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Expert Viewpoint

The competitive edge

By Dave Middelton

(Picture: Photo of Dave Middleton)

(Picture: A Red Rosette)

Being British we have a bit of a skewed view hear of athletes saying they have yet other nations seem to just get on with it and glide through the winning tape. In schools there is a trend towards stamping out competitive behaviour as if it is unnatural in children, so the loser of the egg and spoon race gets as much praise as the winner. Okay this may be a very objective way of looking at things and there are obviously exceptions to any rule, but the employment market is no school jamboree. It needs winners and will recognise a loser before the egg is pulled out of the carton. But how do we focus on competing to win if it does not come naturally?

One option is to cheat, but cheats generally get found out so what else can we do to give us an advantage? Let’s go back to our athlete who needed to focus before the race. That’s exactly what you need to do but not just before the starting pistol is fired. You have to go back a bit further than that. There are a few practical skills that you can develop through self-assessment and maybe a little extra training to put you head and shoulders above the competition.

Number 1 - Advance your IT skills
If you have got this far without using a computer you have been lucky, but consider your next career move. If you don’t know your way around a keyboard then the person applying for the same job with these skills has the edge over you. You can undertake basic IT skills at most local libraries these days and it won’t cost you a penny or ask your employer if there is in-house training available. Even if you have got good computer knowledge, take it up a level, learn HTML, setting up spreadsheets or how about desktop publishing?

Number 2 - Manage Your Time Effectively
Good time management skills are essential in all working environments, whether in a fast paced sales office or in a museum. Whatever project(s) you are working on, if you know how to prioritise to complete on time then you have an advantage over someone who is totally disorganised. Time management training is definitely time well spent. Time spent in the planning can be just as productive as time spent on the final task.

Number 3 - Don’t Panic!
The employee who can remain calm in a crisis and complete the task in hand will be the one who will be offered other challenges. With new challenges comes further recognition and you could soon find yourself climbing the promotion ladder. People who can stay on course and with a minimum of fuss are the real winners in any organisations. Learn to take control, observe the best managers and emulate them.

Number 4 - Listen
One of the easiest ways to progress is to be an effective listener. Don’t be too eager to get on with a task if you are unsure of what you need to do, okay you’ll look like a winner to start with but you’ll probably fall at the first hurdle. So stop. Listen to what is being said, ask questions and then affirm. Don’t worry - your line manager or your colleagues will still love you. Better to understand immediately than go off at a tangent and have to come back with your tail between your legs.

Number 5 - Brush up on your Writing
There is no excuse for sloppy writing so no matter how small the job in hand, an email or a full report; your writing ability is on show. Yes, you’ve got spell check, but you cannot rely on this alone, if you write ‘hear’ when it should be ‘here’ this might not be picked up. So, before hitting the send button take time out to read it through. Consider who you are communicating with - are first names acceptable? Should you use a formal address instead of saying ‘Hi’? Think before you commit the ink!

Remember that in a competitive environment you are on you own. By addressing some of the points above you will be well on your way to winning that new job and feeling good about removing the competition!

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