Do you know that reliability is one of the keys to get promoted?

We are currently in a mini-series about how to get promoted in the workplace. We discussed two keys already. First, likeability. If people don’t like you, they are not going to trust you, and they certainly won’t promote you. But likeability is not personality; it’s character. It’s behaviour. It’s how you choose to relate to other people.

The second key that we discussed is capacity. Capacity is the potential for growth and the desire to keep learning. If you have capacity, then you can increase in competence and you can handle greater responsibility in your work.

Today, we’ll discuss the third key, reliability.

Are you dependable, trustworthy, consistent, and stable? Can people count on you? Are you a person who says you’ll do it and it’ll get done even if it takes extra hours?

If you answer yes to all the questions above, then you are a reliable person.

Reliability is earning the trust of others by always keeping your promises and fulfilling your responsibilities, even if it requires sacrifice.

Do you ever have projects where you were told when it needs to be done? When that date comes, you’re only halfway through. What do you do? Do you say “You should have given me this project earlier”? Or do you put in the extra time to get it done?

You may be right that you should have been given the project earlier. But reliability means I get it done even if it means personal sacrifice for me. And that earns the trust of other people.

The greatest compliment a boss could pay you is, “I’m not worried.” That means your boss trusts you implicitly because you are reliable, you are dependable, you are trustworthy. You are steady and stable. You are not flaky. You keep your word even if it means personal hurt, personal loss, personal sacrifice and you get it done. You fulfill your responsibilities. Your boss can count on you.

And that’s what gets you promoted.

So, how can you show your boss and co-workers this week that you are a reliable person? How will doing so help you accomplish your goals at work?

Excerpt taken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren.