Presently, I don’t think it is hard to stand out as a professional in any industry. Generally as a species, we are becoming lazier, less ambitious with reduced levels of accountability.

This is evident as the level of commitment to our work has dropped. Most people see additional responsibilities at work as a burden. Without a drive to improve and a desire to rise to the top of their organisation.

If you are reading this, you are most likely an exception to this rule. And luckily for you, this makes you special in a modern world full of mediocrity.

My career as an engineer has taken me through the ranks of several big manufacturing companies. From an apprentice technician role, to a quality manager at only 25. I’ve successfully risen to the top of these organisations in a short amount of time.

I am by no means highly intelligent or as driven as other individuals. But I quickly learnt how to demonstrate and meet the types of metrics that would position myself to achieve highly in my profession. The types of behaviour that identify individuals as highly proficient and effective at leadership roles.

To be top of the pyramid in any organisation, you need to be a leader. You can be a highly skilled practitioner with a specialist skill set within any industry. But in order to reach the top, you have to be an effective and resourceful manager of people.

Applicational skill can only take you so far. As a professional, you need to give off a certain gravitas and flair that will set you apart from the others around you. A majority of this is contributed by your mindset. With an awareness and willingness to progress, you will begin to compound incremental improvements to the way you are perceived by yourself and by others.

My career advice would be to focus on traits that will demonstrate your leadership abilities. Even if you are at the bottom of your organisation, these behaviours will prove your potential ability to rise up the corporate ladder. And if you are already at a high status within your business, these skills will further establish your competency and ability to lead.

This will not be a generic compilation of basic and obvious advice such as: demonstrate better work ethic, consistency or communication. But instead, a more specific method will give you an edge over those who do not have the perspective of what it takes to excel their careers. Instead focus on adopting a strategic mindset that will make a big difference when implemented with consistency.

Taking On Tasks Above Your Role

Obvious right? Thinking linearly, if you want to be promoted, who better a candidate than someone who is already doing the job. Use me for an example. Previously I worked at a company in a department where I didn’t think my manager was very effective. He lacked the ability to lead my department and as I became more confident in my own ability and at anaylsing what he was doing wrong, I decided to take action.

I slowly began to establish myself as a problem solver of my department. I became so specialist at my own role, that I began mentoring my colleagues who I shared the same job title with. I still tried to do this in a way that respected authority and line of command. But I began to separate myself from the foundation worker label I had been contracted to. As others started to see this competency, I continued to evolve, being respected by my fellow team members. As this trend continued, I started to become their go to person for their questions and queries.

With this evident shift in power, my manager’s cracks of previous inefficiency began to become more apparent. Despite his attempts to micromanage me and make it evident to my company’s CEO that he was still in charge. My compiled display of effectiveness at leading his team began to shine through. As they say, cream rises to the top and by being effective beyond my post, I build a platform of respect and acknowledgement that couldn’t be ignored by my superiors. The continuous improved performance of my team, forced an emergence of me establishing myself as a better alternative for the leadership of the department.

This is quite an aggressive stance that is appropriate when you feel as if you are ready to take that step up. Like an animal breaking free from its cage. You see weakness in the person whose role you are gunning for, when you are ready to take up the helm. As cruel as this seems, the reality is that in order to get what you want, you need to out maneuver others. Your team members and organization as a whole will benefit when you do prove to be more effective within the role.

‘Manage Your Manager’

On the flipside, a less aggressive approach can be used, when the opportunity for you to become a leader is still not ideal and is in its infancy.

Because of the importance of perspective, a large contributor to your success will be your ability to ‘manage your manager’. A small trick I’ve learnt is despite being in the notion of learning, phrase your asks for assistance in the frame of questions. You can do this by leading with your opinion or what you think the answer is. Not only does it show a positive curiosity but also gives you a free hit at being correct which shows your initiative and further skills. And if you are incorrect, you still learn from the situation. So instead of asking for assistance, lead with a question and a proposition of wanting to know more.

Sometimes, the reason you don’t have the role you want is because you are simply not ready for it. The only way to be ready, is to gain the skills and experience for the role you want. Take the committed approach of putting yourself out there to learn and improve. Come out of the comfort zone of your current responsibilities and skill set. Being inquisitive is the perfect way to expand and display desire for knowledge.

Sadly, a lot of your success at work isn’t based on how effective you are. It’s down to how effective your bosses think you are. In order to display your effectiveness, you need to learn what your ‘higher-ups’ value and what their metrics for success are. Notice problems they are dealing with and aim to solve them. Pay attention to the day-to-day efforts they value and the basics they expect. If you are consistently over delivery and out performing, not only will you improve your skill set but you will be perceived as somebody that can operate above their current position.

Navigating A New Environment

Even if you have a strong skill set and previous leadership skills, asserting yourself into a new environment can be a brand new challenge. There are two sides to this coin. The negative being the growing pains of navigating this new working environment, which is tough regardless of the tier of hierarchy you stand. The positive, being the ability to reinvent yourself and stand out from the original status quo.

From my moves to different companies, I learnt that you need to be effectively strategic in your behaviour. To start, show heightened levels of initiative by questioning how and why things are done. Learn to analyse how things are done, the politics of the working culture and the dynamic within your new teams. You need to be sponge absorbing information quickly to get up to speed with your new surroundings.

As an example, I went from a smaller well organised company to a large thriving organisation. Like any business it had its strengths and weaknesses and with an outside perspective coming in, my early analysis led to many ideas for improvement.

But I knew that throwing my weight around would only lead to me being alienated. The art is being noticed above your station, respected as a competent professional instead of being met with contempt. Being too brash and abrasive will only make you disliked.

I had to find the middle ground of being an annoying advocate for change, whilst also respecting the ways of my new team. I slowly presented my ideologies, picking my battles wisely. As people became more familiar with me and I had proven my worth. My ideas became visible and change was implemented rapidly. Their perspective of me shifted from a naive new starter, to an effective ambitious professional. As someone who wanted to work with them to improve not only their organisation, but our organisation.

Conclusion

If you are vying for promotion, trying to excel up the professional ladder or proving yourself in a new environment. Going above and beyond what is expected of you, is the prime way to position yourself toward progression.

Of course, every industry’s success criteria is different and so will the types of personalities you will have to navigate. There really is no quick hack or one- all approach to this type of thing. However, it is a universally understood principle that if you want to get anywhere in this world, you need to put in that little bit extra compared to those around you.

Everyone has a different journey in this world, so don’t forget to enjoy the process of learning. And alongside a bit of luck and timing, if you do the right things, you will be in a position to benefit when your journey takes you towards your next destination.

Liam Adcock • January 31, 2025