People will rise to the level of expectation placed on them. They will also hit the lid placed over them. Being a young adult in the marketplace can sometimes be a propeller and a hindrance at the same time. Our age and experience leaves much room for growth and yet our ability to generate ideas and think outside the box makes us valuable team players.

I have worked in both ministry and general marketplace offices. In both environments I had many types of supervisors. Some of them helped me soar, and others placed me under a glass ceiling. So how do we contribute and grow at the same time?

As young professionals it’s important to make the most of our time with a company. On average statistics show a person will have 2-3 jobs in a 5 year period. There are also quite a high number of self-employed or contracted young professionals. But even if you are your own boss it’s always good to check your style and make sure you are a good leader of yourself.  Here are some tips on how to respond and succeed with 3 kinds of management styles.

Management Style: Involved in every detail and have difficulty with delegating authority.
•    Do: Follow through on projects, assignments, etc. Be on time, be prepared.  When you show that you can do the little things well, then big things will be on the horizon.
•    Don’t: Act like a know-it all. Talk less, listen more. Give your boss some slack, they most likely have been burned by employees in the past and want to know you are trustworthy.
Management Style: Distant with little or no interaction with employee and projects.
•    Do: Improve your skills and make yourself valuable to the team environment. Step in and be a leader or support the “natural” leader of the group.
•    Don’t: Don’t try to get noticed. No one likes a butt-kisser and it makes you look immature.
Management Style: Builds employees up in their job and has necessary interaction and involvement.
•    Do: Reflect the attitude of management and look for ways to build others in their roles.
•    Don’t: Poke fun or demean management’s desire to “pump” people up.

Attitude is EVERYTHING! Have a positive attitude about yourself and your role in the company. In my experience a “can-do” attitude opened the way for promotions and the skills to do the job came later. Lead yourself well and you will lead others better.

Your Thoughts?

Tanya Glass is a guest blogger. Check out her blog at www.TanlinesOC.wordpress.com. You can also follow her on Twitter here and Facebook here.