Think about the Brown-Nosers you’ve known. What’s the first thing they do when they hear the boss or some other VIP (very important person) coming down the hall? They get up, put on their jacket (that hasn’t been worn in days, if at all) and step out to ‘accidentally’ bump into him or her, say "hello", offer a compliment, share a story or ask a question.
The rest of us roll our eyes and snicker behind the Brown-Nosers back, but the next time the VIP comes by, who does he say "hello" to, by name? You guessed it. Your Brown-Nosing colleague. Why? Because he knows the Brown-Noser. Not very many of us walk up to complete strangers and start a conversation. Why do you think this is different at work?
Take a lesson from the Brown-Nosers. Take the initiative. Be friendly and approachable. Make it easy for the VIP to know you. Go first. If yours is a small organization, at the very least you should raise your head and make an effort to say "hello." Just smiling at someone and calling him or her by their name is a courteous thing to do. Do this with everyone you see. You just never know who might be in the right place at the right time to mention your name.
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