As an HR professional, you want to continuously improve your performance. As you increase your skill set and experience level, you grow both your career and your reputation as an expert in your field. Here are three tips to become the best employee on your team. 

Surround Yourself With Other Top Performers   

Because quality breeds quality, spend time with other top performers. Since you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, make sure they are high-quality individuals who inspire you to become better each day and lift you to a higher standard. Be around people who provide concrete benchmarks for success and know you can reach them. Continually talk with people who raise the bar on your thinking and encourage you to take action on improving yourself. Seek out individuals whose values are similar to yours and who have greater skill, cognitive ability, experience or talent in an area you are developing in. They will support you on your journey and help you become a better person. Prime examples of individuals you want in your group include a person who is older and more successful than you to learn from; a person who is equal to you to exchange ideas with; and a person below you to coach and keep you energized.  

Ask Your Manager for Ongoing Feedback 

Set up a time for monthly updates on your progress. Find out what criteria you will be evaluated on. Give your manager advance notice about topics you would like to discuss. Ensure your manager mentions examples of areas you have been excelling in and suggestions for improvement in other areas. Send your manager a follow-up email after each meeting to thank them for their time and briefly recap your conversation. You will be expressing appreciation for your manager’s feedback while creating a copy of what topics were discussed and what you accomplished in the previous month.  

Find Solutions to Problems 

Overcome obstacles as they occur. If necessary, ask for teammates’ input. Ensure you listen to everyone’s ideas so you consider all aspects of the issue. Brainstorm to create a list of possible solutions. Determine the pros and cons of each option. Make a decision about how to proceed. Write down the details and implications of the agreement. Record contingency agreements about potential future circumstances. Monitor implementation of your plan and make changes as needed. Evaluate your results to determine your success and learn from your errors.  

Secure Your Next HR Role Through Arlington Resources 

Are you looking for the next position in your HR career? Work with Arlington Resources, an award-winning HR staffing agency in Chicago.