Section 20: Do the Best You Can on Your Job

Overview

Mahmood knew he was an expert analyst, but he was troubled because others didn’t seem to see him that way. Sometimes he would get into long discussions with others about alternative analysis methods, which, it seemed, wouldn’t yield as good a result.

He got to the point where he seriously wondered if he had a future with this corporation. Fortunately, a co-worker pointed him to a senior analyst, Barbara, who could act as a mentor. After some tough discussions, Barbara was able to explain the significant difference between being an analysis expert––what he had learned in school and from previous experience––and being a great analyst for this company.

One valued skill was to do “quick and dirty” analysis, to help test alternatives for decision-making. Mahmood learned that a thorough job really had no value if it couldn’t be delivered on time or was so complex that people couldn’t understand it easily. Barbara helped coach him around specific quick-turnaround jobs, and he found he really could do them well, based on his experience and intuition.

Mahmood had difficulty understanding the difference between doing a great job and delivering the most value for his organization. The business need was not just for the best analysis he could perform, instead it needed different kinds of analysis at different times. When he adjusted to this reality, he increased his value to the company.

It pays to understand what the organization really needs and to put effort into becoming an expert at your job. You need to get up to speed as quickly as possible, and then stay around long enough in the job to yield value. The challenge is to figure out how long is the right amount for you, so you do not stop learning, become bored, or burn out. It is an individual choice based on your own work patterns and personal preferences.

When you do stay in a job for a longer period of time, make sure you keep up with changes. Even over the span of six or twelve months, a job might change significantly or the environment around it might change. Just because you have the same job title as a few years ago does not mean you are doing the same thing.

Entrepreneurs who own small companies tend to understand their company’s survival depends on understanding what customers need and delivering it better than the competition. But an employee hidden down inside a large corporation can easily become disconnected from this reality by focusing more on day-to-day tasks than what truly serves the customer. The result is that companies become slower and more inwardly focused as they grow further away from the customer and being competitive. This is dangerous for the future of large companies and corporate America.

Each of us plays a role in the success of our employer, and if we do not deliver true value we will lose the reason to be employed.

People who are good at their current jobs tend to be given promotions and increased influence. After all, few managers would take the risk of increasing reliance on somebody if that person was known as a poor contributor. Instead, they will wait for you to get good at your current job before giving you more responsibility. If you want promotions and influence, take care of your current job first.

The bottom line: quality matters. Do good work. Be fast and consistent. Fix your mistakes quickly. Recognition and results will come.

Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.

—Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield