Is it hard work, talent, determination, a positive attitude, support from others? The answer lies in a combination of these things. First, let’s define a star performer.
Stars are people who are on top of their game, make their work look like a “piece of cake”, and produce “positive results”.
Think about actors. !! Whether it is Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, or Gleen Close, they all have something in common. When their final product, the films, are out on the street, their performance looks so natural that you doesn’t even think about the hours and hours, of work and effort that went into the production.
You may say that this picture doesn’t apply to you. Those people are uniquely gifted and talented, thus only reserved for a few. That is not true.!!
Its within our work and career, that we have to gain the attitude of being a star performer. No one else can do it for us. If we believe in our own abilities and set goals that sends us forward, then we are on the path to a sure success.
Our ability to recognize our strengths/weaknesses and build upon them, and to be honest about our needs and improve them, makes us potential star material.
Here are some facts about star performers, as cited from a Carnegie Mellon Institute report of 700 companies:
- They are usually not geniuses.
- The most successful people did not have high triple digit IQs.
Because they weren’t in the extreme upper echelon of academic intelligence, they worked harder, and made the most of their talent.
Extremely long hours didn’t contribute to their success. On average, they worked fewer hours than the average performers.
They are confident, achievement oriented, accept that they will make some mistakes, and won’t win every deal. They put life in balance and that contributes to being very effective with the hours they do work.
Stars make more money, tend to be more satisfied, and have more fun (Doesn’t that sounds cool).
Here is another interesting fact about stars.
They can point to someone in their careers who served as coaches or mentors. When they work with someone who guides them, and enables them to set realistic but challenging stretch goals, the stars achieve more and enjoy more than average performers. They experience success in more than one way.
So how do you become a star performer? Here are some fundamental principles to follow:
Adopt an attitude of taking small steps. Regardless of the steps your are taking, breaking it down into small steps enables you to stay the path, see the goal, and feel good at milestones. Just imagine if you tried to run a marathon without ever having trained in small increments.
Find a method of staying up-to-date in your field and industry. Make it a regular part of your development. Establish a weekly structure. Whether it is reading a periodical, doing Internet research, or networking with others within your industry, make sure you are doing at least three career-industry-development activities every week. The simple fact is that many people don’t do this. The stars do it regularly, and are usually ready for most opportunities that come their way.
Ask how you can be more valuable within your company. Be proactive. Stretch yourself by doing things that are a win/win for the company and you.
Ask for assignments that no one else wants. Regardless of how lousy the assignment might be, find a way make it meaningful to you and the organization. Not only does it get you noticed and appreciated, it also demonstrates your ability to be well-rounded, dependable, and a team player. Now wouldn’t you want someone like that on your team!
So, do these principle guarantee stardom? It depends on your perspective. If you depend on others to validate your ability, then there are a limitless number of principles that make you a star. That’s because everyone will have different standards at different times.
However, if you believe in yourself, and if you truly live by these principles, then you own your stardom, and over time, many others will recognize it. And, over the long haul, you will find that your career serves you well.
