In today’s ever-changing business landscape, many professionals yearn for career advancement but find themselves hindered by a lack of fundamental skills. Despite the rapid pace of change, certain timeless qualities and practices continue to drive success. Regrettably, these often go unnoticed by business leaders and individuals striving to keep pace with their peers, competitors, and customers in today’s volatile environment.

For instance, it is widely acknowledged that one of the primary reasons for entrepreneurs’ failure in new startups is their premature surrender. The truth is, whether starting a business or working in an established one, perseverance has always been a prerequisite for success. However, many individuals today underestimate the dedication and resilience required or hold unrealistic expectations.

Drawing from my personal experience as a business owner and angel investor, here are my top recommendations to thrive and excel in the business world, whether you’re a professional or an entrepreneur. These time-tested strategies have remained constant over several decades and are particularly valuable in today’s turbulent times:

1. Foster fruitful professional relationships: Devote time to cultivating productive connections through industry conferences, expert networks, and key customer relationships. Building strong relationships remains pivotal to unlocking career opportunities, attracting new clients, and fostering collaboration.
2. Master project management: Project failures have derailed numerous careers and businesses. Effective project management demands a holistic perspective, an understanding of resource requirements, adept communication and motivation skills, and the ability to track progress. Stay abreast of the evolving technology and tools in this field to ensure success.
3. Shift from ideation to execution: Don’t settle for being an “ideas person” alone. Pair your creative thinking with the ability to deliver tangible results. In entrepreneurial circles, investors are only interested when ideas are accompanied by concrete outcomes. Ideas without execution can spell doom for many businesses.
4. Cultivate a reputation for preparedness: Be the professional who shows up on time and is ready to tackle work challenges. Avoid wasting precious time discussing unrelated matters. Team members take note of those who consistently demonstrate readiness and commitment.
5. Prioritize work-life balance: Successful individuals strike a balance between personal and professional needs. Constantly being immersed in work without breaks negatively impacts well-being, satisfaction, and productivity. Find the equilibrium that works best for you.
6. Focus on results over tasks: Impress others by consistently achieving desired outcomes, rather than merely maintaining a lengthy to-do list. Businesses thrive when they accomplish more. Keep track of your daily results to ensure continuous progress.
7. Promptly respond to customer and team member inquiries: Timely follow-up is crucial in today’s fast-paced world. Just as you would expect responsiveness from your closest friends, acknowledge work-related phone calls and social media requests within one workday. Your professional image hinges on your promptness.
8. Embrace new responsibilities and assignments: Do not confine yourself to the boundaries of your job description. Exhibit a willingness to take on additional work and respond to requests from colleagues. This attitude of growth fosters learning, garners appreciation, and increases job satisfaction.

While numerous other priorities and attributes contribute to success, the strategies outlined above provide a starting point for self-assessment and redirection of efforts. Embracing new technologies and tools is essential, but without mastering the basics, they alone cannot ensure your success.

By: M Imran Sheikh