In life, hope is the one thing that assures us of progress. In essence, hopefulness is the belief that what you expect will happen. It is founded on a strong sense of self-belief, and a substantial dose of positivism.
But for hope to take effect, you have to start by taking ownership of your thoughts, words, and deeds.
At work, taking ownership means that everything you do, no matter how complicated or simple, it becomes your own responsibility. It is also a reflection of who you are professionally.
Remember, initially when you wanted the job, you would have had no qualms about telling our potential employer about how "wonderful" you are. We all always advertise our skills at the interview stage. So, it becomes incumbent upon us to live up to our promises. If we don't, it is tantamount to false advertising.
Ultimately, our own financial well-being is solely dependent on our ability to increase our personal value. As an employee, how do you increase our personal value? You have to focus on delivering on your promises and constantly adding value to the people around you.
It is therefore essential for you to take ownership of your work, and ensure that it reflects positively on you as someone qualified, and proficient in that work.
The best way to firmly establish yourself as the "go-to" person for your bosses is to demonstrate passion for your work.
As a business owner, I look for this. When I have someone working on my team who has genuine passion, it becomes contagious for others. Employees tend to mimic each other's attitudes.
If you have ever worked with a co-worker who is enthusiastic and passionate about their job, their excitement becomes quite infectious.
Equally, I have had the experience of working with a colleague who was so negative, downtrodden, and ambivalent about the work we were both doing that every day became a tedious grind. Eventually, I realised I was becoming as disengaged as they were.
Intensify your resolve to showcase your enthusiasm for your work through each meeting you are involved in, every task you are given, and every project you're in.
If you lead a team, this notion of ownership becomes even more important. There are ways to display your sense of ownership.
Leaders have the unique ability to create value for themselves, their team, and their company by working with a keen sense of passion and commitment to achieve results. You must engage team members, colleagues, and customers.
For this, own and run efficient, purposeful meetings. Lead with an agenda, focus on the task at hand, and ensure that all ideas are heard and considered in a respectful manner. Stop wasting everyone's time by grandstanding or showing how clever you are. Be efficient with time usage.
Your task is to offer clarity on objectives. The team you manage will work best when they know how their efforts fit into the grander picture for the company.
Much of your work as a leader depends on your ability to follow processes. Learn to disentangle these processes. When your team begins to see that you are simplifying things for efficiency to make their lives better, they will see value in having you as their leader.
Outstanding leaders focus on results and try to create great experiences for everyone.
Your role is to guide others safely and securely to a particular destination. Leaders can make the ultimate difference in people's lives.
To instill hope in your team, remember your role in inspiring, teaching, supporting, and developing them. You will be required to help individuals navigate the challenges of their careers and even their lives. This is what a leader does.
You must start by asking yourself this question: "What will my team say I did for them at the end of our time working together?" This becomes your mission and purpose.
To become a true leader, always reconnect with your own and your team's purpose.
Throughout my career, I had mentors who taught me. Today, I understand the value of teaching. I have realized that my role as a leader is less about telling and much more about supporting the development of key skills and practices.
From helping your team members improve as decision-makers to identifying and supporting emerging leaders in your team, leaders serve as educators.
Ultimately, you have to stand for something. Great leaders are driven by a particular set of values. They identify with these values and live them every day.
So, if you want your life to be on a growth trajectory, take ownership and build on your reservoirs of hope, confidence, and buoyancy. Always remind yourself not to be mindlessly optimistic but to be hopeful because you trust that you will do your absolute best.
*The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller 'So, You Want To Get Promoted?'