It’s expected that you know the basics, so find one feature in your daily tools that you haven’t mastered yet. Whether it’s a spreadsheet shortcut or a filter in your project manager, learn “power moves” to save yourself time and prevent getting bogged down in manual, repetitive work. The more you let technology handle the busy work, the more brain space you have to focus on creative ideas.
A tech-forward mindset builds your reputation as a problem-solver. As you move up, your success may depend on you leading your team through digital changes and finding new ways to stay efficient.
In addition, look for ways to use tools to help your team stay organized. If you notice that information is getting lost in long email threads or that no one knows who’s doing what, suggest a better way to use your team’s shared platforms. For example, you might offer to set up a central folder or a shared project board. When you use your tech skills to solve team problems, you stop being just another user and start being a digital lead who makes the department run smoother.
Put these approaches into practice.
Let’s look at practical ways to identify "power moves"—shortcuts, automations, and organizational features—that free up cognitive space for higher-level creative thinking.
“I spent months manually copying data from one sheet to another. I finally took 20 minutes to learn the VLOOKUP function. What used to take me two hours now takes two minutes. I used that extra time to draft a project proposal that eventually got funded.”
DON’T rely on manual, repetitive workarounds for tasks that can be handled more efficiently by the software you use daily.
DO identify one feature or shortcut in your daily tools (Excel, Slack, Asana, etc.) that you haven't mastered yet.
“I was so overwhelmed by manual email sorting that I never had time to contribute to strategy meetings. I set up automated filters and labels to prioritize my inbox. With my head finally above water, I noticed a recurring client complaint that led to a new service offering for our team to oversee.”
DON’T allow busy work to consume your entire workday, leaving no room for the creative ideas that lead to promotions.
DO let technology handle the low-level tasks so you can redirect your brain space toward problem-solving and strategic thinking.
“Our team was constantly confused about project deadlines because they were buried in Outlook. I offered to set up a shared Trello board to track our milestones visually. My manager was so impressed by the clarity it provided that she made me the Digital Lead for our upcoming department expansion.”
DON’T stay silent when you notice information getting lost in long email threads or messy shared folders.
DO suggest and implement a better way to use shared platforms, such as creating a central project board or a structured file system.
“When our company switched to a new CRM, most of my peers complained. I spent an evening watching tutorials and became the go-to person for questions. Because I helped the senior leads navigate the change, I was invited into high-level planning meetings I otherwise wouldn't have been in.”
DON’T fear new software or digital changes; avoid becoming the person who clings to "the way we've always done it."
DO build a reputation as a problem-solver by leaning into digital transitions and helping your team navigate new tools.
“I noticed our team wasted 15 minutes every morning just trying to find the latest version of our pitch deck. I created a Master Resource channel in Slack with pinned, updated files. It was a small tech move, but it made me the most valued person on the team because I made everyone’s day run smoother.”
DON’T use your company’s tech platforms just for the bare minimum requirements of your job description.
DO use your tech skills to solve team-wide problems, moving from being "just another user" to a professional who optimizes the department's workflow.
What’s one power user tip you’ve learned recently that you could share with a teammate today?
Integrate these professional strategies into your workflow—whether you’re refining your own work or mentoring your team or clients.