For Your Career’s SAKE! Start Doing This.
Every job is a collection of Skills & Knowledge and your Attitude while performing those skills.
Here’s your career tip of the week:
Make a list of all the Skills & Knowledge you need to perform your job well.
Rate your proficiency on each skill on a scale of 0-4.
Make a plan to excel at each & every item on the list you prepare.
Skills - These are the specific abilities or proficiencies that individuals possess and can apply to perform tasks or complete activities effectively.
Technical Skills: List the hard skills essential for your job (e.g., making the bed, making a dish, setting up a banquet hall, checking in a guest, etc.).
Soft Skills: List crucial soft skills for success (e.g., communication, problem-solving, leadership).
Knowledge - Knowledge represents the understanding and information that individuals have acquired through education, training, and experience. It encompasses both theoretical understanding and practical insights relevant to a particular job or field.
A good way to think about knowledge is to ask yourself the question ‘Can I lead a training session for freshers on this skill?’
For example:
You may be able to Check-In a guest, but do you know why the registration form is designed the way it is? Why is the guest's signature important? Why do we need passport details, etc.?
You may be able to clean a room, but do you know the industry names of all the chemicals used? Hazards in using the agents, etc.?
Attitude - Attitude refers to the mindset, outlook, or disposition that individuals bring to their work and interactions. It encompasses aspects like enthusiasm, adaptability, teamwork, resilience, and a positive approach towards challenges and opportunities.
Growth Mindset: "Do I embrace challenges as opportunities?" "Am I open to feedback, even when it's critical?"
Work Ethic: "Am I reliable?" "Do I consistently take initiative and go above and beyond?"
Positivity: "Do I have a positive influence on my team?" "How well do I manage stress and setbacks?"
So How To Assess Yourself?
For example:
Service Orientation implies the desire to help or serve others.
Here are some indicators to measure Service Orientation:
Score 0 if It could not be measured.
Score 1 if you echo the needs of others.
Score 2 if you establish effective help and support relationships.
Score 3 if you Identify the needs of others and are concerned with finding effective ways to resolve them.
Score 4 if you Identify the needs of others, anticipate and provide tailored solutions.
So, once you know what you need to work on, here are 3 practical ideas on what to do:
Participate in activities like case studies and role plays to understand real-life scenarios.
Seek feedback from mentors and peers.
Keep a journal to document insights and growth.
At the end of the day, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Do the tasks. Engage with the new skill. Use your knowledge. Test your attitude.
The only real way to learn anything is to do it.
If you have reached here and are still reading, here is a special treat for you.
You now know that S is for Skill, A is for Attitude, K is for Knowledge. So what is the E in SAKE?
E is Essence
What is the essence of your job?
A steward’s job is surely more than just placing the food on the table. A receptionist’s job is surely more than just handing the room keys. A housekeeper’s job is surely more than just cleaning a room.
A steward’s job’s essence is to make sure the guests leave satiated. A receptionist’s job’s essence is to make sure the guests feel welcomed and safe. A housekeeper’s job’s essence is to make sure the guests feel at home.
So what is it for your job role?
Find that essence, and when everyone else around you is still working towards better skills, more knowledge, killer attitude, you change the game by embodying the essence.