Thanks to a great discussion with a wiser friend the other day, I have finally learnt what the first qualification level test at work is – Diligence.
Diligence is defined as careful and persistent work or effort i.e. it comes down to attention to detail and persistence.
In my case, I typically do okay on persistence and have my struggles with attention to detail. And I tend to remember what a wiser colleague said to me once –
‘It’s great to have initiative and social skills. But, what matters most to me is someone who never drops a ball (i.e. diligence). The rest is great, but supplementary.’
The bottom line – you simply need to pass the diligence test before you graduate to level 2. And one of the quotes that repeatedly comes to mind is
‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.’
Aristotle was a really wise man.
A Learning a Day 