How to Lead at a New Job

Note from Kimanzi: This is a guest post from Dan Black, who writes a leadership blog which has a balance of faith-based and secular posts. His desire is to help others become better people and leaders. You can check out his blog here and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

When you’re looking for a job you send out your resume and probably start networking with people in the field you desire to be in. If you’re lucky you will have a chance to interview for a position. An interview gives you a chance to sell yourself, your qualifications and skills and what you could bring to the potential employer. If a person is successful at accomplishing this then the next step is often a written or verbal job offer.

When you first start a new job it takes several weeks to be trained and adapt into the company. During this time there are some things you can start doing and should continue to do, so you can begin to lead others, even if you’re not in a leadership position.

 

Here are 3 ways you can start leading at a job:

Give your best and more: If you want to gain influence with your boss then always give your best in your job role. After you show your boss you are productive and give 100 percent within your role then start offering to help with other tasks or areas. Show your boss you can take on more responsibility then follow through with your word with action and results.
Have a positive attitude: Having a positive attitude is essential if you want to begin to lead at your work. Winston Churchill says, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” It’s a challenge to maintain a positive attitude while at work but it could make a huge difference in your career path. Those who have a positive attitude position themselves to gaining influence which can allow you to eventually be promoted.
Add value to others: Adding value to your co-workers, boss, and customers or clients can help a person grow their influence. One way a person can add value to others is by serving them. To make sure their actions serve and help the people around them. This is often an uncommon but important aspect when it comes to a workplace. However if you begin to serve, it will set you apart from others. This is because your boss and the customers or clients will begin to see that you truly care and value them.

Question: What other ways can a person gain influence while starting a new job or in their current position?