This article originally appeared at Forbes.com.
The word “celebrity” can create instant visions of tabloid magazines and self-indulgent movie stars. In 1961, social theorist Daniel J. Boorstin, in his analysis of the media dominated world "The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-events in America," defined a celebrity as “a person who is known for his well-knownness.” Think about that. It’s a definition that can surely leave an empty pit in your stomach.
A little research revealed to us the difference between the concepts of celebrity and fame. Fame has a totally different definition. People become famous for doing something, not just by being known. Could gaining celebrity status, or fame, at work help you in your career?
Consider Chesley Sullenberger, otherwise known as Capt. Sully. He’s the pilot famous for landing a plane in the Hudson River. That’s an admirable act. Yes, he saved lives. Yes, he was a hero. But think about this: Sully became famous because he did his job well. He did exactly what he should have done in a dire situation.
With a lot of attention in the business world focused on self-promotion and personal branding, we wondered if the line between celebrity and fame is becoming muddy. How many people — especially with social media — are losing sight of the big picture? Being recognized should be for a reason. It should be for things you do.
Being a celebrity at work is bad. Being famous is great.
Not too long ago, we received an email from one of our followers telling us about a Taco Bell employee in Duluth, Minnesota, who had achieved what they called “local celebrity status.” Apparently this employee had so many fans that he started his own Facebook fan page. But, the person who emailed us was incorrect in his or her definition. This young man was not a celebrity. He had done something extremely valuable to become famous.
Customers of the Duluth Taco Bell loved the way this young man served them. He remembered customers’ names, even if he had only served them a handful of times. He returned their change in creative ways, like by stating how many pennies they were receiving rather than dollars and cents. And he went out of his way to brighten everyone’s day. After 12 years of working at the same store, the guy who was originally named Peter Weeks (by his parents) became famous to thousands of patrons as, “The Taco Bell Guy.” Numerous publications, including local newspapers, wrote about Peter. And, guess what? So did we.
While celebrity status is cold and empty, fame, on the other hand (getting recognized for doing great work), has extreme value. And it’s not just for the reasons you might be thinking, like PR opportunities for the company or gaining a reputation for great service and products.
Consider the impact when a teacher, coach, customer or boss recognized you for your great work. Maybe you became famous in the office for being the zero-defect guy, or the innovative gal or the team cheerleader. Most likely, whatever you were recognized for was repeated. You took that behavior that earned you the recognition and you amplified it. You took it to the next level. You became known for your unique talent, tenacity or perspective, and you wanted to be recognized again by even more people and at higher levels. You wanted to become famous for your work.
Don’t get humble on us. We all want to be known for the things we do. In fact, research shows people in the workplace want to be recognized more than anything else. A study of 1,000 employees published by the O.C. Tanner Institute asked the open-ended question: “What would cause you to do more great work?” Surprisingly, only 7 percent of participants responded by saying, “Pay me more.” A whopping 37 percent — three times more than any other response — said, “Recognize me.”
Gaining fame for what we do at work is a common human desire. How can you become famous for your work without adding a celebrity persona? Here are three simple tips to help you get started:
- Focus on the work, not yourself. Great achievements get recognized. According to data from 1.7 million files of award-winning work, great work is more likely to be achieved when people focus on making a difference in someone else's life and by practicing five simple skills. As much as we’d all like to think we’re recognized at work because of who we are, but the truth is we’re recognized more because of what we do.
- Know the recipient of your work. Most of us have a boss who we need to keep happy. But is your boss the only recipient of your work? Dennis, a warehouse worker, told us his boss was simply concerned with meeting deadlines and getting shipments filled. But Dennis had the insight to think about the person receiving his shipments. Was it organized? Was it easy? Eventually, Dennis was recognized by his boss simply because the customers who received his shipments couldn’t help but request that Dennis pack their parcels. He became known as the example to follow and was ultimately promoted to training others.
- Don’t be a one-hit wonder. Fame fades if we allow it. If you want to be known for something specific, do it over and over and over again. Sure, not every attempt will find the same level of success, but if you keep looking at the evolving needs of the people who receive your work, you’ll eventually figure out how to create your second, third, fourth and fifth win.
Getting recognized for great work makes many of us blush. But be honest. Think of your best moments at work. They were the times you were recognized for doing something great.
David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom work with the O.C. Tanner Institute. Learn more about The New York Times best-seller "Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love" (McGraw-Hill) at www.greatwork.com.