Want to be more critical to your business in one easy step? Here it is:

Step 1: Create recommendations instead of reporting problems.

It's that simple.

You can stand so far away from the crowd by simply not bothering your boss and co-workers with long descriptions of what you perceive to be broken, failing, aggravating, or insufferable in your workplace.

Instead, create some well thought out, innovative options to address the issue at hand. Deliver your recommendation, sans the soap opera, to your boss.

It's a little harder than it sounds, but it's well worth the effort to become the person your boss will turn to for creative answers in challenging times. - Mike Brown