10 Qualities of Exceptional Employees

What makes an employee exceptional? Is it their intelligence, their soft skills, personality, or a mix of all three? While each company will look for certain characteristics in employees, here are some of the things we’ve found in exceptional employees.

1. They Do Whatever it Takes to Get the Job Done

Whether it’s staying late, coming in early, or going above and beyond their job description, exceptional employees work hard to get a project done and done right. You won’t hear the words “that’s not my job” come out of these employee’s mouths.

2. They Deal with Conflict Properly

Nobody likes conflict. But when it arises, exceptional employees know how to deal with it. They don’t ignore the problem and let it fester. Instead they deal with it head on to get it resolved.

3. They Can Focus on the Task at Hand

With so many things on the go, it’s easy to get distracted throughout the day with things that pop up. But despite those distractions, exceptional employees focus on what’s important and needs to get done.

4. They Know When to Speak Up

Sometimes speaking up is difficult to do. Whether it’s talking about the elephant in the room or challenging a decision, exceptional employees will do so but only when it’s the best time and place.

5. They Check Their Egos at the Door

From time to time, we all have our egotistical moments. But exceptional employees are the first to swallow their pride and admit their wrongdoings. They are also willing to back down in order to maintain team harmony.

6. They’re Never Satisfied

Exceptional employees don’t settle for the status quo. They’re always looking for ways to be more efficient and improve themselves.

7. Are Solution Oriented

Exceptional employees don’t let problems linger or say “that’s the way it’s always been” when something isn’t right. Instead, these employees look for new solutions and ways to improve processes. They also put numbers around each problem so they can quantify the issue.

8. They’re Accountable

You can count on these employees to get the job done. But when a mistake does happen, they will admit their fault and do what they can to fix the situation.

9. They’re Brand Ambassadors

These people embody your brand values and are leaders (even if they don’t hold leadership positions). Exceptional employees truly represent who you are as a company and are brand ambassadors even when they’re not on the clock.

10. They Don’t Let Toxic People Affect Them

It is inevitable that you will come across people who rub you the wrong way and are hard to deal with. But instead of letting those toxic people get them down, exceptional employees keep their emotions in check and keep negativity at bay.

Your Turn

What do you consider an effective employee? What traits do you look for? Let us know in the comments below and if you found this interesting, please share it on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.