What makes a champion?

Boxing hero Katie Taylor’s recent success prompted us to think about what makes a champion and how these traits can contribute to a successful career in any sector.

Everyone at Eolas Recruitment was thrilled when Katie Taylor became the undisputed lightweight champion of the world in June. Katie’s comments, reported in the Irish Times by Michael Dorgan, really struck a chord with our recruiters because they touch on some of the key attributes we look for when we are seeking candidates for tech roles.

We’ve compiled a list of 10 ‘champion’ traits that we believe are worth cultivating when setting your personal development goals:

• Champions know the importance of having a clear goal. They set achievable milestones and continuously monitor progress. If they encounter difficulties along the way, they recognise that this is part of the journey.
• Champions understand how to motivate themselves—not just when they are feeling positive or optimistic—but also when things go wrong. Everyone loses motivation from time to time. What marks out champions is that they recognise that this is normal and don’t allow it to distract them from achieving their goal.
• Champions recognise the importance of self-belief. Poor self-confidence undermines your ability to achieve your goals and leaders who lack confidence can adversely affect their team’s performance.
• Champions take responsibility for their own performance. They admit their mistakes and don’t blame others when things go wrong.
• It is often said that integrity means doing the right thing even when no-one is looking. Integrity is linked to ‘character’. In the workplace, integrity helps build trust. People tend to respect leaders who are known for their integrity.
• Hard work. Champions work hard to achieve success and stay on top of their game.
• Just as you can’t succeed without hard work, you won’t succeed if you quit when the going gets tough. Persistence involves keeping up the hard work not just on the good days, but every day.
• Willingness to learn is more important today than ever due to the rapid pace of change in our digital economy. As Tae Yoo, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, Cisco, put it recently, ‘“The concept of skilling, reskilling and lifelong learning is not new. What is new is that the pace of disruption is faster than ever; educational and career pathways are less defined; and the need for perpetual learning is the new normal.”
• In the workplace, as in life, humility can be an advantage. Suppressing your ego frees you to focus on the big picture and helps you to bring out the best in others.
• Most successful people—including some of best-known names in the tech industry—have experienced set-backs. What sets winners apart is their ability to learn from their mistakes and take those lessons forward as they continue to develop and grow.

When it comes to your career in IT, having a good relationship with a specialist IT recruiter is also very important. This is because the specialist will understand how to progress your career and know where to find relevant opportunities to help you achieve your goals. As a leading specialist in IT recruitment, Eolas Recruitment has an excellent network of contacts. To find out more about our services and how we can help, please get in touch.