Last year, someone a lot smarter than me said that when young people begin their careers, they have to remind themselves of the NOGAS Principle every day: no one gives a shit.
You graduated with honors? Nice.
You studied abroad for a semester? Great.
You played a Division I sport? Congratulations.
Universities typically fail to address that once you’re in the trenches at your new job, the people that actually matter couldn’t care less about your resume. They’re too preoccupied with keeping the ship afloat, staying out of the red, and making sure their employees don’t kill each other in the process.
It’s like a youth baseball prodigy getting called up to the Big Leagues. His team, the media, and most importantly the front office, doesn’t care that he cranked 30 homers in A-ball – the only thing that matters is what he can offer right here, right now.
When you get the proverbial call-up to a job, the easiest thing to do is rest on your laurels, assuming that everything you’ve learned and accomplished in 20-something years is enough to fuel you until your golden years. You got your desk, a steady paycheck, and a sweet benefits package – just do your job and the rest will take care of itself.
The only problem is that’s all bullshit.
It’s tempting to hold your cards close to your chest early on. You get your assignments, and because you were conditioned for 4+ years to regurgitate and repeat, your gut says just do your job – don’t question the process or poke the bear. Just plug away.
Before long, we forget that real value comes when we transcend the job description. We’re so preoccupied with “doing the job” that we shell up, cutting ourselves off from valuable information. In other words, being too good at following rules creates more problems than it prevents.
The world has enough people who know how to follow directions – you can’t afford to let yourself get buried in the crowd. Being ignored is a worse fate than just about anything, including failure. To climb out of that hole, you’ll need to court attention (without being an asshole.)
Here are some thought starters:
Become an idea machine.
Bring something to the table. Anything. You can share 364 shitty ideas in a year – all it takes is one to prove you’re worth more than your paycheck. Just don’t expect to take credit when they use it.
Bring outside information in.
This can be books, articles, or emerging trends that could have an impact (positive or negative) on your team. Again, don’t expect credit.
Make other people look good.
This isn’t about being a kiss-ass. It’s about prioritizing somebody else’s needs over yours and understanding how that works in your favor. As Ryan Holiday says, “The person who clears the path ultimately controls its direction.” And in case you forgot, don’t expect credit.
Whether you’re managing a coffee shop or a hedge fund, there’s always something to gain from going beyond the job description, even if it’s just lessening the fear of rejection by speaking up. The long-term goal is to become what Seth Godin calls The Linchpin – the guy or girl that’s too valuable to let go.
The more you’re relied on, the more freedom you have.
Here are 5 books to base your life on, plus 7 strategies I stole from marketing geniuses to promote your work.
