TIPS FOR ACHIEVING HIGH PERFORMANCE

1.	Make an impression	Lasting judgment can be made within the first few seconds of meetings.
2.	Think big	Reach for the sky.  It is important to dream before you do a reality check.
3.	Review your skills	Your work environment is a flux and you should constantly be learning and adapting, to cope with the new circumstances it presents you with.
4.	Follow your customers’ lead	Match your personal style to that of your customers.
5.	Be disciplined	Try to deal with paperwork only once.
6.	Make yourself heard	Have the first word you want to say in your mind Wait for a pause Then say those words clearly
7.	Be clear	Make sure all statements made by the other party is clarified. Ambiguity is the enemy of good negotiation
8.	Act early	Tackle difficult behavior as soon as it becomes evident.  The longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to cope with and it may affect other team members.
9.	Learn from the great	Listen to speeches of great orators.  Concentrate on their delivery
10.	Stimulate creativity	Change your scene, have a coffee and relax, or interact with others.
11.	Use pressure	A tight deadline can increase creativity.  You are able to come up with more alternatives and better solutions.  However, in complex problem, ‘sleeping on it’ can help find the solution.
12.	Go with the flow	If the culture is to make decisions by consensus, do that.  Regardless of whether the decision is correct or not.
13.	Strike a balance	Fight the urge to work long hours to try to impress your bosses.  People prefer a well-rounded individual to a workaholic.
14.	Think it through	Think about the impact of your decision to say no.
15.	Giving the right signs	Give signs of encouragement (nods, smiles, and winces in the right places) to the person you are listening to.
16.	Target your networking	Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities.
17.	Be selective	Be methodical, and attend only the events where you need to be seen or likely to meet the people you want to meet.
18.	Think before you speak	Be cautious about being completely open about every aspect of your ambitions or personal life.

Short notes from:

THE BOOK OF MANAGEMENT

The Ten Essential Skills For Achieving High Performance

Darling Kindersley Limited (DKL), Penguin Group (UK)