Standout on the Job: Show Humility at Work

Is it worth showing humility at work? Many people will tell you the best way to advance at your current jobs is to stand out. This may be the case, but on the other hand, sometimes the best strategy is to show a little humility while letting your work speak for itself. Here are some strategies we’ve found to work that show humility at work:

Humility Starts with Being a Great Listener. 

Being a great listener is a skill that for some, takes practice. Being able to listen effectively means you’re able to better understand others. In the workplace, this means you’re more likely to learn new skills quickly, complete tasks more effectively while having constructive conversations with peers and leaders about possible areas for improvement.

Here are seemingly simple ways to practice becoming a better listener, but sometimes are actually quite difficult to do:

• • Focus on the person speaking.
• • Only talk when there is opportunity…don’t talk over people.
• • Stop talking when they talk.
• • Never interrupt.
• • Don’t start thinking of a clever response before they can get the words out of their mouth.
• • Listen to everything they have to say, and pause when they stop before responding.

Again, listening is a skill, and it takes time to master. Some of the above won’t necessarily feel that natural at first, and it will require practice before it becomes a habit. However, if you stick with it, you’ll find it does get easier.

Humility Starts with Being a Great Follower. 

Have you ever been in a work situation where it seemed like there were “too many cooks in the kitchen?” Many people want to lead at work, but few want to follow. The key is to set your ego aside. To someone, like your boss, this shows you care about being a great team member. Here are some easy ways to check your ego at the door and how to “show up” when starting your workday.

Humility at Work: Less Big Talk.

Unless you are a teacher in the classroom, the people around you didn’t sign up to hear you lecture them. Instead of leading with a lot of talk, lead by example. An employee who shows up on time works until the job is done, and tries to help out, will always stand out.

Humility at Work: Stay Positive.

We all have complaints, but that doesn’t mean we have to dump them on everyone around us. Keep a positive attitude; lift people up with a smile or an offer of help when they need it.

“Showing up” means working hard, asking questions and making sure the little details are all handled. When other people are running things, show humility by working extra hard to make them shine. Believe it or not, they will notice and ask you first when they need you for important project or decisions.

If you’re looking for a new job, contact Award Staffing. We can help place you in a job that is a good fit for your career goals and matches up with what you’re currently seeking. There are new job opportunities every single day from Award Staffing. Find your future…today!