#17: The secret to making people happy.

I never miss a beat

I'm lightnin' on my feet

And that's what they don't see, mm, mm

That's what they don't see, mm, mm

— Taylor Swift, Shake It Off

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^ When I started my first job a longggg time ago, I thought I needed to always prove myself.

Prove that I have the skills.

Prove that I have the knowledge.

Prove that I have the right growth mindset.

Prove that I have what it takes for the next career level.

Fast forward to the daily grind in the corporate world, I have discovered that the REAL SECRET to making people happy with you that will help you advance in your career is...

Managing Expectations.

A.k.a. Keeping your promises.

Or in much simpler terms - Actually doing what you say you're going to do and what you've committed to.

Because what I realised is this...

People hate surprises.

People like to know what's up.

Here's a quick exercise — Think of a time when someone told you:

"Oh, sure thing! I'll get this done by XX."

"I'll send this report to you by XX."

— then you don't hear from them again UNTIL you have to start chasing them. How does that make YOU feel?

Or this other classic one: "Oh, sorry I forgot about it."

A couple of people's faces probably just crossed your mind as you're reading this...

Because one of the fastest ways to destroy your professional reputation and trust at work is doing just THAT.

If you're feeling a little guilty since you have "been there, done that" yourself...

Here are my 3 top tips to help you keep the promises you make AND overdeliver:

✅ Get clear on your performance goals that matter to your BOSS and the list of agreed deliverables, output, timelines etc. Because if you don't know what's important and expected of your role you're going to screw it up.

✅ Get confident and competent with the relevant skills that you need to achieve your performance goals and ensure your work is of high quality and completed on time. Yup, learning work habits that allow you to be efficient and effective is your magic toolbox.

✅ Get visible and let others know about your progress and how close/far you are in delivering what you said you are going to do. And yes, if you're expecting delays or extensions, this is when you communicate (so that you don't create angry colleagues).

There you have it...

While these top tips sound extremely easy to understand, it can be very difficult to implement them correctly.

The good news — once you've mastered them, you will feel as if things at work suddenly "work out" and goes smoothly.

Let me just say this now: It's not magic — it's using the right strategy and method, AND staying consistent (and not giving up) as you improve the skills you need to execute this proven career strategy!

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Heyyy, I hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter where I summarized some of my favourite strategies on how you can actually keep promises that you make to others...

My goal with this week's newsletter is to show you that while it's easier to blame bad situations or negative circumstances on other people, what's more fruitful is to identify what YOU can do to create win-win relationships and get things going.

Now, that's your real superpower!

BTW, if any part of this newsletter resonated with you, send me your favourite "a-ha!" moment via a DM on LinkedIn or drop a comment below so I know! 😊

As always: My mission with these newsletters is to make your career journey smoother than it was for me, and to guide you as you move up the career ladder.

Always cheering you on,

Mei Phing ◡̈

— Your corporate leader turned career coach

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