Knowledge aids Confidence, Decision Making and pathway to Success
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
You should have good knowledge of the subject and related skills to perform well in any field. Do self-analysis periodically and identify what more you need to make up for your deficiencies. It is equally important that you know about your customers, vendors, seniors, team members, juniors and friends and others. If you know something well, you can be confident and impressive while speaking and writing. Ignorance of law or policies is no excuse to take the wrong step. A knowledgeable person is always in demand and respected by all. After you join a company, there will be so much to learn on-the-job for which one must have the right aptitude and quick on the uptake. To respect human values, you should be kind toward others and always keep your promise irrespective of your own difficulties /restrictions. Some basic points for consideration to be successful are given in the following sections:
· Karma. Karma relates to the deeds of our past life and actions in the present lifetime. It is well said- “As you sow, so shall reap”. Therefore we must earn by hard work and honest means and do share a part for the needy. Never ever cheat your organisation, friends, relatives and others.
· Keen. One must show keenness in his/her assigned job as that would act as a binding force in the team and enhance team productivity and respect.
· Keep Going. After you climb a peak there will be valleys to cross before you climb the next peak. Periodically, you should be ready to recoup energy and take the next step to rise. The journey must continue across cliffs and valleys.
· Keep it Simple. Keep things simple and easily executable. Complexity leads to delays and drops in quality. To have assured success, follow the principle of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). This will accelerate the completion of your mission.
· Keeping Promise. It is most important to keep your commitment to your business partners, customers, vendors, organization and the team. Keeping a promise is sterling quality, an on-going process and in all dealings.
· Keeping Relationship. To keep the enduring business relationship, always go for a win-win strategy. Sometimes, you should deliberately let others win too.
· Keen to Do it. You should show that you are always keen on getting the job done, on-time and within the allotted budget. Likewise, your actions should reflect your keenness for the welfare and progress of your team.
· Keys to Success. Initiative, Determination and Innovation are the keys to success. To showcase your hidden talents, you need to adopt these keys sincerely. You will soon notice a positive change in your attitude and career growth.
· Keystone. You must be dependable and a go-getter to act as the keystone of your team. You should be versatile to undertake/support the job of team members.
· Kick-Start. Once you got the project in hand you must plan an early kick-start so that all stakeholders come to know each other. This will inspire the project team and assure the customer.
· Kidding. You need to take up your career seriously and demonstrate maturity. You must not be noticed as kidding.
· Kind. It is very important to be kind and courteous towards your teammates, peers and even customers/clients. Being kind during conversation draws respect and strengthens bondage with stakeholders. It will create a positive work culture in the team and you will get their support.
· Kinship. Maintain good kinship among your family members and relatives as they will always standby you.
· Knock at the door. Opportunities come flying and you got to capture the right moment at act immediately. Do not wait, watch and hope for another time. Instead, walk up and knock at the door and sue enough door will open.
· Know your competency. It is good to know how much you know and equally important to let others know how much you know. Do not assume that your boss knows all about you and will take care of your career/promotion. He/ She may have many other things to do and it is you who must project your performance.
· Know your gaps. It is equally important to know how much you don’t know but more important to know from whom to know what you don’t know. Then don’t wait but plan to reach that source soonest and know what you did not know. If you now know what you did not know, you are knowledgeable and start sharing with others.
· Knit-Well. You are responsible to have a well-knit team. This comes through openness and mutual trust. You are to take care of the well-being of your team and they must feel assured that they can depend on you. A well-knit team is always ready to put an extra ounce of their energy and complete the assigned task on-time and every time.
· Knowledge is Force Multiplier. Knowledge is a force multiplier and it impacts your performance and even your reaction. Lack of knowledge will make you hesitant to speak in public and even during any meeting/ discussion. You are to have a good aptitude for a subject/skill and quick on the uptake to understand and absorb instructions/processes.
· Know the Rules. If you hold good cards in your hand, you should know the rules of the game and then play it well. You should be thorough in all rules, regulations and ethos of the organization and function accordingly. Ignorance of law/rules is no excuse.
· Key Result Areas (KRA). You must have well thought of annual KRA’s for your team and yourself and declare those at the beginning of the year. Thereafter you carry out a periodic audit. Any deviation should be quickly corrected to keep all activities on track.
· Kudos. Do give kudos for the good work done by any of your team members. Give credits to those who deserve it and give them immediately.
To read more, you may refer to my book/e book “A2Z 26 steps for assured Success” available on www. amazon.in
Brig(Retd) Dr Sarbjit Singh, Former exec director, Apeejay College of Engineering, Gurgaon, Haryana, India