I read an article some time ago from the LinkedIn Learning Blog titled The Skills CEOs Wish More Employees Had (and How to Learn Them). I highly recommend this short article to anyone and encourage you to spend a few minutes on self-reflection. It’s easy to get distracted by the constant flow of information and forget about the basics.
Continuously assessing exactly what you bring to the table for your clients is key to keep adding value.
I loved this article because it talked about skills that, in the online world are not easily discernible through a standard resume – only through actual performance. Here is a quick snapshot of my own takeaway:
Reliability Do what you say you’re going to do and be able to set expectations with others to make this possible.
Know what to do without being told. Understand your role and your organization enough to figure out what you need to be working on. If you don’t know, ask.
Take Ownership. Don’t just deliver, over-deliver. Help others to do the same.
Be Succinct. Take the time to communicate effectively. If you don’t know how to then take the time to learn.
Self-directed learning. Recognize your weaknesses and seek out ways to turn them into improvements.
Own up to Mistakes. Don’t waste time passing the buck. If you messed up take action to find a solution. Be a problem solver.
I add one of my own:
Listen – listen to yourself, your partners, your praisers, complainers, your rejectors, your inner-voice – listen to everything. This is what makes communication successful. Input, observation, then output.
Question: So how do you hire someone with these skills from just a resume?
Answer: You don’t.
- Ask for references and speak to those references in person. Ask specifically about their experience with the individual on all of the above points.
- Ask the candidate themselves. Pick up the phone and talk to them, or better yet video call and/or meet in person if possible.
- Try them on. Don’t waste someone’s valuable time by giving them a ‘test’ task. People with value to add to your business get paid for their expertise. Have them do some work for you but on a smaller scale: buy a few hours, delegate a small project. Then decide. This allows you to actually experience what it will be like to work with them without an obligation to continue.
And remember if you want exceptional service you need to lead by example. No one is perfect and everyone has their own, unique set of expertise that contribute to the whole. Be an active part of your own solution.
Contact me if you are interested in receiving exceptional service.
