On Working Hard as a Strategy

I remember sitting out having a coffee with a client many years ago now; we were talking about success and how to build a career. Whilst I remember little of the discussion itself, I can picture the client saying something that really stuck.

He said to me quite forcefully “working hard is not a strategy”.

I remember that conversation for two reasons: one because it was the first time someone had ever said that to me and secondly, because I remember questioning this opinion quite strongly in my mind.

Why?

Because that is the only strategy I had ever known.

This information entered my brain and sat there for a few more years before I really started to understand what he meant. What he actually meant was that working hard on it’s own is not a strategy….

And what a discovery that was when the penny finally dropped!

There will be people reading this article thinking that I’ve just gone and stated the obvious and there’ll be others who are wondering how they can progress their careers without huge amounts of hard work (I’m afraid many of these will be women); but there’s more to it than that.

• Have you ever looked at someone being promoted over another person when they work fewer hours, deliver less work or to a lower quality than another?
• Have you ever wondered why you’re missing out on opportunities despite being first in, last out, being offered the key projects to deliver and receiving excellent feedback from clients, customers and peers?

Chances are that in both circumstances, the individuals missing out on opportunities for progression are putting too much emphasis on just delivering great work. Whilst I hate to burst the bubble on this notion that hard work always pays off, it cannot be solely relied upon to get you where you want to go.

So if it’s not hard work, then what is it?

1. Taking time for networking, not just at your level but across the organisation.
2. Become known, tell people what you do, explain what you’re working on. Share the successes; ask for second opinions on tougher projects, even if you think you’ve got the answer anyway. It brings broader awareness to how you think and your collaborative nature to bounce ideas around with others.
3. Align to industry events or bodies and become a voice on social media, like Linked In.
4. Be clear about your ambitions and find out what is required to get there. Challenge responses such as 'keep your head down and continue the great work'. It needs to be more tangible than this.
5. Find a mentor, sponsor or coach; these people are invaluable in supporting your future success.

These solutions, can be highly effective, especially if done in conjunction with one another.

Keeping your head down and delivering the ‘best’ work in the department will potentially get you a pat on the back, more work and if you’re lucky, a bonus contribution.

How do you plan to take your career to the next level?