by Logan Andrear

Created on: March 21, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2007

You want the big raise? Yearning for a big corner office? Clamoring to get the big promotion? Get in line, you're not the only one. So how do you make sure you stand out among your peers?

There are several obvious answers - work hard, get things done on time, communicate well with others, sabotage your co-worker's car so he shows up late every morning. All of these will contribute to your success but there are one very key trait every manager is looking for.

The best way for you to stand out at work is to communicate honestly and always deliver on your promises. Imagine your boss comes storming into your cube with a frantic look on her face and a disheveled pile of papers. She looks to you desperately and says, "Renewing the Johnson account depends on us getting this done ASAP. How long will it take you?" In the heat of the moment it is easy to make an over eager promise you think your boss wants to here. But it is times like these that it is vitally important to answer honestly even if it means saying, "not for another four months." This honesty is important for several reasons. Most obviously, if a job is a rush order and you put a deadline on it your boss is going to expect the work done by that deadline. She may even pass that deadline on to the client. If for some reason you are unable to deliver the goods by the designated time, both your boss and the client are going to be upset. That doesn't look good for you. Also, your boss is not necessarily looking for you to be superman and get a project done in record time. She may just need to know what your availability is. Maybe you can get it done in two months if she helps reallocate some of your other assignments. But most importantly, if you constantly deliver on the deadlines you set your reputation will be made on your reliability.

Communicating honestly shows you have the company's best interests in mind. Let your co-workers make promises they can't keep. Every time your boss has to hassle them about a missed deadline is a time when your stock is going up. Before you know it you'll be standing head and shoulders above everyone.

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