Startups thrive on agility, uncertainty and personal responsibility, so employees who can cope with change and get in front of it are critical for leading-edge companies.
In “Leading Business Change for Dummies,” professional development coaches Christina Tangora Schlachter and Terry H. Hildebrandt outline a number of traits of top employees and leaders. These characteristics could benefit anyone in the modern workplace, so they’re worth noting and developing.
Top employees try to figure out what they need to do to help achieve corporate goals before they’re told what to do. That kind of flexibility and forward thinking is valued by managers anywhere.
The ability to live with ambiguity is also a good trait. Sometimes decisions can’t be fully explained for legal or other reasons, and sometimes all the details have yet to be worked out, so employees who can work with what they’re given are a big plus in an entrepreneurial organization. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak up if you see a better way of doing things.
Employees who take responsibility for themselves and help lead change are also valuable in fast-changing companies. And it’s a plus if they can help their co-workers adapt to change too.
Adapted from 10 Tips for Driving Change in Your Organization from the Back Seat at IT Business Edge.