5 Steps to Standing Out Above the Crowd at Work
Do you feel like one in a million at work - and not in a good way? When you run into your boss in the hallway, do you get the impression she isn't sure who you are? Are the juicy projects always going to someone else?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you need to raise your work profile. Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Listen more than you talk. If you offer an opinion, suggestion, comment or question at every opportunity, soon people will run away when they see you coming. Remember when you were in college and there was always one smart-aleck who, when the class was asked, "Are there any more questions?" would shoot his hand in the air and hold the class up? Don't be that student in the boardroom. If you listen carefully and confine yourself to intelligent and to the-point remarks, you'll end up looking smarter than most of the people in the room. And when you do have something to say, everyone will listen.
2. Meetings aren't for airing dirty laundry. If you have a problem or gripe with someone, bring it to his or her attention privately. When you point fingers or air departmental problems in a group setting, you (a) blindside the person you're complaining about, and (b) have just about ruined your chances for a peaceful resolution. Besides, the next time you make a mistake, that person will fall all over himself to make sure to bring it up in a large meeting just to watch you squirm.
3. Try to catch people doing something right. Whether boss, co-worker or subordinate, people love to be told they're doing a good job. You don't have to turn into Eddie Haskell to be aware of opportunities to compliment someone. Keep it short, low-key and honest. It's even better if you can pass the compliment to someone else. "Hey, boss, Jim was a huge help to us on the Acme project - he made some suggestions that should save us $20,000." What are the chances that the boss is going to mention it to Jim the next time he sees him? Pretty good.
4. Know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. Pick your battles. If you've made the best case you can for doing something a certain way and the boss decides to do it Sally's way, smile and go along (unless doing it Sally's way is going to send you to jail). If your way really is better, people will remember that when Sally folds like a cheap card table. When you do decide to keep fighting to do it your way, make sure it's something worth fighting for and not just because you can't stand to lose. If you only start a war when the stakes are high you have a better chance of coming out on top than if you try to fight every low-level skirmish like Sherman going through Atlanta.
5. Don't hide your mistakes. As soon as it becomes apparent that something has gone wrong, take it to your boss and be upfront about what happened. Have a plan laid out to correct the problem and limit the fallout. You should be able to tell the boss that you've already put the recovery in motion and exactly what the final outcome will be. The key here is to accept the blame without hand wringing or whining and pointing fingers at your subordinates or other departments. You take the responsibility, and then you take the lead in fixing it.
Looking for more career advice?
Joan Schramm is a career, executive and personal coach with twenty years experience in management, training and coaching. Joan can work with you to figure out exactly what you want from your life and your career, and how to get there without a lot of detours.
For more information about Joan, or to talk about what's going on in your career, e-mail coach@achieve-momentum.com, or go to http://www.achieve-momentum.com - Sign up for a free monthly newsletter, "Angular Momentum" and take a free Job Satisfaction Assessment.
MORE RESOURCES:
 Los Angeles Times | April job losses end state's eight months of gains Los Angeles Times Some of those who are discouraged by their job prospects have gone into business for themselves. (Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times / April 11, 2012) By Ricardo Lopez, Los Angeles Times California's labor market stumbled in April as employers in a wide ... Fla. April jobless rate drops to 8.7 percent, state loses jobs but thousands ... South Bay adds 3600 jobs, strongest employment gains for April in entire state Local jobless rate declines |
 Boston.com | Report: Wisconsin lost 5900 jobs in April BusinessWeek By TODD RICHMOND Wisconsin lost nearly 6000 jobs in April according to preliminary monthly data state labor officials released Thursday, putting Republican Gov. Scott Walker on the defensive as he faces a June 5 recall election. Recall Roundup: Jobs back in focus as new report shows losses Walker, Barrett continue sparring over jobs Walker and Barrett keep fighting over jobs number |
 Social Barrel | Steve Jobs TV movie to film at the original Apple garage CNET The garage where the first Apple computers were built will be used in the upcoming TV movie about Jobs. by Josh Lowensohn May 18, 2012 4:48 PM PDT Follow @Josh For those wondering how authentic the upcoming made-for-TV movie about Steve Jobs will be, ... Steve Jobs biopic to begin filming in garage where Apple was born Steve Jobs Movie Begins Filming in the Original Apple Garage 'jOBS' biopic starring Ashton Kutcher will shoot in Apple Garage and childhood ... |
Proposed arena a job killer, say Port of Seattle leaders The Seattle Times Seattle and King County leaders say the Port of Seattle can thrive next to a new NBA and NHL arena, but the Port sees potential damage to its plan to expand and add up to 100000 new jobs to the area. By Emily Heffter The sky is falling! |
Best and worst jobs for your health Fox News A healthy job is about more than just avoiding hazards, like dangerous material and machines. Employees need respect, benefits, wellness incentives, and control over their work, says L. Casey Chosewood, MD, senior medical officer for the Total Worker ... |
 Hollywood Reporter | Sorkin says Jobs movie won't be straight biography Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) - Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin hasn't yet figured out how to put the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs on the silver screen, but he is certain it's not going to be a straightforward biography. Sorkin, who won an Oscar for his ... REFILE-Sorkin says Jobs movie won't be straight biography Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Hired to Help Aaron Sorkin on Steve Jobs Biopic Aaron Sorkin Says Steve Jobs Film Won't Be a Standard Biopic; Apple Co-Founder ... |
 IGNN | Utah's job growth slows, unemployment rate up Salt Lake Tribune Data show that a sluggish labor market still has some vigor as nearly all sectors of Utah's economy added jobs in April. By paul beebe Job growth in Utah slowed in April for the fourth consecutive month and the unemployment rate rose, suggesting the ... Illinois jobless rate drops but job growth slows Illinois Adds 140700 Private Sector Jobs Since Recovery |
 Bloomberg | Who is the real jobs killer -- Obama or Romney? Fox News When it comes to the audacity of trope, it is hard to top President Obama -- a big time jobs killer. One of the president's re-election campaign websites features a new attack ad in which a steelworker brands Mitt Romney as a person “like a vampire” ... Mitt Romney's claim that 100000 auto jobs have been lost under Obama Fact-Checking Romney's Jobs Stats The Austerity Trap and the Jobs Deficit |
Santa Cruz County adds 3500 jobs in April San Jose Mercury News By JONDI GUMZ - Santa Cruz Sentinel SANTA CRUZ - Santa Cruz County saw a spurt of growth in April, adding 3500 jobs compared to March, and unemployment fell to 12 percent from, 13.7 percent in March even as the labor force grew. |
Summer jobs introduce kids to Uncle Sam, taxes Kansas City Star By STEVE ROSEN Expect to hear those words from exasperated teenagers or college students over the next few weeks as they set aside their calculators and toss their textbooks to start summer jobs. For many young workers, this will be their first time ... |
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