Sage, the business software and services provider, today released its State of the Nation survey results, which showed that almost half (47%) of surveyed respondents do not consider salary, job title or status as indicators of their success in the workplace.
The survey was carried out as part of Sage’s national Business Brains campaign, which aims to identify, explore and celebrate the qualities that make people in business more likely to succeed.
The survey reveals that the quality most people want to improve to make them more successful in business is their mental agility.
According to the results, almost one fifth (18%) of respondents stated that improving their mental agility would make them more successful. Only 14 per cent stated that this is currently their strongest quality.
Conducted by You Gov, the research indicated that 2008 was the year of ‘Static Britain’, with 64% people not taking up a new hobby in the last year.
In contrast, 2009 promises to be the year of achievement, with more than three quarters (77%) of Brits identifying qualities they want to proactively improve to make them more successful in business.
What we’re trying to achieve by launching the Business Brains campaign is to identify what people judge as success in business and provide them with the support to build the skills they need to reach their own personal success,” explained Paul Stobart, Managing Director, Sage UK and Ireland.
“In addition to the findings from our nationwide survey, the people we’ve met through our partnership with the Krypton Factor on ITV1 and the thousands of people who’ve joined our trainyourbusinessbrain website, we’ve unveiled some surprising insights and had a glimpse of the actual attributes and mechanisms that enable success in business.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
“Effective and inspirational leadership, foresight, confidence and having the awareness, acumen and capability to identify opportunities and respond quickly to take advantage of them are the sorts of traits that separate the great from the good in business.”
The research also showed that Sir Richard Branson was perceived as the UK’s most successful business person with 57% of the votes followed by Sir Alan Sugar (10%).
