Exceptional performance is the bridge between where you are today and where you deserve to be tomorrow.
Opportunity does not always arrive as a promotion. Sometimes it arrives disguised as extra responsibility.
When the Operations Manager of a fast-growing manufacturing company proceeded on his annual leave, the office suddenly became unusually busy. The manager’s desk was filled with unfinished projects, pending approvals, customer complaints, supplier meetings and operational deadlines. Management considered recalling him from leave because there seemed to be no one ready to handle the workload.
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During a management meeting, David, one of the middle-level supervisors, quietly spoke up. “If you permit me,” he said, I’d like to help coordinate the department until he returns. David had never managed a department of that size before. The Managing Director looked at him and asked if it won’t affect his normal assignment; he promised that it wouldn’t. His request was promptly approved. The MD wanted to try him out for just three weeks. If he lived up to his promise, he will be left to manage the department, if not, the manager on leave will still be recalled.
What happened over the next weeks surprised everyone. David didn’t merely keep the department running. He totally transformed it. He streamlined reporting procedures. He introduced a weekly performance review system that quickly identified operational bottlenecks. He encouraged different units to work together, instead of in isolation. He personally met with dissatisfied clients and restored several business relationships. Whenever challenges arose, he refused to postpone decisions. He gathered the facts, consulted the right people and implemented practical solutions.
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Gradually, the department became more efficient than it had been before. Projects were completed ahead of schedule. Customer complaints reduced. Employee morale improved. Productivity increased. The MD noticed.
Just before the Operations Manager was due to resume, the unexpected happened. He had accepted a more attractive position with an international company overseas and would not be returning. The position suddenly became vacant. The management immediately appointed David as Acting Operations Manager, while they searched for a permanent replacement.
News spread across the company. Several senior employees quietly began lobbying for the position. Some believed they deserved it because they had spent more years in the organisation. Others pointed to their academic qualifications and previous experience. The Human Resources Committee reviewed all the applications. Then the Managing Director made a statement that ended the search for a prospective operations manager: Why should we keep searching for someone who can do the job when someone has already shown us he can?
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There was little left to debate. For a while, David had been doing the work, under real pressure, with measurable results. His exceptional performance had already answered every question management wanted to ask. The acting appointment became a substantive one. David was confirmed as the new Operations Manager.
Almost overnight, he became the subject of conversations throughout the organisation. Some admired him, others envied him. Some others wondered how someone relatively junior could rise so quickly. Very few understood the real reason. David had not chased the position. His performance had attracted it. Always remember that the biggest opportunity of life usually come disguised as additional responsibility. While most will see extra work, it’s only the exceptional professionals that will see an opportunity to demonstrate greater capacity.
Never reject an opportunity because it comes without an immediate promotion. Sometimes, exceptional performance today becomes tomorrow’s appointment letter.
The Exceptional Professional
1. See Extra Responsibility as an Opportunity, Not a Burden
When others avoid additional responsibility, exceptional professionals see a platform to demonstrate leadership. Every extra responsibility is a hidden interview for a future opportunity and promotion.
2. Allow Results to Speak Louder than Their Ambition
Many people desire promotion. Few consistently produce results worthy of promotion. Become known for outcomes, not excuses.
3. Perform Before You Are Promoted
Don’t wait until you receive a higher position or title before acting like a leader. Leadership is usually first demonstrated through behaviour before it is recognised with an appointment.
4. Solve Problems under Pressure
Organisations remember people who think clearly and deliver solutions during difficult moments. Pressure reveals leadership.
5. Make Themselves the Obvious Choice
When opportunities shows up, management should not struggle to make a decision. Your track record should make the decision easy. The strongest application for promotion is a history of exceptional performance.
Exceptional performance is the bridge between where you are today and where you deserve to be tomorrow.
Yemi Adetayo is a leadership consultant and transformational catalyst. He can be reached through: [email protected]
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