Thursday, February 21, 2013

Five Rules To End Up On A Higher Floor In Your Career


Preface: These 5 rules are to be applied as a compliment to your work ethic, not as a substitute.

Under-promise, Over-deliver

There is a fine line to this rule, but if mastered, it can prove to be quite a boost in people’s confidence in you. Don’t low ball your promises so much that it doesn’t meet your clients/bosses/peers expectations, but definitely don’t over commit even if you do plan to over-deliver. Others just prefer you more this way, it’s psychological.

First Names First 

Addressing someone by their first name shows care, and adds a sense of personalization. Whether it’s your boss, intern, some guest of honor, a celebrity, crush, or your gardener, first names first. It always only adds positivity in interactions.

Positives First, Negatives Later

Whether it’s to excuse yourself from a meeting, missing a deadline, or not taking on additional responsibilities, always start the conversation with the positives first. People will more likely zone out on the positive reasoning, and only focus on the negative impact if the negative is stated first.

For example, if you won’t be able to take on a project, start the conversation with, “I have been working on project x with xx, and due to this, I doubt I will be able to take on project Y at this time”

Face-time is Important No Matter What They Say, "Early Bird Gets The Worm"

This isn’t more than likely going to make it or break it, but it certainly has a huge upside. Showing up early imply qualities such as disciplined, good time management, focused, goal oriented, efficiency, and effectiveness. Implications matter.     

Always Have an Answer 

Even if the answer is “I will find out for you” or it’s a detailed explanation, always have an answer.  Don’t be reluctant to reply to an email if you aren't completely sure of the answer. Someone asks you a question because they value your answer, so don’t lose that value.  



Sunday, February 10, 2013

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