There Are 2 Types Of People In This World, People That Do Shit & People That Want To Take Credit For It!

Do-ers rule!

With an attention grabber title like that you probably guessed, the idea for this post was conjured up over a few cold beers on a roof top bar in Singapore on a balmy evening.

The title might be cheeky but I see this over and over again.

I am an unabashed fan of the way Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime Minister of Singapore, transformed a tiny swamp island with no natural resources plus a huge malaria problem to become one of the world’s economic players and one of the top 10 cities in the world in every measure today. The story of Singapore has been described in intellectual circles that I respect as one the best the world has ever seen, even more spectacular than Athens and Rome, in their day. Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he is a DO-er and he got shit done! I take my hat off to you, sir.

One of the best things about the system that Mr Lee created in Singapore is that your success is based on meritocracy and intellectual capability. Not based on racial background (Singapore is as close to a true multi cultural and multi religious society I have seen in my many travels), not overt nepotism, not blatant corruption that you see right across Asia. Sure, its not perfect, there are some isolated cases of frustrations and there are trade offs (censorship, freedom of free speech) but looking at the bigger picture, no one, even Singapore’s harshest critics can deny, it has proven to be a very successful model.

With meritocracy, competition is intense from the time you enter the primary/elementary schooling system, right up to when you retire at 63. Its been drilled in from a very young age that a high work ethic, hard work will get you to the top (or at least to a respectable level in society).

And so it is in the corporate world, I see “do-ers” with their heads down, working their buns off and delivering solid, spectacular results but something is missing…..Some of these “do-ers” are terrible at promoting themselves and their achievements.

My message this week is for “do-ers” to take the time to count your wins, to know what your value is, your USPs (unique selling points), your elevator pitch and your track record of delivering success. Once you have taken stock, be ready to articulate it, be the champion in self-promotion thru the many platforms that is available, build your own self confidence. This will come in handy when you have your performance review with your boss, when you negotiate your next pay raise, when you have to deal with the inevitable nasty game of office politics. Stand up! Turn up the volume! Play it loud! Be proud of achievements!

If you don’t, there will be a long line of people ready to take credit for your hard work and contribution as their own. I can guarantee it.

So, are you a “do-er”? or are you one that takes credit for some else’s shit? Be in the first group, its less crowded 🙂

I will have to stop coming up with blog post titles while consuming cold alcohol 🙂 with my mate, Gibbo.

Picture from Google Images.