Common Sense Ideas for Becoming the Career Star You Are Meant to Be

Today is Friday, so this post is on interpersonal competence.

Recently, I came across a great little book called Everyday Communication Techniques for the Workplace by Deborah S. Roberts.  It’s published by Ragan’s Management Resources.  On pages 14 and 15, Ms. Roberts offers 13 tips for interacting with colleagues.  Since this is Friday the 13th, I thought I’d post them here.

Ms. Roberts’ list is quite comprehensive.  Take a look…

Interacting With Colleagues, Deborah S. Roberts

You’ll get along with most of your colleagues and coworkers (and most other people fot that matter) if you remember to be…

• Truthful:  Be honest about the things what matter.  Don’t promise what you can’t deliver.
• Predictable: Be even tempered regardless of the circumstances.  It’s difficult to work with someone with a wildly changeable temperament.
• Private: Keep the intimate details of your personal life to yourself.
• Kind: Be accepting of people.  Avoid telling jokes that reinforce negative stereotypes.  Avoid gossip.  Leave, or change the subject when someone else does.
• Discreet: If you find yourself beginning a sentence with words like “I really shouldn’t say this…” don’t say it.
• Patient: Listen.  Give people time to fully express their thoughts and ideas before launching into your response.
• Humble: Focus on others, not yourself.  Instead of telling your colleagues about your hopes, dreams, plans, successes, ask them about there’s.
• Clear: Words and expressions can mean different things to different people.  Avoid acronyms, jargon and colloquialisms.  Check to make sure others understand what you’re saying.
• Objective: When you offer feedback, focus on what the other person did, not him or her.  Make it clear that you are expressing your opinion, not a hard and fast fact.
• Polite: Use common courtesies like “please, thank you, I’m sorry”.  Engage fully.  If you’re too busy or distracted to pay full attention to what someone is saying, tell them.  Say something like “I’m sorry, but I really don’t have the time to talk right now, but I really want to hear what you have to say.  Can we find another time for this conversation?”
• Firm: Learn to say “no” to requests on which you can’t deliver.
• Inquisitive: When you are having difficulties relating to a person ask him or her to tell you what’s going on.  Don’t make assumptions.  Don’t talk about one person’s behavior to another.
• Silent: Resist the temptation to join into gripe sessions.  If you think something needs to change, do your best to change it.

These 13 items are good, common sense advice on building relationships at work.  And, as I’ve mentioned before, the ability to build strong relationships is a trait shared by all interpersonally competent people.  Read and study these suggestions.  More importantly, put them to work in your everyday life.

Be careful today -- it is Friday the 13th afterall.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blogs: www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming the life and career star you are meant to be; and www.CommonSenseDay.com to learn more about Use Your Common Sense Day -- November 4, and to read stories of common sense in action.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.