When clients ask me for strategies to help advance their careers, I often ask them how they are perceived by others at work—their colleagues, bosses and key decision-makers.
I tell them to list adjectives those people would use to describe them.
Frequent responses are “friendly,” “capable,” “team player,” “dependable,” and so on.
Then I ask how they would like to be perceived?
Their eyes light up and their responses are considerably different. They use much more powerful descriptors, like “decisive,” “resourceful,” “dynamic,” “difference-maker,” “innovative,” “inspirational,” “visionary,” and the like.
But when I challenge them, “What’s keeping you from being perceived the way you want to be?” they shrug their shoulders and act as if they have no influence over how others view them.
They’re wrong!
Success at work starts with positive perceptions. If your boss and co-workers have a neutral or negative image of you, it’s a pretty good bet you … Continue reading How to Influence How Others Perceive You at Work →
Lily, who worked in an architecture firm, felt her career was stagnating. She’d believed she was a rising star, landing promotion after promotion, until—WHAM!—she crashed into a brick wall. Even though others continued advancing in their careers, she couldn’t seem to rise above the level she was at.
What happened? she wondered.
When I met with Lily to discuss why her career has been stalling, one thing became clear: She failed to work on her PVI—perception, visibility, and influence. These three qualities are absolutely vital to getting ahead.
When you use these three powerful attributes together, they’ll propel you to the next level of success—and then to heights you may not have thought possible. The three steps of the PVI model build upon one another, so you need to implement them in order. Here, we’ll delve into step one: honing in on the art of influencing perception … Continue reading How to Improve Others’ Perception of You at Work →
Success in your career is dependent on a variety of factors. It’s not simply a matter of garnering expert knowledge, working hard, and building your experience. There are other more qualitative factors at play that can be the difference between career advancement and career stagnation. One of these critical factors is perception.
In my interview for a USA Today article by Anita Bruzzese, author of 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy … and How to Avoid Them, I discuss the importance of perception and how promoting yourself is key to getting promoted. Read my interview in Bruzzese’s article, “Perceptions of Your Work May Linger Longer than Actions.”
As you read this article, you’ll learn not only why it’s important how others perceive you in the workplace, but also how to improve that perception.
The difference between sharing and bragging.
I discuss the difference between … Continue reading A Matter of Perception When It Comes to Career Advancement →
Conflict among staff can occur because of the things we say or how we act. It can also occur when our body language communicates things we might not be aware of. To increase harmony in the office, consider training employees to develop a recognition of the importance of positive body language and give them skills to master it.
When we listen to people, we also read their body language to see if it is in sync with their words. Most people recognize the body language that says: I’m interested, I’m not interested, I’m busy, please listen to me.
But some people are less aware of body language. When they ignore these messages or misread them, tension and irritation occurs. Training employees to develop awareness of other people’s body language and the unspoken messages they send can create more trust and harmony in … Continue reading How to Train Employees to Develop Positive Body Language →
Do you ever feel like your boss simply doesn’t appreciate you? Are you stuck in the same job, unable to advance, with your salary frozen at the same miserable rate? You could be a victim of your own bad habits—habits that may have earned you a bad reputation.
And it doesn’t take a dramatic faux pas—like swinging from the chandelier and calling your boss an idiot during a staff party—to slaughter your reputation. Sometimes, it is the little things that earn us a bad rap.
Here are a few of the career developmentthings you might be doing that could be ruining your career.
1. Exuding sloppiness.
Does your workspace look like the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust? A disorganized, cluttered desk creates the impression that you have sloppy work habits and can’t keep on top of things.
Do your clothes look like you’ve slept in them? … Continue reading How a Bad Reputation Can Destroy a New Career →
Client Eva Asks: As an HR professional, I hear a lot of petty complaints from various employees about their co-workers. Most of the time, the offending party has no idea that he or she is being annoying. How can I be sure that I am not inadvertently aggravating my own co-workers without realizing it?
Coach Joel Answers: Annoying coworkers are a common problem. Fortunately, most people realize that there are frustrating people everywhere, so unless the situation is severe, it is unlikely that they will leave over minor annoyances, especially if action is taken to correct the problem.
However, it is wise to be concerned about how your own behavior might be perceived. A survey conducted by Opinium Research asked people what annoyed them the most at work. Here are the top ten things that drive workers up the wall:
Grouchy colleagues.
Grumpiness has a toxic effect on the whole … Continue reading How to Stop Annoying Your Coworkers →
A client—we’ll call him Steve—told me he knew a man who sucked all the oxygen out of the room. This person was brilliant, but he talked way too much and annoyed everyone around him. He never knew this because people weren’t willing to tell him and he never asked for feedback on how he was perceived.
Shaping others’ perceptions of you is key to moving forward in your career. Do you know how you are perceived by others in your organization? Even if you think you do, do you really? One of the best ways find out is to simply ask.
Get feedback from your immediate manager, peer, someone you don’t report to, someone more senior than you, your boss’s boss, from your key customers or others outside the organization. Knowing how others perceive you plays a very important role in your own self development.
Here are eight tips … Continue reading How Do Others Perceive You? All You Have to Do Is Ask →
Ellen Asks: One of my friends told me the boss watched how much time we spent on social media. I don’t want to get in trouble. How can I tell if I have bad social media habits at work?
Joel Answers: Social Media can keep us connected, speed communication, and increase productivity. But it can also be a distraction and a time waster. If you suspect you might be misusing social media, check out these six potential problems.
If you don’t eliminate these problems, you might get fired… or at least reduce your chances for a promotion.
Wasting Time on Social Media.
Do you check tweets, Facebook, and other social media multiple times at work? If you’re not sure, try the old rubber band trick. Put a rubber band loosely around your wrist. Every time you check non-work related media, snap the rubber band. Sore wrist? … Continue reading How to Break 5 Bad Social Media Habits at Work →
Blake was about to submit his resume for several open positions. As he was Googling, he came across some unsettling articles on how bosses look at candidates’ social media. Before he applied, he decided to make sure his online reputation wasn’t working against him. And he was glad he did—he found old photos from wild college parties on his Facebook account, and some ancient blog posts sharing way too much detail about his personal life.
According to a 2017 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of bosses screen job candidates’ social media profiles before hiring them. In 2016, it was 60%—that’s an increase of 10 percentage points in one year. There’s a good chance your boss, or a future one, will Google you.
Don’t let them find pictures of you drunk at a party doing something stupid. Careful online reputation management will ensure they see only your best image. Here’s how to do … Continue reading 9 Tips to Effectively Manage Your Online Reputation →
Nasir asks: I work in the IT industry, and I’m preparing to search for a new job. I know that some companies are using Google and social media platforms to check out prospective employees. Should I be worried about this, and if so, what steps can I take to make sure prospective employers don’t find anything that could hurt me? Should I just get rid of my Facebook profile so I don’t have to worry about potential employers (and my future boss) snooping on me?
Coach Joel answers: That’s an option, of course, but there’s no need to stay off social media. In fact, 57% of recruiters are less likely to interview candidates who don’t have an online presence, a CareerBuilder survey found. And 63% of tech companies surveyed are scouring sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to get an up-close, behind-the-scenes look at candidates they just can’t get from … Continue reading Be Advised: More Employers Are Checking Social Media Use →
