Most of us, if not all of us, serve on a team/staff of some sort. Whether it’s in our workplace, at church, or in a community organization, we serve alongside others and answer to a leader/direct report. As the member of a team our goal should always be, “How can I excel in the role I am serving?” With that goal in mind, here are a few thoughts on excelling as a team/staff member:

• Do what is expected. We often look to do the extra things, but an excellent staff member does what’s expected first. You’d be surprised how encouraging (and rare) it is for a leader when their staff simply does what is expected.
• Think ahead. Get a feel for how your leader works and try to think ahead. Your leader shouldn’t need to constantly be reminding you and keeping you on task. That doesn’t mean you necessarily work ahead – you want to make sure you’re working on the tasks/projects your overseer desires, while thinking ahead to what might be next.
• Do what you do with excellence. Don’t just accomplish tasks, but do them well. Look for opportunities to accomplish tasks/projects in a way that sets them above.