needs long term commitment. You can have the best intention, you can get clear about what you want and how to get it, but all those steps will not matter much if you don’t draft a plan and execute it with discipline. What is discipline, it is the art of doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, whether you feel like it or not. If you are the kind of person who needs a boost of motivation every day before getting to action, there are chances that you will give up within the first 3 months. Motivation is good because it eases the pain and facilitates our behavior, but…what are you going to do when you will lack motivation for 3 consecutive weeks??My advice would be to know yourself first (what (de)motivates you??How much do you feel like you need it?) then treat your yourself like someone that you have to negotiate with (more of a carrot and carrot treat). The idea is to draft a plan with actions to follow on a regular basis, then get things done every day. Don’t wait for your boss/relatives to tell you how talented you are, to tell you that they trust you. JUST GET THINGS DONE

Take time to reflect on these common traits of elite performers and determine exactly if this is a journey you want to travel through. But be sure that there will always be a price to pay, whether you want to be an elite performer or not. At least, now you understand better that people do not become high achievers only by faith or even by fate; Elite performer are those people who decided to work on achieving excellence, and are willing to pay the price every day relentlessly. From my point of view, those are the best four characteristics of elite performers, but I know that there are a lot more. Don’t take these notes as lectures, but just as the result of my own observations. Feel free to share your opinion and experience, it will certainly help each of us.

Best wishes for the new year to come, don’t forget to sow what you want to reap.