Do’s and Don’ts at the Workplace
Swati Nitin Gupta
Doing the “he says, she says” dance is fine when you’re at home, but things are completely different at a workplace. Keep in mind these things when you’re at work:
Never say “that’s not my job”. When you say this, it implies that you don’t want to help others and are not an effective team player. In case you have a work load that you can’t handle, rephrase your sentence. Say something like “let me see how I can help you after I have finished with my work”. Not only will this reassure the person, but when you are the one seeking a favour, it will be willingly returned.
No “it’s not my problem”. If there is a problem at work or in your department, then it definitely is your problem. Saying this means that you are not an effective team player – a serious hazard in today’s work culture. As a team member, it is your duty to see that deadlines are met, work goes on smoothly and there are no major hiccups or problems in the department.
Threats and ultimatums don’t work. Nobody takes kindly to threats and ultimatums. Moreover, they reflect a churlish attitude at work. If you want something to be done, ask or request. Use e-mail and mark seniors on it to send across the message to juniors not complying. Be a leader, not a boss!
Keep personal life personal. Keep the distance between work and home. It’s unprofessional to talk about your personal life and the factoids you reveal may work against you if someone’s looking for a chink in your armour. Besides, nobody wants to be in on your personal life 24/7.
Be straightforward. Being straightforward in your communications is the best way to relay your message instead of using phrases like ‘to be honest’ or ‘I may be wrong.’ While the phrase to be honest sounds that what are you are going to say is not only polite but that you don’t care about being polite; the phrase ‘I may be wrong’ implies that you are not confident about your message thus demeaning the very thing you are about to say. So be careful when you are using these phrases.
Don’t be a gossip girl. A little talk or two by the water cooler may get you in on what’s the buzz, but avoid being the go-to tattler of the office. Never run down people, be racist or spread news that you don’t know is true. Gossip works like a boomerang – it comes back to you once you throw it off!
Money matters? There are few things to remember here and that include never say that you don’t need money or that you are not working for money and secondly never discuss your salary or ask anyone about their salaries/bonuses/incentives as it is considered rude in the corporate culture. Every individual is being paid according to their qualifications and experience and it is better to remain silent on money issues, as it only brings inequality amongst co-workers.
Don’t find fault. Instead of finding fault with how a junior colleague has tackled things, try and look at things differently. Replace “you should have told me about this earlier” with “in the future, if you face this type of situation come to me immediately and together we will find a solution”. You’ll earn respect and loyalty, and will solve the problem.
Swati Nitin Gupta, mother to a five-year-old preschooler, writes on lifestyle, fashion, interiors, trends, office culture, and women and child-related issues. Find her at http://www.linkedin.com/in/swati1012 or swatisays.wordpress.com
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