Do you have what it takes to be a CAREER DRIVEN individual? See if you have the characteristics on this list!

Tuesday: Return Driven Strategy FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: In the past weeks, we’ve been talking about the Return Driven Strategy and some of the tenets under this pyramid-shaped framework. But have you ever wondered how you can translate the tenets of a great business strategy to a great career strategy? This doesn’t require much changes on the framework. You just have to apply the Return Driven Strategy concepts and principles to the microlevel and use them as tools to help every professional in thinking and acting strategically about their career choices. In today’s article, we’ll focus on the importance of work ethics on one’s career. Keep reading to know how ethics help reduce the risk of failures and maximize a professional’s “personal wealth.” CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Do you have what it takes to be a CAREER DRIVEN individual? See if you have the characteristics on this list! Work ethic is a valuable attribute that employers look for in every employee. Whatever your field of expertise is, showing values associated with a good work ethic boosts your employability and opens doors for better job opportunities. In fact, an article from employment website Indeed states that employees with excellent work ethics are often selected by employers for special or major projects. This is because the management team believes these kinds of workers are reliable, dedicated, and disciplined. Employees with strong work ethics demonstrate positive values and behaviors. These characteristics make them stand out as praise-worthy members of a firm. Below are a few of these traits: Integrity According to Bill Hybels, author of the book, “Who You Are When No One’s Looking,” integrity is LITERALLY who you are when no one’s looking. In dictionary definition, this character means holding oneself to high moral principles. Employees with a strong work ethic have outstanding integrity. They’re honest, polite, and fair to others. Reliability One of the traits that set ethical employees apart is they’re reliable. You can expect these workers to be on time for shifts and meetings… … meet deadlines… … provide quality work… … and contribute actively to discussions about work or other projects. A reliable person makes an excellent teammate because they fairly contribute to various tasks. Dedication Part of a strong work ethic is commitment and dedication to one’s job. You’ll see this when a worker not only does what he or she loves but also loves what he or she does. Dedicated employees have these 3 characteristics: They focus on their tasks during their shifts. They work diligently and make sure they finish all their tasks and deliverables for the day. They aren’t “job hoppers.” They stay with one company for long periods of time. Discipline A disciplined worker shows a controlled behavior and way of working. This person shows determination and strives to meet and even exceed expectations. Additionally, this type of worker actively seeks opportunities to learn new skills and improve his or her performance. Simply said, this person loves learning! Professionalism Employees with a good work ethic are professional. They exhibit a professional attitude in how they dress, speak, and carry themselves. Aside from that, they’re focused, organized, and neat. These are some of the characteristics of professional workers: They act as ambassadors of the company they work for. They prioritize their professional responsibilities. They seek professional development and welcome coaching comments from managers or supervisors. They double-check their work and let others review it for better quality before sending the deliverable to their clients. They show respect to others. Having these characteristics will aid you towards achieving your career goals. As Kellstadt Graduate School of Business Dr. Mark L. Frigo said, an ethical behavior not only ensures success but also reduces the risk of failures in your career. Work Ethics and the Career Driven Strategy The Career Driven Strategy is the presentation of the tenets of the Return Driven Strategy as they apply to the individual and career strategy. Created by Dr. Frigo and presented in career workshops at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, this framework serves as a management coaching tool by companies and a career strategy guide by individuals. So… where does work ethics fall in the Career Driven Strategy? Work ethics is part of the first tenet, “Ethically create personal wealth,” the second tenet, “Fulfill the otherwise unmet constituent need,” and the third tenet, “Serve the right constituents.” For Tenet One: Having a strong work ethic helps boost your overall performance in your job and build a positive reputation in your industry. The better your performance and behavior are, the higher the chance that you’ll get promoted or be entrusted with major projects. These then lead to the creation of your personal wealth, which could be in the form of financial wealth, freedom, lifestyle, etc. For Tenet Two: A good work ethic enables you to identify and prioritize the things your colleagues, customers, or clients need the most. The characteristics mentioned above play an important role in achieving this tenet. For Tenet Three: Your work ethic will help you provide a good experience for your customers, clients, or colleagues. Succeeding in this tenet and in the second tenet will lead you to achieving the first tenet―“Ethically create personal wealth.” Use the Career Driven Strategy to ask yourself the right questions and think differently about your goals, behaviors, and activities! As a coaching tool, this will help you prioritize and focus your time and energy for the best use and mentor other goal-oriented professionals too. You may even think of this framework as a philosophy―one that is based on the ethical creation of wealth by fulfilling the needs of others while having a rewarding career and life. So, take control of your ethical career! Cultivate moral humility, prepare for challenging situations, and be a responsible worker. You’ll see―as you do these things, you’ll better reflect on how well you live up to your values and aspirations and whether or not you’re moving closer towards your goals. Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn.     Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s Return Driven Strategy! “Sell me this pen.” Learn more about how you can give what your readers want in next week’s article!