If you feel like you’re not reaching your career potential, you may want to be more selfish at work. Understand while I’m not suggesting you become a character from the 1980s nighttime soap opera Dallas, you may want to slightly shift your focus from your colleagues to yourself.
While it’s good to work in an environment with good teamwork and camaraderie, sometimes the best way to improve your productivity and performance is by being more selfish. Why do you need to be more concerned with your personal situation? Survival and growth.
In our complex, ever changing business world, it’s good to look after your own interests. Perhaps surprisingly, these will often match up with company goals.
Why aren’t you doing these things right now? Because it can be easy to become addicted to helping out. It can be tempting to put your professional needs second to others. Being a little more selfish at work can transform your career.
If the idea of being more selfish on the job makes you nervous, then give yourself a pat on the back. Anyone who is truly selfish, wouldn’t react that way. So, you’re still a good person but I’m guessing that your efficiency needs a boost because you probably feel like you never have enough time to get the important things done.
Don’t worry. Being more selfish doesn’t mean you have to be rude or mean to people. Instead, think of it as giving yourself a fair advantage. It’s one that can help move your career arc in the right direction.
Honor Your Responsibilities First
Make sure you perform the job that you’re paid to do. This honors your primary responsibilities. If you have extra time, then help others with their projects. Or see if you have a skill that you can share during your downtime.
Why shouldn’t you drop everything when someone needs assistance? Only you can answer this question, as you know your work culture, but is helping out something that will increase your pay?
Will others help you if the situation is reversed? There is a difference between helping out and doing someone’s work.
These answers should define your “helping” philosophy and not the need to be liked. You shouldn’t have to subsidize other people during your time on the job.
Protect Your Time
Since when did closing your door become a bad thing? If being unavailable is what you need to accomplish your goals, then do it. Most problems can wait and email and voicemail are useful tools for connecting when doors are closed and it’s not an emergency
Prioritize Activities
In many businesses, there are opportunities to serve on committees, in and out of the office. Sometimes, they involve nothing more than scooping ice cream and blowing up balloons.
While you may be tempted to pursue these extra duties, do your professional goals match up with these tasks? Will they lead you to a promotion, raise, or a new job?
If the committee doesn’t add to your performance, the overall business, or open networking doors, then why are you doing it? There are some exceptions, as some people are asked to serve on committees as a way to develop leadership skills or a provide a presence for your business in the community.
Time spent outside your regular duties is time that’s not going toward your goals. No matter how fun it may be, don’t be the first to volunteer for everything.
Let’s Create a Memorable Meeting
