5 Ways to Make a Fast Impact at Work

Across organizations, managers have put their employees on notice. With revenue growth not so easy to find in many industries (or, for that matter, countries), leaders want positive contributions from other parts of the organization to compensate. They want individual employees to make an immediate impact: not just to work harder and faster, but also to find new ways to trim costs, speed up processes, or otherwise make a solid impact. Increasingly, managers, in a shift from more collaborative times, are using blunt talk and demanding things be done their way, and they’re not afraid to threaten to hold back bonuses or promotions, or even to raise the prospect of outright dismissal.

Making an impact now won’t just be beneficial in the short run. Following a culling of middle managers, organizations have thinned out their leadership pipelines. Bosses are on the lookout for future individual contributors they can develop into first-time managers. They’re also trying to figure out which of their remaining middle managers they can transform into senior leaders. “At a time of so much uncertainty, organizations are making some key talent  decisions,” says Mark Royal, senior client partner for Korn Ferry Advisory.

Here are some tips to help you make an immediate positive impact, regardless of your current role.

Understand what the organization—and your manager—wants.

It’s one thing to come up with an innovative solution to a problem, but these days it may not make a difference if the problem is something the organization—or your bosses—aren’t concerned about. Indeed, some managers might be angry that you’re spending time working on a peripheral issue. “Focus your work on the organization’s goals,” says Sunny Levitt, an executive career and leadership coach for Korn Ferry Advance. If you’re not sure what the goals are, ask your boss. It’s not a bad idea to get those goals in writing, too, to avoid miscommunication later.

Raise your visibility.

Increase your profile by speaking up at meetings, scheduling a one-on-one with your immediate manager, jumping onto a high-visibility project, or sharing a report you’ve written outlining your team’s accomplishments, says Val Olson, a career and leadership coach at Korn Ferry Advance. Voice your thoughts, views, and suggestions on how you can contribute. This will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skills, as well as your ability to identify and solve problems.

Communicate early and often.

No boss likes a negative surprise, and plenty don’t even like positive surprises. Keeping your boss in the loop on your projects is a good way to show that you are diligent and engaged. Be proactive as well. “Surface potential issues along with proposed solutions,” says Jennifer Zamora, a Korn Ferry senior principal.

Extend that good-communication commitment to your teammates, too. Keep them abreast of your progress, be a good listener when they have concerns, and offer support proactively.

Anticipate future trends.

Making predictions is hard, especially about the future—as the saying goes—but developing a sense of trendlines can be an invaluable career move. Reading industry reports, attending conferences, and reaching out to members of your network can help you identify customer needs, recognize demographics impacting your industry, or get a sense of any obstacles the sector might encounter down the road. This information can help you suggest ways to trim costs or brainstorm new products and services that could raise your organization’s sales.

Set an example.

Managers need to show they’re making an impact too, and they do that primarily by getting the most out of the people they lead. “If you’re a manager, demonstrate the behaviors you expect from your team,” Zamora says. Work to create a collaborative environment focused on clear, open communication and celebrating one another’s successes. 

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s career development capabilities from Korn Ferry Advance. 

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