There’s plenty of advice floating around that we’ve all heard a million times. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have, kiss up to the boss, etc. If you’re here, then it’s likely that you’re looking for an edge on the competition and trying to advance your career.
No matter how lofty your goals are, advice from real executives should be valued to a very high degree. Executives like Joe Jedlowski have owned multiple businesses and have ample experience at the top of companies.
Joe Jedlowski agreed to share his best career advice. Advice he has personally used and retained through his years of experience.
Focus on Improvement, and You’ll Never Fail.
When Joe Jedlowski says this, he doesn’t mean that you won’t fail projects or miss deadlines. Instead, it means that if you fail but learn something, that’s a win.
If you run into a project with the sole purpose of completing it and then don’t complete it, that’s a total loss. However, if you charge in with the mindset of improving yourself, and meeting a challenge head-on, then whether you succeed or not doesn’t matter.
If you grow and have met your personal goal, then you’ve won. Life is long, and there are plenty of opportunities to fail, so take advantage of them.
Be Reliable
This may seem obvious, but Joe Jedlowski emphasizes that it will set you apart from the crowd. Have you ever had a boss or coworker say that they’ll do something by a certain time, and you nod along while thinking that there’s no way they’ll get it done?
Do not be like them. Be someone that people can count on. If you say it, you’ll do it. Period. Behaving like this will help you stand out as a top employee.
Know When to Say No
Branching off our last piece of advice, being reliable means being honest. If you cannot accomplish something, you shouldn’t agree to it. Be honest with yourself and with those that rely on you.
Trust us; it’s better to say no than say yes and fall short. If you bite off more than you can chew, let them know as soon as you possibly can. It will be appreciated, and accommodations can easily be made most of the time.
Stay Positive
You do not need to be a bright-eyed bushy-tailed kiss up. Not even close. Joe Jedlowski explained how some of his favorite employees were ones that didn’t show much emotion. What’s important is what you don’t do.
Do not talk down about a project before it’s even begun. It may not be obvious, but negative words can have a terrible impact on those around you. Stay calm, and be realistic.
Some projects and deadlines will not be possible, but bringing everyone else’s mood and confidence down is just setting the team up for failure. Be the rock of the team.
Know Whose Words to Value
You will receive much criticism in your career, whether you ask for it or not. It’s important to parse which pieces of criticism you really analyze.
The same logic applies to praise as well. If someone always praises your work in a very generalized way, their words will not help you grow.
It may be nice to receive positive feedback, but that feedback needs to be personal and real. Find someone whose words you value and get as much feedback as you can from them.
It’s never too late to have a successful career in 2022. Today is the perfect time to evaluate your current position and identify ways to help you achieve your goals.
