Category: 1-Minute Strategy

When you make a faux pas, don’t ignore it and don’t expect others to. Instead poke fun at yourself with an undercurrent of seriousness. Say, “What I just did is an example of what not to do.” Then move on.

“Finish every day and be done with it,” advised essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. “You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; but forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, and you should never encumber its potentialities and invitation with dread of the past.”

Do you handle or see resumes that come flooding into your office? Check those out to see what’s good or bad about them. Use that information to spruce up your own.

When a co-worker comes to you with a problem, find out more about the situation and what the employee thinks before offering your 2 cents.

Be careful what you say if you are jealous, bitter or angry. Negative emotions can lead you to blurt out mean remarks you’ll wish you’d never said.

Don’t volunteer information about your boss’s whereabouts. Telling a client that your boss is at a tennis tournament isn’t going to score points for either of you.

Correct inaccurate criticism of your work without picking a fight by telling the critic where you could have done better.

When you answer the phone and the calller asks for you, answer with a simple, “Speaking.” It’s concise and eliminates the need to think about whether to say, “This is her,” This is she,” or “This is Jane.”

If you must pass along a password to someone while others are around, write instead of reciting it.

Mark your calendar now for related tasks you can foresee. Example: When preparing a report, plan for when you’ll make corrections after the boss reviews your draft. The result: a realistic picture of your upcoming schedule.