Success on 'The Business Field'

As we all know, success on the field or court is directly reflective of the preparation and dedication we spend practicing, watching film, learning, studying our opponents and developing traits that allow us to be prepared for 'game day'! One of the most important traits we gain is the ability to understand our coaches' expectations and trust that they have a solid game plan in place to give our team the best chance to win. Our responsibility is to execute the appropriate plan laid out and by our individual performance, we help our team create success!

These traits are innately branded into us over the years of competition and we need a plan for being as successful in the world of work as in the world of athletics. We believe it is helpful to be aware of the expectations your employer has of you, as a new 'recruit'. The following information was comprised from top companies using The Corporate Playbook to identify and hire new talent and we wanted to share this information with you so you can prepare for 'game day' and beyond! Take a few minutes and think through how an employer's expectations of you compare to your expectations of the new employer and by understanding 'The Playbook', both you and your new employer with have success together!


Competence to get the job done:
Because job competencies include such factors as efficiency, punctuality and the ability to work well with others, they provide important indicators of whether you should be rewarded for excellent performance, helped to improve skills in some areas or terminate the working relationship altogether. The key is understanding that just like you are evaluated from your coaches regarding your performance and needs of improvement, the same goes in the business world. Even as an existing employee, the ongoing evaluation of role competencies is important. To this end, many employers have a process in place for periodic evaluations of your performance. Generally, this will include a look at general efficiency within the workplace, proper application of knowledge related to the position, punctuality at work with meeting timely deadlines and often the ability to work effectively with other employees. As a result, employers may identify latent skills that could be developed that would be in the best interest of the company and your benefit is in the quality of the work performed is recognized and chances for advancement may be forthcoming.


Ability to accept organizational realities:
Just like within your team, school or any organization you may have worked with, at the foundation of any company culture is the standard that govern the operation of the business. These 'organizational realities' help to bond people together and provide some sense of collective identity, which is very important to the creation of a positive corporate culture. You must realize that in most cases, companies have created their 'organizational realities' over time and most will not change because you feel something should be done completely different. Be prepared to share your ideas, but also have patience to prove yourself and let your performance create opportunities. Spend time determining whom within the organization has had success and spend time getting to know these individuals. These top performers have either learned how to survive the culture, work around certain aspects of the job or even created a more successful work environment due to the ability to overcome challenges. Surrounding yourself with positive, successful individuals will create a more positive transition for you into the workplace.


Ability to generate and sell ideas:
You are being hired to perform your job, duties, tasks and making a difference within your workplace. These are all part of the job description, but what an employer really wants is someone who can bring new ideas, experiences and creativity to the company. Look, although companies have a way of doing business, they are always seeking new ways to improve efficiencies, quality, overcoming obstacles and performance. Your experiences through athletic participation can provide a tremendous amount of experience in all of these aspects and being able to share these traits with your new company is what makes you most attractive in the job search process. It is also important to point out that personal performance drives all of these and the best way to generate and sell your ideas is by creating value through your work and you will gain notice from your company, which will in return add validity to your ideas. Companies want people that 'walk the walk' before they 'talk the talk'. Just like when you showed up on campus the first time, you had to prove yourself so you could get some playing time, the same goes with your new company. Allow yourself to be heard through your actions and not just words!


Demonstrate loyalty and commitment to the corporation about your own goals:
As an employee, you are being added to an existing team that has financial goals, corporate responsibilities and product expectations to share with its customers/clients and new business prospects. It is important to realize what these company goals are prior to coming on board, so you can support the activity that will keep these aligned and top of mind for your success. All companies want you to have personal goals and aspirations, while your supervisors will also require you to have specific personal goals to help your team. No different from your athletic experiences, your personal performance has a direct influence on the success of your team, but in the end, no matter how good you are alone, the team's success is only as good as the 'win/loss' column. It is important to realize that your company goals must come first and your commitment, dedication and loyalty to the team over your personal gain is what employers seek and require. If you take this role seriously and become a 'team player' you will be recognized for your willingness to go above and beyond and also receive additional recognition, financial increases, experiences, promotion and increased responsibility.


Demonstrate integrity and assertiveness while supporting personal points of view, with the ability to compromise:
In business, there are many situations where compromises must be reached. Sometimes you don't get a choice. A boss may tell you they need work done, and there's nothing you can negotiate or demand from that boss in return. On the other hand, there are times in which you will have the ability to share new ideas, provide your personal point of view and support your goals. Companies understand that they must frequently reach mutual agreements that are acceptable to all parties, but also want someone to have good reasons for these compromises. You might wish a greater salary, but may have to be more flexible in your work hours to achieve it. To be uncompromising is not always negative. As a person with an uncompromising sense of ethics, you shouldn't be easily swayed to become less ethical. Yet, to be continually inflexible in all aspects of your life opens you up to a constant battle on many fronts. You need to decide what areas of your life are most important, and what areas of your life, work, or relationships can be more flexibly constructed. The phrase, "pick your battles ," applies well to the understanding of compromise. Decide when you can make concessions in order to avoid constant clashes within the workplace.

Learn from experience and grow to handle increased responsibility through business maturity: Depending on what you do and where you work, possibilities could be endless when considering advancement opportunities. There are endless talents and skills already inside you, and in addition, there are plenty of items that are worth researching at your place of employment that could put you in the position of advancement.

Here are a few suggestions on how to gain experience that will lead to increased responsibility, financial reward and success:
1. Never only work within your designated job title. It is very tempting to decide to only use the skills necessary for your particular job requirements, however, doing this doesn't leave room for your advancement.

2. Broaden your horizons, and show that you can multitask.. Learn what other co-workers do and even offer a helping hand. This not only shows initiative, but that you are capable of working not solely alone, but as a team player. Working like this also shows that you truly care about not only your success, but the success of others as well as the business itself.

3. Finally, showcase your personal talents and skills that go beyond your place of employment. If you have a flair for decorating or editing, find out how these skills can be implemented to create a better work environment. This not only showcases your skills, but plants your feet on a more solid foundation in front of your boss.

Anticipation of life after sports can be quite discomforting, moving from a position and identity of excellence in sport to one of novice job seeker and career beginner can be troubling. The Corporate Playbook will tremendously help you prepare for that day when 'life after sports' confronts you! The best news...energy and commitment that for years has been geared toward enhancing your athletic performance can be transformed and rechanneled to serve those career interests you have identified as best suiting your education level, lifestyle, interests, ambitions and skills. Understanding your employer's expectations will lead you one step closer to helping your team achieve success!