Most jobs can be done by anyone with 10 fingers and 10 toes, provided they know what to count.
Simplistic, I know. At least, on the surface it may seem simplistic. But the key to this statement is the last six words: “…provided they know what to count.”
My current job has many facets, some obvious, some subtle. The subtle items are no less important, but the difference between someone good at this job and someone great at this job is this understanding. So many people approach their job as firefighters, flitting about serving whoever yells the loudest. Understanding the relationships of the data to the tasks to the objectives to the politics is critical for success. Simply completing a series of tasks in a timely manner is not enough. Recognizing which task is most important and addressing that task first is the most important factor in success.
In my short time in my current role, I have been recognized publicly several times in front of coworkers. I never fail to tell people what I do to get this recognition, but no one ever comes to me and asks me to show them how I work the way I work. That is good and bad, I suppose; good in the sense that over time I will outperform my peers, and bad for the company in that the way I approach my work can have a multiplier effect if performed the same way by others.
As managers, recognition of Best Practices and a commitment to push those practices through the organization will go a long way to developing a culture of success.
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