What Hollywood can teach us about being a good employee

What does being a Hollywood actor have in common with working in a corporate setting? More than you’d think — at least if you listened to Tom Hanks at the Golden Globe Awards recently.

The well-known actor was accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award for a lifetime of outstanding work. This wouldn’t normally be a setting in which you’d expect to receive career advice, but Mr. Hanks delivered three important tips that resonate as much in boardrooms as they do on movie sets:

• Show up on time
• Know the text
• Have a head full of ideas

All three of them struck me and so did the article below — I couldn’t agree more with the advice. First, showing up on time (for meetings, for your shift, etc.) is the ultimate way to convey respect to your colleagues. If you’re constantly late for work appointments, think about the message that sends to your peers: “I don’t value you or your time enough to show up promptly.” And being “on time” doesn’t necessarily mean getting to the office right when a meeting starts — often, it means arriving early so you can “settle in” and get your mind ready for the task at hand.

Next, Hanks references “knowing the text.” For him, that means studying his script, but in the work environment, we can simply take this as advice to always come prepared. If you get a meeting invite and there is a memo attached, be sure to read it beforehand. Dedicate time in your day to prepare for whatever is next on your calendar. Know your text.

Lastly, the actor talks about showing up with a “head full of ideas.” Many of us might not get to be as creative as actors and actresses, but that doesn’t mean we can’t regularly bring value to our workplaces. If you have an idea about a simple process improvement, for example, don’t be afraid to share it. This is a two-way street, of course — managers and executives need to be supportive of new ideas and foster innovative thinking. If Tom Hanks showed up on set with a great idea for his character, any good director would welcome the input.

Following these three steps might not earn you a Golden Globe Award, but it is a great way to build professionalism and truly excel in the workplace. And when you’re successful in your career as a result, you can take a bow if you’d really like.