Before I worked in games, I was a manager at Google and Facebook - responsible for teams, people and large-scale projects.
I learned a lot about work & what I believe it is to be a good worker.
We teach them how to use specific software, how to write a CV, etc.
But we do not teach them what it is to be a good worker, a good team member.
I no longer hire people (I’m just renting my high-horse for this evening), but if I did, these are traits I'd be questioning for & looking out for in probation.
These traits transcend profession and are valid in any industry.
Any of my dear students looking to stand out in the industry could adopt several & immediately stand head and shoulders above their competition.
Courage is better than silence. Speak up to improve things. Share your ideas. Give feedback.
Even when it is uncomfortable for you or others.
Work it. Work it like you know it needs to be worked. Never half-ass anything. If you can’t do it properly today, do it properly tomorrow.
Every damn day. If you are privileged to be in a position where you can share your voice - it is your obligation to use that voice. So do it. Work is not the amount of hours your ass is sitting in the office chair - it’s what you do with those hours.
Don’t ask “Will I do X?” That’s just demanding labour from someone else higher up the food chain. Just fucking do it and report back when you have solved the problem. A good worker anticipates need and solves need without creating additional burden.
See a problem? Don’t wait to be asked to fix it. Don’t complain nobody's taking care of it. Be that person. Put your hand up. Say “I'll fix X”. Then fix it or arrange the universe in such a way that it gets fixed. Be a human being with agency in the world.
If something doesn’t work. If a player/customer/patient has an issue - do not rest. Never expect someone else to raise the issue. Never accept half-assed fob-off answers. And if you can’t fix it yourself, keep talking as loud as you need to until it is.
Even if you did something good 5 years/weeks/minutes ago, you are not excused from the pursuit of excellence now.
If nobody knows what you are doing, you might as well be doing nothing at all. Make sure relevant people know what you do. Make sure you know what relevant people do. Encourage sharing to improve mission awareness & decrease duplication of effort.
If you don’t, why should anybody else? Surround yourself with believers and be a believer yourself.
It’s not just for leaders. Tell your peers when they do things you admire.
Also not just for leaders. There is some area of your organisation that you know better than anyone else. Be the champion of your piece of turf. Do with it as you know it deserves.
No matter how much you do, the work will never, ever be done. Take breaks and rest so you don’t burn out. I’ve had two nervous breakdowns in my time. Trust me, you don’t need even one.
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