Being a decent and productive employee is one of the things that workers themselves recurrently tend to underestimate due to the lack of knowledge and self-centeredness. Nevertheless, there is a universal recipe for those who wish to be great leaders in the future – learn to be great followers first (Holton and Naquin 63).
When an individual finally learns the basics of leadership and recognizes the goals and objectives set by the manager, he or she will understand that being a good subordinate always comes first in the business environment. Graduating from college, finding your first job, and becoming an excellent employee is almost never possible, but one can learn the three essentials skills in being a good subordinate in order to meet the manager’s expectations (Harvey 62).
First of all, the boss expects their employees to produce quality work. Moreover, it is stated that time is not an issue. This is a very important point considering the fact that the employee got his or her job right after they graduated. Being a great employee is a tough challenge, bearing in mind that a worker can become frustrated because of a missed deadline or inability to perform a task that is new to them.
A good subordinate is not afraid of the tasks given out by the manager and is making an effort to get the job done (Navallo 23). A nice subordinate makes the most of the granted drills and conferences conducted by the organization. It is essential to adopt professional conduct and get used to it, as wasting their own and their coworkers’ time will not benefit any subordinate that is fresh out of the college.
Another crucial pair of skills that a great subordinate should possess are good listening and observational skills. The reason behind this is the worker’s attention to detail and their ability to assess the obtained information critically (Conellias 149). In other words, a good subordinate knows how to do the job correctly owing to their devotion to following the leader and their working strategy. It is safe to say that listening to and understanding the directions and guidelines provided by the manager are the most valuable resources that the new employees have at their hands. The research shows that observant employees are higher on the career ladder than the ones who lack this skill (Benthem 181).
However, the central skills that showcase an amazing subordinate are the aptitude to ask questions and a willingness to learn. While the ability to listen and observe is important, the art of interpersonal communication should never be left aside. A question asked in a timely manner can save time for both employees and the manager. The subordinate should not be afraid to ask questions in order not to become confused and fail to provide high-quality service.
The subordinate should keep in mind that a long time before they became a part of the team, even their managers were new to this company and went through the same difficulties (Bence 90). A great subordinate shows the willingness to learn and strives to be a part of the answer when the question is asked. The ability to continually grow both professionally and personally is the ultimate skill that is only inherent to the subordinates that imagine becoming influential and knowledgeable leaders in the nearest future.
Works Cited
Bence, Brenda. Would You Want to Work for You? How to Build an Executive Leadership Brand That Inspires Loyalty and Drives Employee Performance. Las Vegas: Global Insight Communications LLC, 2013. Print.
Benthem, Johan Van. The Logic of Time: A Model-theoretic Investigation into the Varieties of Temporal Ontology and Temporal Discourse. Berlin: Springer, 2012. Print.
Conellias, David. Let’s Do Life Get Empowered to Live and Enjoy Life. Bloomington: Authorhouse, 2015. Print.
Harvey, Christine. Starting a New Job in a Week: How to Succeed in Your New Role in Seven Simple Steps. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2014. Print.
Holton, Elwood F., and Sharon S. Naquin. How to Succeed in Your First Job: Tips for New College Graduates. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2001. Print.
Navallo, Jason. Driven to Succeed: How to Start Your Career after College. London: Navallo, 2014. Print.