Fewer than 50 ways to lose your employer
By Herb Drill
Here’s the ticket: When you leave for work, remember what you pay for the mortgage/rent, car/insurance, and health coverage. That should help you hold your tongue and the job it took months to find - but could lose in days … or minutes.
Like the infamous speed trap in
Topping her list is “poor people skills.” She notes a Harvard Business Review study which revealed people “consistently and overwhelmingly” prefer to work with “likeable, less-skilled co-workers” than with “highly-competent jerks.” Researchers found that if employees are disliked, “it's almost irrelevant whether they're good at what they do, because other workers will avoid them.”
No. 2 on her “hit” parade was “not being a team player.” Lorenz stresses organizations have ways of dealing with employees “who subvert the team; just ask former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens, who was suspended for the 2005 season after repeatedly clashing with and taking public shots at his teammates and management.” Show you're a team player - “make your boss look like a star and demonstrating you've got the greater good of the organization at heart.”
No. 3 Missing deadlines comes next, Lorenz points out: “If the deadline is Wednesday, first thing Thursday won't cut it. Organizations need people they can depend on. Missing deadlines isn’t only unprofessional, it can play havoc with others' schedules and make your boss look bad.” As for commitments, it's best to under-promise and over-deliver, she maintains.
No. 4 Remember, company e-mail and phone systems are for company business. “Keep personal phone calls brief and few - and never take a call that will require a box of tissues to get through. Never type anything in an e-mail you don't want read by your boss.
No. 5 Don't isolate yourself. Develop and use relationships with others in your company and profession. Lorenz believes those “who network effectively have an inside track on resources and information and can cut through organizational politics more quickly. Effective networkers tend to serve on more successful teams, get better performance reviews, receive more promotions, and be more highly compensated.”
No. 6 is romantic.
If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will, Lorenz figures is No. 7. Implement a “can-do” attitude. Instead of saying, "I've never done that," say, "I'll learn how." Don't fear failure or making mistakes. “If you do mess up, admit it and move on. Find learning opportunities in every situation. Over time, risk-aversion can be more hazardous than error.”
Ranked eighth is absence of goals. Lorenz contends “failure doesn't lie in not reaching your goal, but in not having a goal to reach.” She asserts: set objectives and plan daily activities around achieving them - 80% of effectiveness comes from 20% of activities.”
Next to last is “neglecting your image. Fair or not, people draw all kinds of conclusions from how you present yourself. “Don't come to work poorly groomed or in inappropriate attire. Be honest, use proper grammar, and avoid slang and expletives. You seek to appear competent, with character and commitment.
Rounding out Lorenz’s list is “being indiscreet, Cubicles, hallways, elevators, bathrooms - even commuter trains - aren’t your private domain. Be careful where you converse and what you say to whom.” Don't tell off-color jokes, reveal company secrets, gossip about co-workers, or espouse your views on race, religion or the boss' personality. “Just because there’s such a thing as free speech, it's not so free if it costs you your job!”