At any work place, people who can see the big picture make the best general and senior managers. They are able to see the connections and to coordinate and consider overall policies and strategies. They do not become overwhelmed but they become multitask and attentive to detail.

There are five places that you need to look in order to collect information on your company and understanding the bigger picture at work.

Website

Any company has a mission statement and core values. They are usually found on their websites. It is worth reading about the history as this gives an indication of what the organization stands for.

Intranet

Intranets can be great source of business information. They are particularly helpful if you want to know about the characteristics a company values in their staff and information on company goals.

Other departments

Having a big picture and broad understanding of other departments will help better the working relationships as you will appreciate your colleagues’ priorities and pressures. When you can fully appreciate how others are relying on your input, you will feel part of the team and more motivated to do the best job possible.

Company figures

Those who are working outside of the finance division are of course, not expected to be fully versed with financial papers, processes. However, knowing about financial figures and targets that have been met through the years, percentage growth, profit levels, projections and future target, is important as this will give a broad understanding on what might happen next in the business.

Industry publications

Getting a good feel for where your current or future employer sits, will help you contribute. For example, you can learn from competitor solutions to issues your company might be facing. How? It is simple, you read industry magazines and websites and subscribe to newsletters that cover your sector. Setting up Google alerts will get your relevant breaking news that will be sent straight to your inbox.