20 tips that got me an IT promotion

 11 months ago I almost quit my IT support job with a large Accounting  company. Jay, the owner of Dumb Little Man, and my best friend, told me  to list 25 things I could personally do to get ahead. I was skeptical  because I seriously hated this place but I made the list because I had  nothing to lose but time and I didn’t want to start to job search. I couldn’t come up with 25 so we settled on 20. He then tweaked it a  little saying that it was too easy to fulfill. Anyway, I took the list  and posted it on my cubicle wall. I read that damn thing every morning  when I got into the office. To this day, I still have it practically  memorized.  Last Friday, I was promoted and I actually moved up 2 spots so I am now earning an extra $15K year. Kind of nice if you ask me. Here are the missions we put together: 

• I will work and think as if I were the SVP of my IT group.  This will include how I interact in meetings, with co-workers in the  hall, etc. This will train me for the future. 
• If I ever decide I don’t like the company I work for, I  will still act like the SVP because that is the position I want. I will  not become a complaining, gossiping troll because my reputation will  follow me. 
• I will look for areas that my company fails. One day I will fix that failure by starting my own company. 
• I will be the guy to speak out with new ideas in meetings.  If it’s going to save money or increase revenues, I will never be out of  line. 
• I will lead others and show my strengths because someday I may want these people to work for me. 
• I will finish everything I start. I am not going to mentally bail on a project. 
• I will shut up and listen when I don’t know 110%. 
• I will study new trends so I am the guy with the good idea. 
• Regardless of what my boss says, I will review myself each  month and then ask for help where I need it. My company can train me so  that I can move on. 
• If they ask for 132 TPS reports, I will do them. One day I  may ask an employee of mine for similar reports (even though it’s  repulsive to think). 
• I will speak my mind in the face of rejection when I am confident that my idea is a winner. 
• I will know how competitors do things so I can suggest better solutions in meetings. 
• I will not bend to process bureaucracy. If the customer needs it, we have to figure it out. 
• I will learn as much as possible about the roles people play in my company. One day I will have to fill those roles. 
• I am able to recite my 5-year goal at any time. 
• Resume builders are nice but I am pushing for seminars that will train ME. 
• I will dress more professionally then the rest on casual Friday. 
• On internal conference calls, I will ask questions. Not  dumb annoying ones, but questions that pertain to the company’s EPS or  EBITDA. 
• I will be in the office before my boss’ boss 90% of the time. 
• I will leave the office after my boss 100% of the time.

A lot of Jay’s list irritated me but in 30 days things got a  helluva lot better. In retrospect, it wasn’t the job making me upset, I  just had an ego problem – I felt like I was better than everyone else.  After I followed through on my list, I proved I was better. I know a lot of you may call some of this ass kissing but I was  pretty blunt in these meetings and it wasn’t my boss that promoted me –  it was his boss. The job was never even officially posted. I am now a  firm believer that leaders are winners. This list is coming with me  wherever I go. Take it or leave it.