If you’re working towards going further in a career, there’s nothing more important than spending the time to learn from your superiors. You could go to school for years and years, yet there’s still nothing that compares to learning on the job. Working towards a role in leadership can take a very long time, although there are plenty of ways to get started early. One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to pay attention to the workflow of your managers as you careen through the working world. The more you can learn from their successes and failures, the better suited you’ll be for a management position down the road.
Here are just a few things to think about in regards to learning from your superiors.
Ask to Shadow
Employers often like it when their workers show interest in moving up in the chain; it is a sign of motivation, and is usually taken quite well. As a result, you might get a lot of mileage out of asking your superior for on-the-job leadership training. Learning how to become a better leader is all about watching each and every move that your boss makes, especially if he or she is good at their job. You might ask to spend perhaps an hour of each day performing tasks for your boss that can help to better educate you on how to best approach a leadership role, even if the tasks are menial at best.
Notice Mistakes
No matter how good you think your boss is at doing his job, it’s practically inevitable that he’ll make mistakes every once in a while. Paying attention to these mistakes can make you much better at your own job, and doesn’t have to be difficult. Notice how he communicates with clients and other employees, for example; is it working? Tone of voice and subject matter can have a huge impact on performance, and should always be paid attention to.
Focus On Success Factors
It’s very important to pay attention to what does not work when it comes to your boss’s style, but it’s just as important to focus on what does. You might wish to pay attention to how your boss handles meetings, or how he goes about getting new clients. If you’re seeing a success somewhere, you’ve got to get down to the details as to how it came about. Don’t hesitate to ask about your boss’s strategies, as chances are he’ll be willing to share.
If you take the time to learn from your superiors, you can expect to have a very successful career.
This is a guest post from Becky W.
