Transform from being a regular employee to an employee of 'awesomeness'

Recently, the Harvard Business blog "Voices" introduced "The Awesomeness Manifesto" which challenges our ways of thinking about innovation as outdated and encourages searching for what is truly awesome. According to Umair Haque's Manifesto, "awesomeness is the new innovation." While it is easy to see how awesomeness is achievable for businesses and corporations, how does it affect the foundation of the organisation - its people? Haque sees four pillars of awesomeness:

• Ethical Production
• Insanely Great Stuff
• Love
• Thick Value

The individual can use all of these in his quest to become an awesome employee.

The topic of ethics can be overwhelming, as it is abstract and largely dependent upon the individual's perspective. To be an awesome employee means to operate ethically, think before acting, set goals, and figure out how to accomplish those goals without cutting corners or walking over others. Cutting corners can accelerate the completion of a project, but it could also accelerate your termination. "Good guys finish last," is an outdated mantra from an era where workers achieve value by cheating others. Embrace the era of awesomeness and strive to be ethically productive; working ethically will immediately gratify you as an individual and your co-workers will notice.

Make insanely great stuff. It is easy to do the bare minimum. What if, instead of accomplishing the norm, you found a way to make it better? This doesn't mean you have to invent the next iPhone. Rather, strive to improve what you do on a daily basis-make it insanely great. Take pride in each task you have to accomplish and exert the necessary energy to do each better than before. It can be something as simple as answering a telephone. Take each call with enthusiasm and willingness to help. Treat any person at the other end of the line as if she deserves your utmost attention. Ignite a change in your business by being the first to make insanely great stuff. Be the catalyst that motivates your business to be one of awesomeness.

Love. Who knew four letters could make all the difference in your awesomeness as an employee? According to Webster's, love is the object of attachment, enthusiasm or devotion. Don't just do your job, love it. Connect with your co-workers, devote yourself to your boss, and be enthusiastic about your company. Loving what you do causes a domino effect of positivity. According to the Radical 1000 Research, 87 percent of people would choose a job they love that reduces their salary by half rather than take a job they hate that triples their current salary. When you care about your job, you are willing to do it with enthusiasm and devotion, and you are ultimately more productive. Loving your job is crucial to being an awesome employee.

The final pillar is thick value. According to the Manifesto, thick value is real, meaningful, and sustainable. Thin value is the "bells and whistles" or unnecessary garnishes people add to appear create the appearance of value. Truly awesome employees don't need obnoxious embellishments because they are genuinely valuable and meaningful to their company. Employees with thick value are considerate and honest. They strive for excellence and ask for help when they need it. They are not overly prideful and work for the greater good of their company rather than for self-promotion.

To have thick value in your job is to do what others are not willing to do. Arrive earlier than expected and stay until the job is done, even if it is after five. Gather all of the information necessary and then find more to add to your credibility. Be knowledgeable, timely, helpful and diligent for yourself, others and the entire business. Thick value brings together the attributes essential to being an employee of awesomeness.

Today's economy has negatively affected the way employees think about themselves, their jobs and the companies for which they work. Negativity is the antithesis of productivity and we should toss it out with our old ways of defining innovation. Now is the time to rid yourself of mediocrity and become something stellar. Make a positive impact on your business, accept the Manifesto, and become an employee of awesomeness.

Written by Megan Bullard of LMA's sister company, Profiles International

If you are interested in knowing more about becoming an 'awesome' employee, and dramatically improving your leadership, productivity, and performance, contact LMA today.

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