7 Easy Ways to Instantly Seem More Impressive at Work

Most people believe they must be gifted with a special, relative talent in order to succeed in the workplace. But that is simply not true. There are many skills you can teach yourself and apply to your job, impress your boss, and move up in your field!

And these skills can even be more important than having a natural ability for, say, persuasiveness in a sales field or natural leadership skills in a business management position. Willingness to work hard and learn from your coworkers can be a better indication of your future success. Here are seven other skills to help you improve that require no talent whatsoever.

1. Politeness

Anyone can (and should!) be polite. Those who are polite are the best people to work with. They make it easy to delegate to and easy to work alongside. 

2. Punctuality

Being on time requires absolutely no talent (just a little planning). While it’s okay to be late every once in awhile, make sure this isn’t a habit of yours. Wake up an extra half-hour early in case you have a wardrobe crisis, allow for more time than Google Maps says you will need and if you are going to be late, let your boss know. She will appreciate the heads-up!

3. Working hard

While slightly obvious, this is one of the most important points. Working hard means taking notes, paying attention, attending all meetings, completing tasks to your boss’s liking, and more. Make sure your work indicates that you showed up to not only the office, but to your duties and assignments as well. 

4. Positivity

Positive people radiate a special energy that is unmatched by others. When something goes wrong, positive people recognize the misfortune, but are quick to bounce back and get to work on damage control. This doesn’t mean you need to be all-smiles every Monday morning, but you should work to be a happy office energy to be around. 

5. Willingness to adapt and learn

Your boss wants to ensure that while you may not grasp every concept at first, you will work to do so. Adaptability is important in the office, as your initial approach may not be best, and you must be willing to take advice of your superiors or colleagues without frustration or unwillingness to stray from what is comfortable to you. 

6. Doing more than asked of you

This doesn’t mean staying late every night to complete others’ work, or killing yourself trying to impress your boss; it can simply mean taking extra steps to ensure your work is the best it can possibly be. Maybe this means meeting with other superiors to get insight on how you can best perform at work, or speaking with seven people when your boss only required you to speak with four. 

7. Preparation

Being prepared is another way to take that extra step in showing your boss you care. Do research before entering an important meeting, meet with a superior to help you prepare, set your goals for the year, and more. 

What's your no. 1 piece of advice for impressing colleagues? Leave your answer in the comments to help other FGB’ers.