Med One to One Spring/Summer 2023 ISSUE 75

Are you a KEY CONTRIBUTOR to your COMPANY’S SUCCESS?

Written By: Ibby Smith Stofer

If you were interviewing for a new position regardless of the future job title, or if your boss asked you to answer a question like this, how would you respond?

To begin to understand the significance of the question we should dissect the question a bit.

Key Contributor can be defined in many ways and for a variety of purposes. Here we are focused on a self-awareness checklist. This is intended to provide insight into how what we do and the ways in which we do it affect not only us but our coworkers, management, and perhaps most importantly, the customer.

We all want to think of ourselves and what we do as important, yet putting words to it is rarely done. Literature on what being a key contributor often includes words or phrases that describe how others view our actions and reactions. There are many articles and differing lists, but all contain some of those above. Read through the list and answer the question are you a key contributor to your company’s success? Do you possess some of those traits and qualities?

It does not matter whether you are the top sales rep, collect the most, have the most on time deliveries or customer comments. What matters is how you relate, what you do, and the ways in which you do it.

Try to see yourself through the eyes of others. Key contributors are not flawless. They are a source of strength and the path to success for companies. At a recent annual meeting at Med One Group the theme was centered on all employees being ALL IN. Many speakers spoke of how their colleagues demonstrated the characteristics of key contributor and were therefore ALL IN.

Ask yourself if you routinely display behaviors and skills that demonstrate that you are a key contributor. Write down examples of what you did and how you did it. Create a score card if you will and assign points on a 1-5 scale of how well you see yourself demonstrating that strength. Ask others to do the same for you. From that you can discover areas that are strengths and others where you can do more.

Why do this you may be asking? Simply to be the best at what you do and to do it in ways that have positive impact on you, your coworkers, your company, and customers. Self-assessments can be tough, and we rarely embrace the idea but if we take the time to evaluate and develop plans for improvement we are often rewarded with greater personal and career satisfaction. Being ALL IN with your family, your job and even yourself may surprise you in ways you had never considered. Put away your phone, close your laptop and spend time demonstrating that you are a key contributor to all things important in your life.

Words or phrases that describe how others view our actions and reactions

  • Personal & Professional Demeanor
  • Entrepreneurial Spirit
  • A Drive to Excel
  • Process Oriented
  • Multitasker
  • Stategic Thinker
  • Detailed Oriented
  • Strong Intuition
  • People Orienter
  • Leadership
  • Problem-Solver
  • Has Integrity & Acts With Honesty
  • Self-Confident & Self-Motivated Work Style
  • Open-Minded & Always Willing to Learn
  • Enthusiastic & High Energy
  • Team Player
  • Trustworthy