1. Make a written list of your strengths and weaknesses.

You need to know what you do well and what you don't. This way, when a position
within the company becomes available, you know whether you are truly qualified for
that job and capable of succeeding at it. These are the things that will help you
achieve your goals or keep you from them.

2. Ask yourself this question, “Can I see myself doing this job in 20 years?”

I remember watching a news story about a company where several people had been laid
off. When the news reporter asked one man what he was going to do, he replied, “I
don't know. I've worked here for 20 years, and this is all I know!”

That was the one of the saddest things I've ever heard. If you calculate the time
off this person had during the 20 years he worked for the company, it equates to
more than 55,000 hours — which is more than six years of straight free time, not
including sleep. My mother told me when I was very young, “You earn a living from
nine to five, but you earn a fortune from five to nine.” That person who lost his
job could have done and learned whatever he wanted.

If you can't see yourself doing your current job 20 years from now, that's OK. The
question to ask yourself is, “What am I currently doing with my free time?” You're
probably spending some time with your kids, your significant other, driving to and
from work everyday and watching that game on the weekend, but what are you doing to
get closer to your goals? I'll bet you can carve out some time on the weekends or
evenings to acquire the knowledge, know-how and resources needed to help achieve
your goals.

3. Don't associate with negative individuals — at work or at home!

This is hard to do because most of us have been conditioned to be negative. “Don't

work too hard. Take it easy. I am doing OK.” Those are all canned responses. When
you ask a person how they are doing, why don't they reply, “Fantastic!”? Because
they have been conditioned to think they are just OK. Television, magazines and the
media in general tells us: You need a better job, a better car, a better spouse,
and to earn more money. But what we need is to rid ourselves of this nonsense and
the people who bring us down. They are pushing you further from your goals.

4. Think, think and think again.

Many folks look for answers from others instead of trying to solve problems
themselves. When there is a problem, they ask friends, relatives and co-workers
what they should do instead of thinking about the problem and coming up with a
solution. Although seeking counsel is often a wise step in the decision-making
process, people need to think through problems on their own, too.

Ask your supervisor where he or she sees you in five years. That is a question
normally asked of prospective job candidates, but it will tell you what your boss
thinks of you and your abilities. If he or she does not see you moving up, what
does that mean to you?

Is your current position going to get you closer to achieving your goals? Or is it
time to move on? Don't take your boss's response personally. You cannot ask such
poignant questions and then be upset with the answers. You are merely on a fact-
finding mission. Now that you have the facts, you have to think them through and
make some decisions.

You are doing the company and yourself a disservice if you are unhappy and stay
only because of the paycheck. Regardless of what your decision may be regarding
whether to stay with the organization or move on, you must do the following things
to be a good employee wherever you're employed.

5. Work while you are at work.

This is a strange concept for some people, but you are at a job — not a social
club. There is nothing wrong with chit-chat — unless it interferes with the job you
are being paid to do. It puts more pressure on the 20 percent of the individuals
processing 80 percent of the work.

“CNN Money” did a survey and found most workers waste an average of 2.9 hours per
day. That means if you are average, including lunch and breaks, you only work for
4.5 hours a day. Remember that when your company has its next layoff. Because that
means half of you are not needed anyway.

6. Determine what average is and beat it by 10 percent.

If you are a picker and the average picker picks 100 orders a day, then pick 110
orders. This separates you from the pack and shows that you can do more. If you
want to get paid more, you must first prove that you are worth more. If every two
weeks your productivity improves 10 percent, imagine what will happen at raise
time.

7. If you are a complainer, shut up!

No one wants to be miserable at work. If you feel you have been slighted by the
organization, that is your problem. Either do something about it, talk to your
supervisor, or leave.

No one wants to know about what happened or did not happen to you. They have their
own problems to deal with. Stop complaining and do your job. If you must complain
to someone, make it your supervisor.

8. Keep your work area clean.

There's no excuse for a dirty warehouse. If you are a picker or a put-away person,
the aisles should be spotless. There shouldn't be shrink-wrap in the aisles; there
shouldn't be empty boxes on the floor; and there shouldn't be pop cans or other
trash on the shelves.

If you are a packer, it's difficult to be spotless, but at least be clean. A

disorganized packing area screams, “Shipping errors occur here!”

If you are a supervisor, clean your desk. There is no excuse for unread magazines,
freight bills, paperwork, pick tickets, etc., to be all over your desk. Every time
there is a shipping error and your boss comes to talk to you about it, is that what
you want him or her to see? Is that the image (confusion) you want them to take
back to their office about you and the warehouse? Of course not! Your environment
is a reflection of you.

9. Do something that is not your responsibility everyday.

Most people are quick to say, “That's not my responsibility.” Even if they don't
vocalize it, many still think it.

Many warehouse employees will walk by a piece of trash on the floor several times a
day without picking it up — mainly because it's not their job. You will get noticed
for taking responsibility for things both big and little.
10. Stop being concerned with your pay.

This may be easier said than done, but you negotiated your salary; now you're stuck
with it. If you did not negotiate it, you did agree to it. If you want more, you
must contribute more.

Think of an apothecary scale. In theory, the more you put on the contributions
side, the more the compensation side will rise — if not from your current employer,
then from another. But you have to stop being concerned with what others are making
in order for this to take effect. If you are concerned with the person who makes
more than you, then you will do less and always make less.

11. Always take the job (promotion) that pays more money.

The more money you make, the more visual you become, and your next raise will be
based on your current salary. If the company gives you a 4 percent increase and you
make $12 per hour, that is much better than a 4 percent increase if you were making
$8 per hour.

A picker making $15 dollars an hour is much harder to swallow than an inventory
control person making $15 an hour.
Managing Today's Work Force: One Size Does Not Fit All!

12. Go to lunch with your boss once a month.

This is not “apple polishing” — it's to find out how you are doing. Most mid-level
managers do not make time to adequately evaluate their employees. Therefore, when
review and raise time comes around, employees are often surprised that their
increase was so low. You need to know on a monthly basis how well you are doing.
You need to know what areas need improvement. This way, when raise time comes
around, there shouldn't be surprises.

13. Ask your supervisor every quarter for a list of his or her initiatives.

You need to know what is important to your supervisor. Those are the things you
need to work on to help your supervisor out. Your boss has too many things to
handle and would appreciate all the help he or she can get.

If you know what is on his or her plate, then you know what areas you need to
volunteer in. Think about it this way: if the company plans to implement a new
warehouse management system (WMS) at the end of the year, would it be best to
volunteer to stay after and clean or to recommend to the supervisor that you stay
after and measure locations? The only way to distinguish between the two is to know
current and upcoming initiatives.

14. Read. Then read some more.

Would you go to a doctor who has not read a medical book since graduating from
medical school? Think of the value you provide by being educated about your
industry, your job and the position you aspire to have.

It's as simple as reading an industry magazine article twice a week. WMSs, RFID,
and voice-directed picking are all coming to warehouses. The more you know about
them before they get to you, the more valuable you are once they arrive.

Many warehouse personnel and supervisors are left out of meetings because
management feels they cannot add any value to the meeting.

15. Research the job progression within the warehouse.

If you are a picker, what is the next position above that? Document what position
you want next. If the next position from picking is receiving, then when a position
for inventory control becomes available, and you are a picker, you will know why
you may not be considered. Find out what it takes to move to the next position and
begin working on it.

16. Learn the names of the company's top 25 customers.

You have to know who patronizes your organization. But you really have to know who
spends the most with your organization. I know every small customer has the
potential to become a big customer, but as the legendary University of Alabama
football coach, Bear Bryant, said, “Potential means you ain't done it yet!”

17. Finish what you start.

When assigned a task, complete it. Then tell your supervisor, who assigned it to
you, that it was completed and that they can scratch it off of their list. After
they scratch it off, ask, “What's next?”

18. Keep a note pad and take notes.

A lot of warehouse supervisors do not keep accurate notes. They think they can
remember everything. Therefore, make it your responsibility to take notes of the
tasks you are assigned. This shows your supervisor you are a conscientious
employee.