Keep on hand a list of co-riders’ cell, work, home, and emergency phone numbers.
Be ready when your ride arrives. Requiring others to wait is inconsiderate. Doing so habitually may get you kicked out of the carpool.
Respect the culture of the carpool. If food and drink are allowed and conversation welcome, participate as you like. If instead, quiet is desired, observe that.
Be meticulous about personal hygiene. Apply fragrance sparingly, if at all. Be neat, and take newspapers and trash with you.
Decide upon seating based upon practical considerations, such as the needs and the sizes of the passengers or drop-off order.
Stick like glue to the no-stopping policy. If anyone is ever to get to his destination, personal errands cannot be allowed.
Be reliable. If you are the driver and are sick or delayed, give your passengers as much notice as possible. Allow for unexpected traffic, construction, accidents, long lights, tollbooth backups, and weather delays.
Taxi and transportation services:
Be respectful of the driver and of the automobile, and be aware that any bad behavior on your part may become part of a file on you. Uber and Lyft rate their customers and share this knowledge with fellow drivers who may elect not to pick you up in the future. (Want to know your rating? A feature on the Uber app lets you find out. Or just ask the driver!)
Engage the driver in conversation if you are so inclined, but only if he seems receptive to it. A driver’s first priority is to get you safely to your destination, which may require his full attention to the road and directions.
Do not eat, drink, or engage in personal grooming while in the vehicle.
Keep calm if traffic or weather delays your ride, and, of course, do not blame the driver. He or she is equally, if not more, frustrated than you are.
WHEN ON A TRAIN OR BUS:
Attend to personal grooming tasks before you board. This means no hair brushing, shaving (yes, it’s done), nail filing or clipping, tooth picking, or applying makeup.
Do not travel if you are sick. But if you decide you absolutely must, cover coughs and sneezes, and stand or sit as far away from others as possible.
Allow passengers to get off a bus or train before you get on. Board quickly, being careful of others’ toes, shins, elbows, and belongings. If you bump into someone, apologize.
Do not eat or drink when commuting, especially on short commutes.
Respect fellow travelers. Occupy no more room than that to which one person is entitled. Do not allow briefcases, luggage, or umbrellas to occupy needed sitting or standing room.
Keep your voice down and music to yourself. Loud phone calls, conversations, and music distract and disturb fellow passengers who may be trying to work, rest, or think.
WHEN ON A PLANE:
Comply with boarding instructions and then move to your seat as quickly as possible. Do not obstruct others as you stow your luggage. Move out of the aisle so others can pass.
Remember, this is a public mode of transportation and other travelers’ comfort, convenience, and safety are as important as yours. Take up the space, including storage and foot room, for which you paid and no more.
Recline your seat, if you desire, but look back first and ask politely if you may do so. Yes, you are within your rights to recline, but considering the person behind you who may be eating or working is just courteous. Do not ever employ a device that prevents others from reclining. Not only is that presumptuous, it is against airline rules. There are simple solutions to get more legroom: pay for it or fly with airlines that offer more space.
Follow the instructions of the crew for seatbelt and electronic device use. Do not argue or cause a disruption. Airlines have zero tolerance for such behavior, and you may be required to deplane.
Do not presume your seatmates want to engage in conversation. Read their nonverbal cues, and respect signals that they wish to work, read, or rest.
Accept delays as part of travel. Everyone is in the same situation. Arguing with gate personnel makes you look like an inexperienced and unsophisticated traveler.
WHEN ON A BICYCLE:
Obey all traffic signals and rules of the road.
Make sure you and the bicycle are properly equipped.
Use hand signals to alert others of your intentions.
Give notice before passing and a wide berth when doing so. Try not to startle pedestrians or other riders as you pass by them.
WHEN ON FOOT:
Watch where you’re going. Observe traffic signals and never try to beat a light, especially when there is oncoming traffic. Do not assume drivers see you.
Step aside to use your electronic device. Texting and taking photos, especially with selfie sticks, are to be avoided in the middle of a sidewalk. They can slow you down, cause you to abruptly stop or collide with someone or something, or even cause you to walk into traffic. Using earbuds that restrict hearing is equally dangerous.
Keep to the right on the sidewalk, and try to keep a brisk pace so others do not continually need to pass you. Be considerate of those who are slower, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those pushing strollers or with arms full of groceries.
Do not walk two-, three-, or even four-abreast or have impromptu mid-sidewalk meetings. Others may be forced into traffic to get around you.
Getting the ingredients right to achieve the highest level of professional presence enables employees to present their best versions of themselves in the workplace.
REMEMBER
Develop and display an all-star personal brand.
Embrace a stellar attitude.
Attire yourself appropriately for your corporate culture.
Realize that small behaviors make big impressions.
chapter 4
business behavior
Combining Proven Strategies with 21st Century Expectations
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
—WARREN BUFFETT
Kate has spent months cultivating a business relationship with a very successful, soon-to-be retiring executive. She has outlined the ambitious plan she proposes for his retirement account, suggesting the prospect of very healthy growth and a comfortable yearly income. Kate, a 38-year-old wealth management advisor, knows that for Robert, a conservative gentleman, it is important that he work with a firm that shares his values. Kate also knows there is a lot of competition for his business. But they seem to have developed a nice, respectful rapport, and she thinks he may be ready to commit. Kate’s fingers are crossed. This next call could close the deal.
The call goes well, and as it winds down Kate asks Robert when they can meet to share more information and sign formal papers. At that very moment, her colleague in the next cubicle, who is arguing on the phone with his ex-wife, shouts out a stream of obscenities that can be heard throughout the entire office. Kate freezes. Her client goes silent. Then he clears his throat and says, “Thank you, I think I have all the information I need. I will let you know if I plan to move forward. Good-bye.”
Here you are with your newly burnished brand, your finely adjusted attitude, and your perfectly appropriate attire. You’ve even managed to travel to work with life and limb intact. You are someone about to start a new job and will allow nothing to derail what promises to be your banner first day! There’s just one more thing to consider. The culture of the organization you have just joined is one that can only be fully appreciated from the inside. You’ve done your due diligence and know as much as any outsider could possibly know about this organization. So it’s a bit of a shock to discover how different things are on the other side of the glass door.
The Glass Door
Jake, 23 years old and eight months on the job, only wishes he had known when he started what he knows now. His job as a representative at a call center had been described as simple and pressure-free: He would answer callers’ questions about products, and if they expressed interest in buying, he would transf
er them to the sales department to handle the sales. The first couple of months were fun as Jake learned about the products and bonded with the other new hires. But once he was on the phone full-time, this “no-pressure” job turned into anything but.
Jake was quickly informed that too many of the calls he was sending through to the sales department were unqualified prospects, wasting the sales representatives’ time. He also learned that the number and length of his calls were measured, his conversations were monitored, his emails were counted, and his time on social media was logged. And all of these statistics would factor into his job evaluation, affecting any potential pay raise or promotion.
During the interview process, Jake had been delighted to hear about the company’s unlimited vacation policy, flexible schedules, and flat organizational structure that gave employees unfettered access to the higher-ups. “How great was that nap room!” he said to himself at the time. But Jake soon realized that no one actually used any of these highly touted benefits, as though there was some unwritten rule against it. And although they had access to the executives’ calendars to schedule meetings with them, no one ever did. Instead, there was not-so-subtle pressure to stay late, forgo vacation time, and keep one’s ideas and concerns to oneself. Jake knew he was in the real world now. He just hadn’t anticipated what reality would look like or how fast it would be upon him.
A surprise awaiting digital natives in particular is that the flat organizational structure they envisioned is not so flat after all. Designed to eliminate unnecessary layers of management and foster collaboration, decision-making, and creativity, the flat structure is particularly attractive to millennials eager to share their ideas. It’s not just young start-up companies with little hierarchical structure to dismantle or e-commerce companies like Zappos that have embraced flatness. Staid manufacturing companies like General Motors are also dipping their toes in the flat waters. According to Tim Kastelle in Harvard Business Review, “There is a growing body of evidence that shows organizations with flat structures outperform those with more traditional hierarchies in most situations.”1
If there is agreement that flatter is better in theory, there is less agreement on whether it works in practice and whether organizations are actually as flat as they claim to be. Google itself dabbled in this approach back in 2002 when it decided to do away with the management level in its engineering operations, but within months, management was back. Going forward, there will likely be degrees of flatness determined on a company-by-company basis. To be on the safe side, new employees will want to find out what kind of structures their organizations have and make no assumptions.
Penni Connor, a vice president at the Fortune 500 energy company Eversource, says, “Eversource is deliberately trying to create a workplace that encourages entrepreneurial thinking.” She also says there is a time and place for sharing. “In a rush to get their questions answered, there is no hesitancy (among millennials) to take their questions right to a higher-up who could answer it, but is not necessarily the best person to answer it.” She adds, “They need to ask themselves how to navigate the hierarchy better.”
Older workers used to a hierarchical structure can also make missteps. If their new culture is one that not only encourages but also expects employees to speak up, holding back will do them no service. Become keenly attuned to expectations within your organization, and proceed with caution. Your CEO may welcome weekend texts from employees, and if so, text away. But you’ll want to make sure of that before you interrupt his golf game, a dinner party, or a nap.
What awaits you on your first day is a plethora of people, all eager to pass and share judgment about you, the new kid. You’re a curiosity to all, a threat to some, and more work for others. Your attitude, energy level, attire, style, demeanor, confidence, judgment, grace, and overall professionalism will say volumes about you, even before you’ve had a chance to say “good morning.” Your level of comfort and skill in making polite conversation will add to what becomes a practically indelible first impression—the only first impression you’ll get to make. The success of your first day may have an unalterable impact on the success of all of your future days. It is wise to execute it thoughtfully.
THE FIRST DAY
Arrive early. Be well rested, well dressed, and raring to go. Shake hands and introduce yourself to colleagues, and try to remember their names.
Thank everyone. Thank the person who announces your arrival, escorts you to your desk, arranges for your security badge, sets up your technology, walks you through stacks of paperwork, directs you to the break room and restroom, invites you to lunch, and offers you information. Your gratitude will be remembered.
Look and listen. Pay attention to the general office vibe. When do people arrive? How quickly do they get to work? How do they interact with one another? When do they leave? What is the noise level? Respect the culture and follow suit.
Take notes. Record important information on your phone or a notepad. Having new codes, names, numbers, and emails at your fingertips will help you assimilate quickly.
Everyday Manners
Brimming with confidence, Connie had aced her telephone and Skype interviews for a fabulous new job as a sales manager with a leading consumer products company. She has one more hurdle today, the in-person interview, after which Connie believes the job will be hers!
An experienced 34-year-old sales professional, Connie is confident but is taking no chances. She leaves three hours early for a drive that would usually take two hours, getting to the company parking lot with plenty of time to spare. Connie had decided she would do her hair and makeup when she arrived, to look as fresh as possible.
She drives around to the quiet far side of the building, out of sight of parked cars or incoming traffic, and picks a sunny spot for good light. She brought her portable curling iron and begins curling and spraying her hair. Perfect, she thinks! In the bright light, she notices and tweezes a few stray hairs on her eyebrows. She adjusts her bra straps and her blouse and after a quick underarm “sniff test,” applies a little more antiperspirant. “Just to be safe,” she thinks. She brushes and flosses her teeth, looking in the car mirror to make sure there are no leftover poppy seeds from this morning’s breakfast bagel. She swishes around some mouthwash then spits it into her cold coffee. She puts on her lipstick, rubbing with her little finger a bit that had gotten onto her tooth. Finally, she pours the mouthwash and remaining coffee on the ground. Finished.
With a satisfied smile, Connie drives to the building’s entrance, parks, and enters. It takes a while for the hiring manager to arrive and escort her to his office. He seems to avoid making eye contact with her. Is he shy? As they make their way down the long corridor, Connie struggles to make small talk, to no avail, and begins to experience a growing sense of dread.
As the door to his office opens, Connie sees the view immediately outside his window. It is exactly where she was parked just minutes ago, performing her beauty and personal grooming rituals in the brightest, whitest sunlight.
Each day, people who have a great deal of influence over our current and future careers have their eyes peeled and their antennae up. The good news is we have a great deal of control over how others perceive us. It’s just a matter of making the right decisions.
PAY ATTENTION TO OTHERS
Do you look back as you walk into a building to see who might be coming in behind you, or do you absentmindedly let doors shut on coworkers?
Do you cheerfully greet security personnel by name or treat them as if they were invisible?
Do you look up when walking in corridors, or are you glued to your device, oblivious to the passersby?
Do you check to see who might also be trying to catch the elevator, or do you hit “close” the minute you are aboard?
Do you keep right on stairs or position yourself squarely in the middle, impeding others trying to get by?
Do you talk loudly on the way to your desk or keep the decibel level down out
of respect for colleagues who are working?
The number of ways in which colleagues can potentially offend or irritate others before buckling down to work each day pales only in comparison to the opportunities they have to do so once the workday begins. These unintentional behaviors may seem trivial, but when regularly subjected to them, they become a monumental nuisance. Resentment builds, relationships suffer, and brands are bruised, all for want of a little common courtesy.
What annoys people at work? The list is very, very long. It includes not allowing others to get off of elevators before getting on, constant tardiness, leaving dirty cups and dishes in the lunchroom, wafting food aromas, personal grooming at desks (nail-clipping, flossing, hair-brushing, etc.), poor personal hygiene, incessant and loud personal calls, gum-chewing, loud talking, humming, whistling, singing, noise-emitting electronic devices, conducting conference calls and speakerphone conversations in open spaces, never contributing to collections for gifts, coming back late from breaks, not reimbursing coworkers for miscellaneous expenses, never making coffee or lunch runs, always asking for but never having stamps (or tissues, gum, mints, etc.), eavesdropping, noisy jewelry, heavy walking, foot-tapping, finger-drumming, knuckle-cracking, throat-clearing, nose-blowing, pen-clicking, and sniffling.
The list goes on.
Staring, failing to observe personal space boundaries, lurking outside someone’s cubicle or office door, interrupting others’ work instead of calling or emailing ahead, reading coworkers’ computer screens, emptying but never refilling candy jars, incessantly talking about new babies (or relationships, homes, cars, etc.), being overly dramatic, being lazy, boasting, yelling, arguing, swearing, fist-banging, door-slamming, leaving break rooms (or restrooms or meeting rooms) dirty, taking up too much parking lot space, stealing food, leaving coffee pots (or water jugs or copy paper trays) empty, slurping coffee, eating noisily, pranking, dressing inappropriately, not thanking others for holding doors, laughing or commenting out loud at text messages or emails, not asking permission before borrowing others’ property, not returning borrowed items, emitting bodily sounds and odors, decorating office spaces unprofessionally, and currying favor with bosses.
Excuse Me Page 7
