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Personal Excellence In The Workplace
Six keys to unlock the door to success

Article by Pamela Wigglesworth

The one thing that most people have in common is the desire to become successful. However not all people achieve this because they forget one essential component - a strategy for becoming successful. All successful people would agree a vision of the future is vital. Personal excellence is part of this plan.

The word excellence is defined as the quality of excelling, possessing good qualities in high degree. It's about developing a winning mind set that says "I want to be great at what I do. I want my work and my personal life to be successful."

Developing personal excellence in the workplace is a deliberate process and takes time, yet it can be developed by using some essential tools and techniques, and by creating a personal strategy for success.

Here are six key steps to put you on the path to workplace excellence.

1. Identify why you want to excel at work.

Before any action can be taken, the first thing you must do is indentify why you want to excel at work. You must determine the end result you wish to achieve. Are you looking for recognition? Is your goal to move up the corporate ladder? Are you looking for a pay increase? Or perhaps you want a sense of accomplishment from taking on greater challenges? Once you have established your goals, it will be easier for you to determine the action steps required to get you on the right road to achieving them.

2. Personal excellence on the outside: your image, mannerisms and body.

Excellence on the outside is very important. You might be the best at what you do in the office or have the fastest typing speed or be the most tech savvy, but if your image is not great, you are not likely to get ahead. Do you arrive to work looking like you just got out of bed, with uncombed hair and wrinkled clothes? Are you dressed like a professional, or like you just came from a nightclub? Do your mannerisms and posture reflect a person of intelligence and confidence, or do you slouch or lean on the furniture all the time? Your physical actions and appearance are visual clues to your level of excellence. Ask yourself "What am I projecting?"

3. Personal excellence on the inside - staying healthy.

It is important to take care of your personal well-being. That means going to bed at a reasonable hour to ensure that you are well rested and able to handle your daily tasks. It also means eating a proper diet to ensure you also have the mental capacity to do your job. A clear mind and a rested body means you are able to function with ease and it's also a confidence booster.

4. Know your strengths and focus on what you do best.

Recognising your strengths and weaknesses is crucial to your success. Most people think they should gain knowledge in the areas where they are weak, but actually the opposite is true. Play to your strengths by taking on projects in areas where you are strongest, and if possible delegate tasks where you lack the knowledge or skills.

5. Set SMART goals that get you where you want to go.

We've all heard about the importance of SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Framed. Take 15 minutes to write out three to five goals that will bring your closer to excellence in the workplace. Make sure they are straight forward, action-based, realistic and achievable. Decide on a completion date and the action steps required to get you there. Identify any obstacles in the way and what you need to do to overcome them

6. Celebrate small wins to keep you on plan.

As humans we are programmed to want instant gratification. Some of your goals will take some time to achieve; therefore it is important that you reward yourself along the way. Acknowledge and celebrate the small wins as and when you complete tasks that get you closer to reaching your goal. Treat yourself to a new magazine, a massage or a meal out. This will provide the instant gratification that you crave while on the road to achieving your ultimate goal and finally workplace excellence.

Article written by Pamela Wiggelsworth, www.experiential.sg.

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Personal Excellence In The WorkplaceSix keys to unlock the door to success