This is another in a series of articles I have committed to writing, to help career persons in paid employment. If you aspire to climb high, as fast as possible, up the corporate ladder, in the organization you work for, this article can help you. I outline practical steps you can take to set yourself up to succeed as quickly as possible – based on real life successes I achieved as a high performing employee in a multinational corporate organisation.

First, You Need To Understand the Formal Rules & Requirements

When you think about it, you’ll realize that most of what a person needs to get ahead in life is an understanding of requirements and rules. It’s the same thing in paid employment as well as elsewhere.

In sports for example, you need to know what rules guide the playing of a particular sport, so you do not go against them. It’s the same thing in paid employment. You must also understand what is expected of you – to qualify for a promised reward from the organization e.g. a salary, bonus, commission, promotion etc.

Talk to your boss. Read the company handbook (if available). Talk to experienced hand, the Human Resources department etc. Once you know the requirements and rules, you can then devise a plan(s) of action that you can use to excel based on those set conditions.

Next, Find Out What the Unwritten Rules and Requirements Are

There are sometimes unwritten rules and requirements, based on an established work culture and/or past occurrences.

Accepted alternative ways of doing things that may not be formally documented. If you are not familiar with them, it could hurt your ambitions. Sometimes it pays to know what you can get away with – or tested ways of getting things done, and what not to do.

Identify those knowledgeable about such workplace subtleties. There are people like that everywhere. They have exceptional social skills. What the French call Savoir Faire (know-how). They often have their ears to the ground about what’s worked – or has not.

Spending time with people like that can open your eyes to opportunities you probably would never discover otherwise. You would be able to make use of that information when needed.

Street-wisdom is important. No one can be perfect, but it’s best to learn as fast – and often – as possible, to increase the chances of success. Knowing the unspoken rules and requirements, and how to make the most of them is one way to acquire street-wisdom.

True Story: How Ignorance of an Unspoken Rule Can Hurt Your Ambitions

As a young brewer, my senior colleagues who had been on the job five or more years before I joined often regaled me with entertaining anecdotes. One especially instructive one was about a young brewer whose boss asked him to perform an unauthorized procedure in the production process. This was to recover lost time and achieve the target output.

Being a greenhorn, the brewer naively implemented the instruction without requesting a written instruction to that effect. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong did. It was a mess that cost the company a handsome amount in hours lost and product damage.

But during the investigation, the brewer’s boss bluntly denied ever instructing him to go against standard procedure. The young man literally broke down in tears, surprised at how his boss had disowned him. Luckily, the management decided to let him off with a warning, since he was new on the job.

Five years later that brewer would always warn new brewers to insist on a signed memo from their superior in the event that they face a similar challenge.

Now that is an example of an unspoken rule that could determine your success or failure in the workplace.

Also, Know the Company You Work For, and Be Clear About Your Role in It

By “knowing the company” I mean getting to know who the decision makers at different levels of hierarchy are. Your boss, and his/her boss, and the next, until you get to the top.

Each of these people will communicate his/her desired result, typically derived from a need to achieve the company’s goal, to his/her subordinate(s). At some point, the desired result will be translated into specific tasks for people at your level.

So long as each person does his/her assigned bit, the overall company goal will often be accomplished.

Once you gain this understanding, it will be easier to appreciate the role you have to play in the entire scheme of things in your position of responsibility. It is the lack of understanding of how the role they play, fits into the big company picture, that makes many employees fail to take their jobs as seriously as they should.

This limited insight also prevents them from seizing opportunities that appear, to proactively introduce improvements that would help the company excel.

Go the Extra Mile to Know A Little Bit About Other People’s Jobs & Help Them!

Just as is the case in life, the key to becoming a high flyer in an organisation, is to possess real world relevant competencies, which enable you deliver results your company wants.

So once you’ve taken the steps outlined above, the next smart thing to do is to go out and get as much exposure to varied workplace experiences as possible.

If you know you really want to excel, to be a really high flyer in your company, do this with resolute tenacity, and integrity.

Do it every day, and at every opportunity you can get. Learn everything you can about how others do their jobs, and then actively explore ways to help them do better whenever you can.

Those who are sincere, especially those who benefit from your efforts ,will appreciate you. Eventually, word will get around about your versatility and passion for being a great team player. People often like a team player who can be useful in many ways to them.

There will always be the cynics and critics who see only the negative side of what you do. Ignore them. Snide remarks, nicknames etc…those will only last for a while.

Once you begin to achieve your goals, those same people will show unmasked admiration for you – and some may even ask you “How did/do you do it? What’s your secret?”

Question: Can This Plan Work?

Answer: Yes. It worked for me. I became a high-flyer, gaining company wide recognition for my achievements, within 3 years of joining a large multinational corporation – using the steps outlined above.

After another 3 years, I had achieved career advancements that put me well ahead of others ten years my seniors on the job.

If I could do it, then so can you.

TIP: Click here to view details about my past life in paid employment. The link opens into a new window – scroll down the right column to “About Tayo…In a previous life”. You can request my full PDF resume using the form).

On that page, you will also see scrolling testimonials from others that I coached (even after leaving the company) who wrote to thank me for the progress they made by applying the strategies I taught them –which I’ve described in this article.

And if you want, I offer customisable talks and coaching programs on-demand to interested groups and organisations. I’m currently in Benin Republic as part of a slow trip across West Africa. If you’re a decision maker, you can invite me over to your country, to speak to members of your team. Click here to learn more.

If I (and they) could do it, then so can you