How To Be An Impact Player At Work

Within the workplace there are Contributors and Impact Players – each representing a distinct way of working – the first leads to a job well done while the other carves a path to true leadership and generates immense value.

More specifically, Liz Wiseman, author of the new book, Impact Players, explains that:

While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done.
While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead.
While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line.
While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change.
While others add to the load, Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter.

“Impact Players is written for aspiring leaders, striving professionals who want to be more successful at work, increase their influence, and multiply their impact,” explains Wiseman. “It is also a book for today’s leaders, those managers who want to cultivate more of this mindset on their teams. The book is likewise a handbook for organization development professionals, the developers of internal talent and stewards of an organization’s culture who must develop capability across the enterprise.”

Wiseman’s book focuses primarily on the distinction between the high-impact contributors and typical contributors and provides you data-based insights and practical tools. “The distinction between the Impact Player and the Contributor is not a classification of individuals but of practices,” says Wiseman.

“The book will likely be of greatest value to you as you think of Impact Player and Contributor mindsets as modes of thinking—orientations that we all move into and out of—and periodically ask yourself: Which mindset am I using right now?”

Interestingly, Wiseman explains that having the Impact Player mindset does not lead to workaholism or burnout. “There is a strong work ethic among the high-impact contributors, but it isn’t workaholism, the compulsive need to work incessantly,” says Wiseman.

She also clarifies the difference between an Impact Player and a high performer – people doing high-value, high-impact work as compared to equally smart, capable people who contribute in less valuable, less impactful ways. Impact Players work with greater focus and vision. Impact Players, like top athletes, practice with daily consistency.

Liz Wiseman

Wiseman also covers the topic of credibility in her book. She shares that you build credibility by:

Being curious and asking good questions.
Asking for feedback.
Admitting mistakes and fixing them fast.
Being willing to change and taking smart risks.
Helping teammates.
Bringing good energy, having fun, and making others laugh.
Cooperating with leaders.
Getting to the point and telling it straight.
Doing your homework and coming prepared.

Finally, Wiseman says the book’s practices are learnable and coachable. And, available to all.

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.

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