Would Your Boss Let You Drive His Lamborghini?
Scrolling through prom photos on Facebook, one image caught my eye. The seventeen-year-old son of a friend and his date posed proudly. She wore a gorgeous sequined gown, and he wore a coordinating bow tie. As is popular these days, they also wore matching high-tops. The caption, written by his mother, described their attire and then said, “And Kevin* drove his boss’s Lamborghini.”
The description caused me to pause. I thought, “Wow, Kevin’s boss must think a lot of him.” I wonder how many people impress their boss enough to be trusted to drive their Lambo. Would your boss trust you that much? I thought about all the reference questions I have asked over the years, but I have never asked, “Would you let this candidate drive your Lambo?”
What kind of traits earn the complete trust of your boss? If you want to crush your career (and a chance to drive the Lambo), I might suggest focusing on growing these character traits:
1. Reliability. Become a person who has a reputation for doing what she says she will do. You show up on time. You finish the task. You are the go-to person when something absolutely needs to get done.
2. Responsibility. Take on additional responsibilities. Do the things no one else wants to do and do them with excellence. Treat the business as if you are an owner, not just an employee.
3. Responsiveness. Anticipate the needs of customers and solve their problems. Answer the calls. Respond to the emails and text messages promptly. Always respond, and not just to your boss, but to your teammates as well.
4. Stewardship. Take care of the resources entrusted to you. Use your time, talent, and treasure wisely. Don’t waste time, money, or skills. If you have a gift, use it.
5. Gratitude. Always express gratitude. Be grateful for what you have and don’t complain about what you don’t have. Be a master of saying “thank you” and of writing hand-written thank-you notes. Focus on all that is right instead of what is wrong.
If you develop these character traits, I cannot promise you that you will get to drive the sports car, but I am sure they will garner the attention of your leadership in many positive ways. These traits will help you crush your career. By chance, if you do get to drive the Lambo, be sure to return it with a full tank!
Meet The Author, Dee Ann Turner
Dee Ann Turner is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to retirement in 2018, she was Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability.
Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s well-known culture and talent systems. During her long career, she worked closely with Chick-fil-A’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, and other key leaders as an architect of their organizational culture. Turner was responsible for thousands of selections of Chick-fil-A Franchisees and corporate staff members. Additionally, she led Talent Management, Staff Learning and Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Culture and Engagement. Most recently, Dee Ann launched and led the Sustainability function focusing on Chick-fil-A’s strategy to implement sustainable practices at the $11 billion company.
Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and consulting and coaching leaders globally. She is the author of the best sellers, It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture and Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture and Win the Hearts of Customers. Her newest book, Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job and Launch Your Career will be released in March 2021.
You can connect with Dee Ann at deeannturner.com, crushyourcareerbook.com, Dee Ann on Twitter @deeannturner, Instagram @deeannturner, LinkedIn or on Facebook: @DeeAnnTurnerAuthor.
