Life in the corporate world has changed a lot since I started there in the late eighties.
Much of the abuse from unethical – or mean and clueless – people I witnessed early in my career is now generally deemed unacceptable.
Managers and employees increasingly must undergo mandatory training to address harassment, discrimination, and governing laws.
That’s good, although it doesn’t eliminate greedy sociopaths.
Still, a lot is happening behind the scenes.
So if you’re just getting started, it will help to know some of the “secret” codes you need to succeed in the corporate world.
I’ve learned most of these keys through trial and error. Ultimately, things went fine, and my time in corporate has been quite fulfilling.
But sometimes, I wish I had known some of these secret codes earlier. To get started, here are three rules to maximize your chances of success in the business world.
1 – Be a prominent contributor to the bottom-line
I was doing great for years – or so I thought – because I helped my team generate significant revenue. But what the key stakeholders truly cared about was the bottom-line profit.
So don’t limit yourself to revenue. The goal of most corporations is to return some profit! Ensure that even if you are in a supporting role, your direct contribution to profit is as evident as possible.
It will likely save your job when things get tough – and, trust me; they will.
2 – Master and hit your business targets
I’ve had some trouble with this one for some time. My natural tendency was to set – or accept – ridiculously high targets that were impossible to attain. Some will say I loved the challenge!
The outcome was remarkable growth over past periods, even when I missed that crazy target.
But I was wrong. What most businesses are looking for is both growing AND predictable profit. In other words, pay special attention to how you set your targets and truly understand your market and actual capabilities.
When you set your forecast, combine your sources, and triangulate data as much as possible. Do it tops-down and bottoms-up… align on the target and beat it!
3 – Keep your sanity – You are more than your job
I admit it. I’ve always been attracted to executive roles. That’s a noble cause when you’re in it for impactful contribution, but let’s be honest, the power, the money, the status play a role too.
These executive roles made me sacrifice precious time and do things most of us wouldn’t.
Was it worth it? In my case, I believe it was.
I eventually found some balance and a life outside of work filled with “mandatory” blocks of time to practice my passion for running and unplugged travels in the most remote areas. Yet, I can’t help but think of these executives and managers I’ve worked with who killed themselves on the job, developing stress-related diseases.
You don’t need to push yourself to the extreme to prove your worth to strangers. Unless you are in a family business, the business is not your family. It’s a community with its own rules.
So, excel in your job, be the ultimate professional, find some balance, and get a life!
Most companies are full of totally decent people. And although this article is just scratching the surface, working in the corporate world can be pretty fulfilling!
Still, you’ll need to approach your role with eyes wide open, understanding success triggers and having figured out in advance whether you are a corporate sort of person or not.
And if you realize you’re not a fit, don’t despair. There are ample opportunities to have outside of Corporate.
But no matter what your work ends up being, and unless you live alone on a desert island, these three rules will still come in handy for you.