Great at Work

Why do some people work better than others? This question was the basis for a five-year study, supported by an unprecedented statistical analysis , carried out on more than 5000 managers and employees chosen from a wide range of jobs, functions and sectors. The answer overturns a widespread belief that to obtain great results it is necessary to have an innate talent, a lot of luck and above all, to work harder; this research has shown, on the contrary, that top performers don’t work more, but they work smarter.

The results of the research have brought to light seven practical requirements that explain their high-level performance.

Working smarter means applying these 7 essential factors:

• Select a small series of priorities and concentrate your energy on those chosen areas (narrow down and deepen the scope of the work)
• Focus on creating values, not only on reaching immediate objectives (targeting).
• Avoid useless repetition and focus on training your abilities (quality of learning).
• Look for roles that bring together your passion and a sense of purpose (internal motivation)
• Use tactics to influence others in order to obtain their support (advocacy)
• Get rid of superfluous meetings and ensure that those necessary provide intense and beneficial debate (strong teamwork)
• Choose intersectoral projects with care and exclude the less productive ones (disciplined collaboration).