A guide from Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management, Hyderabad

It is one thing to complete a PGDM education with fair CGPA and another thing to cope up with the never-ending demands of the corporate world. You need to be good at almost everything- communication, human dynamics, domain knowledge, leadership skills, so on and so fort. But there are few things you cannot simply do without- if you got the boardroom in mind:

The Power of Relationships
It is people that make or break companies. People hire and fire people. Companies don’t perform these actions. There is nothing called a company unless it is about the people we are talking about. It is important to work hard and be a competent and irreplaceable employee but you also need to be constantly likeable and try to fit in with the corporate culture. Maintaining a good relationship with the people who you work with, will increase your chances to get chosen for leadership roles or be part of groups within the workplace.

Over Deliver
In an organization, doing a tiny bit more than what is expected out of you will help you go a long way in the overall perception of your performance and would further increase your value. Even if he is not your direct manager, being proactive can help you make your way back to your superiors and create an impression that will last for a long time. Over-delivering or going that extra mile would help you establish yourself a thought leader and a responsible person that other people could look up to.

Expand Your Responsibilities
Expanding the second point further, it’s important to gradually expand your responsibilities as soon as the opportunity presents itself. There could be a new project coming up in the organization or someone might be leaving the organization and their role needs to be split up for the time being. Such opportunities are a great way to demonstrate your potential and establish yourself as a great leader. Volunteering to take on some of the additional work will position you as a team player, and will also make you a valuable and indispensable asset of the company.

Establish your Expertise
Establish your expertise to be an irreplaceable asset of the company. This also helps you build your brand across the company. Becoming an expert at something would help you become an important part of the organization and will further make you an invaluable resource. In order to establish your expertise, participate in industry events, write articles for third-party publications, volunteer to carry out training programs and extend help to anyone who asks for it. A selfless help never goes unrewarded, especially in the workplace. It will help you become an expert leader and would create your brand in the company.