A coupla months in the laboratory can save a coupla hours in the library. (Westheimer’s Discovery)
A friend sold me a chainsaw cheap. She was doing me a favor. She admitted that it ran, but it did not cut well at all. I took the chainsaw home and reversed the chain. It works great now. A little while ago my son decided to cut some monstrous tree roots with the chainsaw. Suddenly it wouldn’t cut anymore. The dirt on the roots had horribly dulled the chain. I took it into my basement and spent half an hour sharpening it. Now it cuts again.
The career trash heap is littered with the bodies of people who thought 20 MORE hours a week at work would get them promoted. While they were slaving away, someone else reversed the chain or sharpened the saw. The thinker and planner got promoted.
You need to do your basic job well. Other than your basic job, what will set you apart? What will make you the best? What will make you the natural leader?
Your boss wants to look good and get a raise and promotion. What can you do to help him? Is your working more hours the only thing that will make him look better?
Your company wants to make more money, spend less, and keep the customers happier. Can you do something a little better while you are doing your basic job? Can you get involved in highly visible projects? How can you set yourself apart?
In addition to being better, you have to get noticed, respected, and appreciated. Give your boss a weekly, monthly and quarterly report of exactly what you did better. Then in your next annual review, you have ammunition. And if you go job hunting, you have proof.
Take a careful look at your job. Can you reverse the chainsaw chain somewhere? Can you just sharpen the saw? What do you need to do that will move you forward the fastest? Is just putting in more hours really the most important thing you can do?
Ask your boss how HE is evaluated. Now ask yourself how can you help HIM get a better evaluation? Sharpen your chainsaw, don’t just work more hours.