04.08.09 The 5th Key for Adding Value as an Employee

5. Build your Capability

By the time I was hired and as I already mentioned, I hardly knew anything about aviation. That was how I took the initiative to learn as much as I could about that industry, to avoid making decisions that would attract losses for the airline. I was so determined that I acquired a Diploma in Airline Management from IATA in Geneva and Singapore.

Naaman’s slave girl must have had a lot to learn given the differences between the Jewish and Syrian culture. For example, writers report how Jews were prohibited to mix meat with dairy while Syrians could use butter in meat dishes. Despite those differences, the girl must have built her capability so highly that she won her bosses’ trust to the extent of taking her advice to seek Prophet Elisha for Naaman’s healing miracle. If she had been a poor performer, the Syrians will not have taken her seriously.

A value-adding employee grows her capability such that she is empowered to continuously deliver beyond the expectations of employers, supervisors and other stakeholders. Timothy, for example, was advised to build his capability so that he could be able to handle the assignments that were being delegated to him. See what 2 Timothy 2:15 says (AMPC): Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

Start by identifying your employer’s priorities then intentionally build your expertise in those domains and in line with your job description, until you become an ‘authority’ in that field. Invest time and other resources to acquire new and in-depth professional knowledge and skills, as well as reading books, attending seminars and watching content to develop and polish your expertise. Aim for continuous improvement in sync with advancements in your field or industry, such that your employer can count on you to consistently deliver ‘value'.

In addition, it is important to master various tools that cut costs and increase production either directly or through support functions. Lastly, make sure that you build up your proficiency in all relevant software so that you stay technologically relevant.