Overdeliver - The easiest way to stand out

Overdelivering in the right moments makes you stand out. Don't mix this with "go the extra mile."

Most people overdeliver in the wrong way:
They do more work — not more value.

The key is: Overdeliver when it matters.

What I often see are people who want to impress management in a meeting with a good question or thought. They want it so badly.

We need to be Einstein to impress people with a question. Questions must be earthshaking to be remembered. Otherwise, good questions have a lifetime of the meeting span.

Overdelivering at the right moments are results and point to impact. It's a shortcut. People love it, but it is rarely done.

I will share 6 micro-moments where you can stand out without waiting for permission.

1. Meetings: Prep and Follow-Up Like a Pro

With MS Teams, Webex, and Zoom meetings have become very cheap. You can meeting instantly, from everywhere, anytime. No effort to schedule a meeting.

Before digital times, you needed to find a time slot by calling a dozen people. Then you needed to provide an Agenda, and Discussion points, Decisions to be taken.

Memos were written to inform and build common ground for the participants.

Today, 99% of meetings don't even have an agenda. Skim through your calendar.

Let that sink in 392h and people don't know what is the goal. Don’t just show up. Shape the meeting before and after.

How to Overdeliver about Meetings:

• Skim the topic early. Prepare 2 questions + 1 potential risk.
• After the meeting, send a clear summary with:
  • Key takeaways
  • Action items
  • Open questions
• Bonus: Try to include a visual (e.g., diagram or bullet logic)

People and especially managers love this. You become the person who brings clarity, not chaos. You will be seen as a thought leader.

2. Your Work Results: Push Beyond the Task

We all know what to do. Once we accomplish a task, we have created a result. We are all wired to create results on a daily basis.

Don’t stop when the work is done. Extend it to real impact and ask questions like:

• How does it fit into the bigger picture?
• What is the next step in the result?
• What are the possible side effects?
• What does the result imply?

Go beyond your tasks.

How to Overdeliver:

• Ask the guiding questions from above.
• Show what your result enables.
• Add 1 slide or paragraph:
  → “Here’s how this could improve X metric…”
  → “Here’s how this ties to the bigger goal…”

You shift from executor to strategic thinker — that’s promotable material. That's what companies need, and managers are looking for.

3. When Problems Arise: Offer 3 Solutions + Risks

People love to discuss. People feel great and smart in bringing up concerns, pointing out problems, and explaining why things don't work. Be the problem solver.

How to Overdeliver:

• Present 3 options — with pros, cons, and downstream effects.
• Add one bold suggestion that shows risk awareness:
  → “This is the fastest route, but it’s also the highest risk. Here’s how to mitigate…”

Leaders trust people who think in scenarios, not just tasks.

4. In Discussions: Visualize the Mess

People tend to start talking about content. Everybody has some experience or a story to share. But the structure is missing. Overdeliver by bringing structure.

Structure ideas, the discussion, or the problems. A great way to do that is sketching things. Make a pro/con list or a SWOT analysis. Try to find a correlation like the quality Triangle: Budget, Time, Scope.

How to Overdeliver:

• While others argue, sketch a framework, timeline, or trade-off diagram.
• Drop it in the chat or present it live.
• Frame it with: “Let me summarize what I’m hearing — does this look right?”

You become the signal in the noise — a natural facilitator. Combine this also with the first micro-habit in meetings.

5. On Trends: Research, Summarize, and Share

People are often super busy. They lack the time to inform themselves about the most recent technologies. Or they just don't bother. Again, a topic to overdeliver.

Start with the question: What is interesting for our team or project?

How to Overdeliver:

• Pick a new tech or idea (AI, edge computing, new compliance trend).
• Summarize in 5 bullets: what it is, why it matters, where it applies.
• Share it in Slack/email/team meeting with:
  “This could be interesting — especially for our X team.”

Bonus:
Find people in your organisation who already deal with these topics. Share the contact information and be the ambassador.

You become a connector and you open up opportunities. Strategic thinkers love it.

6. Bonus: Document the Unsaid

We all listen selectively. Even when people write minutes, write your own because you will listen with other ears.

Every perspective is unique. Combine yours with the shared one. Draw new conclusions with a neutral perspective.

How to Overdeliver:

• After tough discussions, write a neutral, actionable summary.
• Include decisions, assumptions, and next steps.
• Send it to everyone to align — even if no one asked.

You become the clarity agent. People rely on you to “keep the brain of the team.” Being known for clarity and reliability will create opportunities like moderating meetings or conducting workshops.

Summary:
Overdelivering makes you stand out without needing an assignment, mandate, or title. It means thinking ahead, connecting the dots, and making others’ lives easier. You go one step further by:

• Preparing and following up
• Framing impact
• Presenting options
• Visualizing discussions
• Curating insights
• Capturing clarity

The 6 micro-habits enable you to start right away. That’s what makes you stand out.

Source:
[1] https://www.flowtrace.co/collaboration-blog/50-meeting-statistics