Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is one of the most important character traits to exhibit when starting out your career. One of the easiest traits to witness as a manager is an employee who works hard and gets things done. As a manager, those are the kind of people you look for and those are the kind of people you promote.

Every now and then, I take a lap around the office just to see who is working and who is not. You would think that it varies depending on certain factors, but it doesn't. Some people work hard all day and some people play solitaire on their computers all day - majority of the people are somewhere in between. But the point is, it's those hard workers that I want on my winning team.

There are plenty of ways to look busy, but everyone can see right through that. Take on more projects, never say "no" to a job that's asked of you, never say you are too busy to get something done.

Here are a few reasons why:

• Earn Respect - When you're young, the way to earn people's respect is by getting things done. Unfortunately, age/ experience is a huge factor when trying to earn people's respect.
• Knowledge - The more you are exposed to different aspects of business and different projects, the more experience you gain in a faster period of time. People will eventually be coming to you for answers, instead of the other way around
• Networking - The more projects you work on, the more relationships you build. Next time, when you need to find an answer to a question, you will know who to go to and the right questions to ask
• Setting an example - When you begin managing project teams or even employees, the best way to make them work hard is by setting the example yourself. They will strive to be as hardworking as you. Believe me, this works!

What are some other benefits?