“You think you want to own a big business, but you don’t… because when you do, all you’ll hear is ‘Steve from accounts is ruining my life.’ You’re basically full time as head of HR.”
I was listening to a talk by an entrepreneur who was head of a 600 people company. His point was that as you move up the management hierarchy, the more time you spend sorting out staff demands and problems, and less on the actual running of the company – which wasn’t really the dream.
So, if you want to do well in your career, alleviate bosses’ staff stress and instead look to proactively solve problems.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I understand my boss’s and my company’s goals and its biggest challenges?
- How can I help contribute beyond my job spec?
If you’re not sure what the biggest challenges are, ask your boss or your boss’s boss directly.
Think from their point of view, then work out how you can help to address their challenges proactively.
Do this consistently and if you ever need to ask for a pay rise or promotion, it’s much more likely you’ll get an enthusiastic “yes”.
Remember: Ask not what your company can do for you… but what you can do for your company.
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