I don’t remember everything from every class that I took at Rutgers Business School, but these are a few great business lessons that professionals should keep in mind. They are important to me, and I live by them every day.
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
Before you go into something big, have a game plan. Talk it out with others if you have to. If you need to complain about something, have a solution in your back pocket. If you’re doing a presentation, you need to know everything that is on your slides and be able to discuss them in detail.
Have savings in case you lose your job. Know the bus routes in case your car breaks down.
You don’t always have all of the time in the world to plan, nor will you know of every possible scenario. If you have the chance to plan for something, take the time and do it. Learn how to break down large problems into manageable tasks.
Become indispensable.
Know how to use all of those Excel functions better than anyone else? What about Microsoft Access? Are you better at building relationships, performing the work, or knowing what comes next than most of your coworkers? Are you among the top performers at your company? Be someone who is trusted and can do some things that no one else can. Improve in your position every day, even if you think that no one is watching — it should matter to you.
Keep your ethics/integrity.
These things will stay with you from job to job, and this lesson is very simple; just remember that no one likes to get ripped off, so don’t do it to others. Be honest. You can still be aggressive and protect yourself, but don’t do it in a shady way. Remember the golden rule in all of your business dealings.
Don’t lose your cool.
Don’t get wasted at the holiday staff party. Don’t yell at people, or be condescending to them. People don’t tend to forget these things, and aside from this, you could get in major trouble because of temperament issues.
Get 8 hours of sleep.
If you’re a night owl, change your ways and go to sleep between 10-11. Don’t wake up a zombie, and always eat breakfast. Cheating yourself out of sleep is cheating yourself out of stability in your work day. If you’re exhausted, you won’t be able to perform at your best.
Do things outside of school or work.
Hike, code in Python, work out, start a band. You need to be less boring and have something to talk about.