Ron Edmondson's 7 Essentials to Succeed in Today's Work Force

In case you haven’t been keeping up, the world has changed. To be successful today in any profession takes new tools and skills. I am asked frequently by young leaders what advice I have for those just starting their career. Obviously, if you are a believer desiring to do ministry (which describes many of my readers) then you first need to work through your relationship with Christ to be obedient to God’s call on your life, but even Christian leaders need to think how best to succeed in a changing world. Here are some “must haves” I would advise young leaders to seek to possess in order to achieve personal success: 1. Personal Branding I have always kept my resume up-to-date and encouraged others I work with to do the same, but today requires far more than a resume. Today it is easy and therefore important to develop your own identity … your own brand. 2. Connectedness Social media is not an option, anymore. The use of Twitter, Facebook, blogging and other social media sites is the way networks are built these days. People once traded email addresses to build professional relationships. Now they trade social mediums. 3. Action Plan You will never reach your dreams without a plan. Those who achieve great things develop a system to implement their ideas. This is not new to today’s world, but it is perhaps even more important now. 4. Self-Initiative No one is going to script life for you. The days when the organization writes the rules for you are over. The ones who achieve success today are those who are willing to take the initiative to do something without anyone forcing them to do so. 5. Original Thought Uniqueness sets you apart from the crowd and today that’s more important than ever. There are thousands of ideas in the world and yours is just one of them, but you better have some of your own. 6. Team Spirit Most healthy environments these days frown on lone rangers. Be willing to humbly submit to others and participate in a team environment. Be likable and work well with others. Collaboration is a key function of today’s successful organizations. 7. Flexibility Change is the only guarantee in all this. Today’s leader must remain flexible to a changing environment and willing to adapt quickly as necessary.