Kudzu Principle #6—Become a Workplace Superstar! Developing a ‘unique talent’ in any profession can certainly prove beneficial for your career, especially in a small business, corporation, or in government service. From the perspective of the organization’s leadership, having employees who perform their duties efficiently and ‘add value’ to the team in some way can make a promotional decision a lot easier. ‘Adding value’ can be accomplished in many ways, such as garnering good public relations for the business or organization and providing critical interpersonal relationships with key community leaders.
There are 2 approaches to becoming a workplace superstar: Money (grants, business generation) and Social Responsibility on behalf of the organization. First, let’s approach the money issue by saying that a workplace superstar can be created by putting money into the coffers of the agency through 1) becoming a master grant writer, and 2) being so well connected in the community that they are able to generate revenue from new customers and from sustaining existing patrons. Opportunities for grants are usually in the non-profit and government sectors with limited opportunities for private companies, unless they operate a 501c3 within their mission. If the organization is eligible, then there are literally billions of dollars out there to get. One of the most overlooked abilities that a professional can possess is their skill in searching, petitioning for, and obtaining grant funds to achieve departmental goals. This act adds ‘value,’ as in dollar and cents value, to a resume which can give a career-minded professional a ‘competitive edge’ over others. In simple terms: if a promotional board is looking at two evenly matched candidates for a job and Candidate A has brought in $100,000 in grant money to the organization and Candidate B has brought none, which candidate would, in all likelihood, ‘stand-out’ in the decision? This notion should not mean that to get promoted you must bring in hordes of grant cash to the interview, but it highly illustrates the need to market yourself to the organization and prove that you will bring an added value with you to the new position.
As we discussed in Kudzu Principle #5, writing for some people is difficult. Unfortunately, grant-writing involves possessing useful writing skills to effectively state your case in the grant proposal. On top of that, some grantors require a presentation that allows an evaluation panel to hear your proposal and sell your need for the money. Therefore, the ability to speak in public and organize your thoughts in front of watching-eyes is extremely important. There are many books and classes on how to write and present grants. The hardest part of the process is actually finding grant funding sources. The best advice on the search process is to use the incredible power of the internet to find grants from public and private resources. Again, start with small grants with less demanding requirements and work your way to the big grant programs. There are more grant resources out there than most people realize, including local energy cooperatives, private foundations, and philanthropic individuals and organizations. The key is to be persistent and to stay on the lookout for funding sources that can assist your department in serving the citizenry. A final thought on grants: besides being competent and respected in your duties, being ‘the goose that laid the golden egg’ is not a bad place to be either. Build your ‘value portfolio’ by being an indispensable source of grant revenue for your organization.
Who are the Workplace Superstars that don’t have the opportunity to land the big grants? They are the people in the organization that operate in the form of human capital and bring the message of the business directly to the people. The workplace superstar builds his/her value by doing 3 essential functions:
1) Beating the bushes to bring in new forms of revenue to the business by attracting new customers;
2) Maintaining close contact with existing customers to keep them happy and coming back;
3) Embracing Social Responsibility!
There are many common definitions of social responsibility, but the real gist of the theory is that businesses have an obligation to act in a manner that benefits society. Investopedia states that the act of a dual mandate of “striving for profitability and benefiting society derives from a company’s commitment to philanthropy (donations of money, time, & resources) or omission (green policies and EPA pollution reduction compliance).” Some still argue the point that the purpose of a business is to deliver a great product or service for a profit, but look on the web sites of most companies and social responsibility statements are becoming very prevalent.
The people in the organization that positions themselves as the embracers of social responsibility will gain favor by facilitating positive feedback about the organization or business. These superstars will become the face of organization and will be the one who will be considered a true community servant and enjoy an altruistic status. Take caution, however, because this status will mean that you will become part of the 80/20 crowd. You know who they are…..the 20% of local citizens who are at 80% of all community functions or who serve on 80% of the community projects. That’s fine, because your extra efforts will make you a truly indispensable, workplace superstar!!