This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies. In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office methods on various real-world IT topics in detail.
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Yvette Maurice (http://blog.opencolleges.edu.au/perfect-office-manners-check-list-30-rate/) wrote an interesting article regarding Do You Have Perfect Office Manners? Check This List of 30 To See How You Rate!
I liked it very much. There are great tips for getting comfortable in your current position. I then took some of hersame tips (just 15) and modified them for the 15 Etiquette Tips to Get Ahead.
They are strictly based on Yvette’s tips with a twist.
Here are some of the things Yvette listed – but with a small twist to get ahead. For her unmodified advise, read http://blog.opencolleges.edu.au/perfect-office-manners-check-list-30-rate/
1. Don’t “Blame-storm” – Get the team to immediately focus on the solutions.
When you see the Blame-storm start, initiation the focus on the solution by saying, “Great, we know what we need to fix. How do you want this to work from this point forward?” Focusing on how and why something occurred only keeps you in the same ‘thinking state’ as when the problem was created. Visualizing how you really want the “entity” to work is really where you want your ‘thinking power’ to be focused.
2. Chewing Gum and other ticks
Everyone has a nervous tick or activity. Some it’s chewing gum, others it’s twirling their hair or tapping their fingers. When you see yourself doing your “nervous tick”, use it as a trigger to let you know something is not exactly right. Then ask yourself these questions:
- Am I bored? If so, start another project on my todo list.
- Am I nervous? If so, do something positive and productive to reduce that nervousness
- Am I angry or frustrated? If so, think about what you can do right now to reduce those negative feelings.
3. Dressing with Respect BUT FOR SUCCESS
Dress like the person you want to be. Dress more like the next level up then your peers. If the managers are dressing in more business attire and your co-workers dress very casual – I recommend dressing more like the managers (or the group that you want to be). Surround yourself with the type of people you want to emulate.
4. Don’t take Personal Hygiene to extremes
Don’t over-do cologne or perfume. Many people are allergic to scents in deodorants, soaps and perfumes. Also be careful with scented candles, if you are in a shared working space. It’s more of a health and safety issue at this point.
5. Cover Your Mouth and Say Excuse Me
In Yvette’s article, she was commenting on how to handle coughing and sneezing. My recommendation is to stay home when you are ill. Often people feel that they are being tough when they come into the office – but actually you are costing the company money. And no co-worker around you appreciates it either. Think of it this way. You come in and work with (infect) 5 people. Now instead of losing 1 day of work from you, the company is losing 5 people the next few days. You are also only 40% productive while you are there; and others are also distracted with the thought that they will become sick as well. With today’s ability to work from home – the best solution is to stay home and help out from home. You’re get better faster and will be able to produce at 100% then you do arrive in the office.
6. Keep Interruptions to a Minimum
In Yvette’s article, she recommends keeping personal calls to a minimum as to not interrupt your co-workers. If you work in a cube environment, reserve a conference or team room for those important personal calls. With the advent of text and on-line instant messaging, many can carry on a quick communiqué from their desk. And then take the longer (necessary) conversations to a small conference room (or schedule those at lunch or during outside breaks).
7. If Someone Does Something Nice, be Appreciative AND RECIPROCATE
In Yvette’s articles, she mentions saying thank you for these nice things. If you want to get ahead, actually reciprocate beyond what they did for you. If they helped you with a project, send a thank you note to them and copy their managers. If they mentioned you in their presentation, mention them in yours and ask them to stand up when you give your presentation. Reciprocate one step beyond what most people would be expecting. And make sure their manager (and your manager) knows they are helping you.
8. Be Helpful and Cooperate with Your Colleagues to a point
In Yvette’s article, she correctly recommends helping others. If someone needs help with a copy machine or directions to someplace, please be courteous. But don’t take too much time helping others. Don’t take on others people’s problems as your own. You lose time and momentum on your items. If your colleague’s problem is aligned with your goals, take the time to assist. If their issues distract and derail you from your tasks, schedule and goals give them your consult and move on. Call-in and delegate their problem to the appropriate person. Remember, your colleague is currently stuck and is just asking for assistance to get to the next step (to get unstuck). They aren’t necessarily asking you to do their work. Advising them or calling in the right person for the job is helping. It doesn’t have to be you doing the actual work; just advise them to their next step so that they are no longer stuck.
Also – be careful you are not training people to continually come to you with their issues. Teach them to fish.
10. Look After New Employees to a point
The only thing I would add is that – if you are taking much time with a new employee; make your manager aware. The new employee should already have a ‘helper’ assigned to them. Get the “helper” involved in orientating the new employee. If you company doesn’t have an orientation program for the new folks, then make your manager aware that you are helping a new person. As long as your manager understands where your time is going, your manager can assist with the issue. Don’t be afraid to talk to your manager about your project progress, your interruptions, and your challenges. It’s your manager’s job to manage the normal ebb and flows of a project. Keep them in the loop at all times.
12. Instead of Wait Your Turn to Speak in a Meeting – Create Your Turn
My only recommendation is to get your topics on the meeting agenda. Meet with the meeting facilitator to add your issues to the agenda. Tell the facilitator that you will need to leave the meeting at a certain time and ask him/her to put your agenda toward the front end of the meeting. This way, you can relax and really listen to what’s going on in the meeting, without being worried that you won’t get a turn to speak. If you want to get ahead, you will want to participate in meetings. But, as Yvette mentioned, you don’t want to unnecessarily interrupt. Showing initiative to place your topic on the agenda will allow you to calmly have your turn.
13. Respect not only Your Elders
The only thing I would add is to RESPECT EVERYONE. You never know who these people will be next year or even next month. Your co-worker may become the next manager of a sibling department or your department. You may find that – in order to be on your dream project – you will have to work alongside someone that you don’t normally associate. You may find out that in order to complete your task; you will need to ask a favor of a sister-department.
14. Manners at All Times but with balance
Although I agree with the general thought of “mind your manners”; don’t be a doormat either. Take respectful initiative in everything you do. Be considerate but selective where you put your time. Keep your own business commitment in mind at all times. Don’t risk not completing your tasks to assist others with their jobs. If someone is having a lot of computer problems, call IT for them. If someone needs a lot of help, advise them to seek their manager. It’s their manager’s job to make sure his/her employees are running smoothly (not yours). Make sure your manager is aware of what’s going on with your project – so that he/she may help manager some external distractions that you are encountering. Keep external interruptions to a minimum, to allow yourself to stay on track.
Keep the airplane rule in mind: “Put on your oxygen mask before helping others.”
30. And Don’t Nit – Pick!
I’m just skipping to tip 30. My general rule is to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Everyone is actually doing the best that they can with the information and expertise that they currently have. Everyone wants to do a good job. Everyone wants to do the right thing. If you have that attitude, things will look differently to you.
Try it and let me know what you think.
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