No-doze tips
It’s a warm August afternoon, and you’re beginning to feel sleepy after sitting in a conference room meeting for more than an hour. Here are some helpful pointers on how to stay alert during long meetings:
Forget someone’s name?
When you’ve forgotten someone’s name, trying to fake it can backfire. Best approach: Just ask. Say, “I’m very sorry. I just want to respect you by getting your name correctly.”
Get the most from your training
Your time and your organization’s training budget are precious commodities. Therefore, when you decide to invest in training, ensure that you will gain high-priority skills and information to help you do your job better and advance your career. Here are several things to keep in mind.
Manage your allies strategically
You’ve either seen it or done it: You disagree with something during a meeting, but instead of speaking up, you sit there and stew. Maybe that’s because whenever an alternative point of view is raised, it gets batted down. There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing. Here are tips on managing your allies strategically, arguing professionally and making sure you have a safety net in place:
Pick up your pace
People who walk faster than others are seen as important and energetic, studies show. So put a little spunk in your step and walk with purpose. You never know who may be watching.
Speakers to grads: Go forth and fail
Last year brought a batch of good commencement addresses, often on how failure can lead to success. For example, J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, told Harvard grads that seven years after her own graduation, she had “failed on an epic scale.” She said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all—in which case, you fail by default.”
For openers …
Start letters off right by addressing the recipient with a friendly gender-neutral “Greetings,” if you don’t have a name.
Can you be a boss & a friend?
Question: “I’m not sure how to handle my new supervisory position. Before being promoted, I was friends with my former co-workers, so I’m finding it difficult to tell them what to do. I love being a supervisor, but it’s hard to be as tough as my superiors want me to be. In a perfect world, I would like to be both a boss and a friend. However, I’m beginning to realize that to get things done, I need to be less of a friend and more of a boss. I know I have to demonstrate leadership, but I’m afraid this will turn me into an unlikeable person. After all, does anyone really like their boss?” — Nice Guy
Why you need weekly status reports
Doing weekly status reports for your boss is a good idea for four reasons: It forces you to think about what you accomplished; allows you to toot your horn regularly; helps during your performance appraisal; and provides fodder for your résumé.
Parting words
When a conversation naturally lulls, take advantage and say, “It’s been my pleasure talking with you. I hope our paths cross again soon.” Before leaving, be certain to thank the host.