When it comes to getting ahead at work, there are lots of ways to improve your station in life.  Most people want the brass ring, but few are willing to do what it takes to get it.

As the old saying goes, “Some People Dream of Success, While Others Wake up and Work Hard at It”.  It really holds true, and work ethic is what separates the winners from losers.  No matter what the endeavor, be it work, sports, relationships, etc., nothing was ever attained without the consistent application of hard work.

Keeping this in mind, 10 things you can do to get ahead at work, are:

1. Be willing to do the things others wont.  That sounds like common sense, but it’s typically harder than it sounds.  Most people have their ‘”job description” and are resistant do extra work.  The immediate response from most people is “That’s not my job” or “am I getting paid extra for that”?  Be the one who does extra without being told, helps out a co-worker or picks up the slack when the rubber hits the road.
2. Be a team player.  No one likes the person who’s out only for themselves and if you have that mentality it will shine through in everything you do.  Most people have the WIIFM mentality (What’s In It for Me).  Again, separate yourself from the majority of people out there by being willing to help others without expecting anything back.  These things get noticed, even if it’s not an immediate return.
3. Do the job before you Get It.  What this means is that you have to function, as much as possible, in the role you want to get promoted into.  Showing your superiors you can do the job already goes a long way to getting you the gig.  After awhile, everyone already thinks of you in that role and your chances for promotion go up greatly.  Conversely, if you become the best “worker bee” ever, the company will see the value of keeping you in that role.  That seems to be in direct conflict with the first two suggestions, but it’s really not.  You can apply to first two, while taking on management or other roles (depending on where you want to go) and do things with the team in mind.
4. Always be Early.  The old adage “Get in Early and Work Late” holds true even in today’s virtual world.  Employers want to know your committed and being there when they need you goes a long way to that end.  Additionally, it shows co-workers and others that you are a go-to person.  Conversely, not being there or getting in late and leaving early builds resentment among others and brings the whole team down.  Being a leader, means leading by example and the more you do, the more encouraged your co-workers will be to do the same.
5. Model Success.  If you want to achieve a certain level of success, whatever that means to you, the quickest way to achieve that goal is to find someone else who already has achieved that goal, and do what they did.  That sounds incredibly overly-simplistic, and it is.  If you listen to any of the NLP practitioners, perhaps the most famous being Anthony Robbins, they talk in great detail about modeling.  “Success Leaves Clues”, and that really holds true.  Modeling is much more than just wearing the same suit or watch as someone successful.  It means learning what drives them, what beliefs they have, how they approach situations, how they make decisions, etc., and applying those same drivers to your own life. Easier said than done, but you don’t necessarily have to personally meet someone to get an insight into their mind and motivations.  Many successful people have written books and given interviews talking about their lives and what drives them.
6. Set Goals and Be Specific.  Very few things are more frustrating than working hard and getting nowhere.  Without specific, written goals, it’s very difficult to achieve success.  Your goals are your roadmap and will help you get to where you want to go by keeping you focused and on track.  Your goals (i.e. map) need to be specific and focused.  Just as it wouldn’t do you much good to be driving in Chicago with a map of Delaware, you must have a clear vision of what you want and how to get there.
7. Know Your Outcome.  In keeping with setting goals, knowing your outcome helps get you through any situation.  When you enter into a business meeting, interview, etc., know ahead of time what you want to achieve.  By knowing what you want and working backward from there, you can see at any point in time if you are on track, or if things need to be readjusted.  This can be applied to anything, even with things like meeting a new person, going to gym, time spent with family, etc.
8. Be Personable.  People like to feel good about themselves, and are attracted to people who make that happen.  Being upbeat, funny and engaging makes people feel good about themselves.  If people feel better when they’re around you than when they’re not, you’ll attract a great many people.  Some can help you achieve your goals directly, while others will help indirectly.
9. Understand Personality Types.  Almost everyone likes the same basic things (i.e. being liked, feeling appreciated and valued, laughing, feeling secure, etc).  Not everyone fills those things the same way though; and to be successful you need to figure out what connects with each person.  Some people like to discuss family or friends (be social) before getting down to business, while others couldn’t be bothered and just want the facts.  Some like specific details while others just want the bullet points.  Being able to adjust your approach for the different personality types increases your chance for connection and for success.
10. Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously.  Being motivated and success driven is great and can provide an amazing life.  However, you must learn to balance that with rest, relaxation, good friends, family, etc.  Work, not to mention life, can be very stressful, and if you to be able to actually enjoy the fruits of your labor you need to learn how to pull back occasionally, put things on hold and recharge the batteries.  Be able to laugh at yourself and understand nothing is as important as your health.  Others pick up on that as well, and it helps give a sense of true genuineness to all the other traits mentioned here.

It looks like Microsoft is forging ahead diligently with their release schedule for Windows 7. 

At the recent Gartner Symposium 2008, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that Windows 7 is not just Vista SP2, but rather a major OS release.  In fact, Ballmer states “It’s Windows Vista, a lot better”

According to the Microsoft MSDN Developer Conference (MDC), attendees will receive a beta of Windows 7.  The Microsoft MDC is taking place at various locations and dates/times throughout the country, so check their website for locations.

Note:  It also says if the beta isn’t available at the time of the conference, attendees will receive a copy when it becomes available.

So, take it for what it’s worth, but Windows 7 is on the way for sure.  We’re interested to hear from people who have been using the pre-beta releases.  From the early releases, do you see a massive difference from Windows Vista, or are they putting the finishing touches on Vista?

Let us know what you think, what you like and what you don’t!

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