Success in the Corporate World: Self Test

Wednesday, February 13th 2008 by Shanel Yang         Email this article to a friend

Photo by Marcella Kligman

Are you a nice person who likes to help others at work but don’t like to ask them to return the favor, even when you really need it?

Do you work hard all day, taking as few breaks as possible, and resent others who use company time to talk about their weekends and vacations?

Do you believe that hard work and being nice will get you the best raises, bonuses, assignments, and promotions from your employer?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, you are probably a woman, or one of those rare but wonderful sensitive men, who was raised from early childhood to be nice to everyone, work hard, and never complain. You were likely rewarded for these beliefs and associated behaviors from childhood through your early career. However, now you find that you are not getting the same raises, bonuses, opportunities, or promotions as your more assertive, less-hard-working, and usually male coworkers. Why is that? You work harder than they do, right?

Lois Frankel, Ph.D., in her book Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make that Sabotage Their Careers (2004), explains why most women—and some men—sabotage their own careers by habitually doing things that make them appear too immature, indecisive, or inexperienced for further movement up the corporate ladder. She shares 101 of these mistakes and provides more than 300 tips on how to replace these bad habits with new, effective ones.

In this next series of articles called “Success in the Corporate World,” I share the tips from Dr. Frankel’s book along with some real life stories she used to emphasize her points. Let’s start by taking the following self-assessment test.

TEST YOURSELF

Answer “True” or “False” to the below questions.

A. Do You Know How to Play the Game?

1. When I play games, I push the boundaries and play to win.
2. I don’t let others blame me for something I didn’t do.
3. If I believe in something, I politely but firmly let others know it.
4. I take care of my own needs before doing little favors for others.
5. Everyday, I make friendly conversation with bosses and coworkers.
6. I seek further information about other people’s comments that I either don’t believe or don’t understand by asking questions for clarification.
7. I don’t ask permission to do things that seem reasonable to me. If there is a problem, I know they’ll let me know and I’ll adjust my actions accordingly.

B. Do You Know How to Act Like a Winner?

1. I don’t worry about it if I’ve been nice to people and they still don’t like me.
2. I usually don’t apologize for little mistakes that have no consequences.
3. I don’t share too much personal information at work.
4. I don’t take it personally if someone is offended by something I’ve said.
5. I have no problem asking for a raise I think I deserve.
6. I offer a firm handshake that says, “Take me seriously.”
7. I keep my workspace neat and organized.

C. Do You Know How to Think Like a Winner?

1. I know how much I can accomplish in a day, and I set realistic goals.
2. If someone gives me an unreasonable deadline, I negotiate for a realistic one.
3. I plan how best to start, work on, and finish a new project before jumping in.
4. I ask favors from people I’ve helped in the past or will help in the future.
5. No matter how busy I am, I go to meetings where I can share my work.
6. I keep my personal appointments and adjust my work accordingly.
7. I don’t let people waste my time at work.

D. Do You Know How to Market Yourself?

1. I can tell you in 30 seconds or less how I bring value to my company.
2. If no one shares the news about great work I’ve done, I share it.
3. I ask for new assignments that will increase my skills and stretch my talents.
4. I volunteer for assignments that will get me noticed by top management.
5. At least every two months, I ask different people for feedback.
6. If someone tries to use my idea, I tactfully mention it was my idea.
7. When people say I did a good job, I let my boss know about it.

E. Do You Look Like a Winner?

1. When I say something serious, I don’t smile or laugh to soften the message.
2. At conference tables, I put my elbows on the table and lead forward.
3. I wear my hair and makeup in styles that match my age and position.
4. I choose my accessories carefully to match the rest of my image.
5. I dress for the job I want to have, not the one I have right now.
6. I don’t groom myself in public, e.g. brush my hair or check my lipstick.
7. I make direct eye contact with people, especially when I first meet them.

F. Do You Sound Like a Winner?

1. I share my opinions directly as opposed to phrasing them as questions.
2. I’m comfortable with silence, as when no one is talking for a while.
3. When I speak, I use short, precise sentences.
4. My voice is loud and clear.
5. I don’t use qualifiers such as “sort of” or “kind of.”
6. I speak slowly, taking all the time I need to express myself fully.
7. I know what ROI means.

G. Do You Respond Like a Winner?

1. I know when I’m being put down, and I let them know I don’t appreciate it.
2. I believe I am as smart as most people.
3. If people ask me to take notes at a meeting, I tactfully decline.
4. If someone treats me inappropriately, I let them know how I feel about it.
5. I’m usually one of the first persons to speak at meetings.
6. I stand up for myself, protect myself, and promote myself well.
7. I know I do a good job and that my work is good.

How did you do? If you answered “False” to more than half of the above questions, you may be sabotaging your own career. Or, you may be better at playing the corporate game and acting like a winner than thinking, looking, and sounding like a winner. We all have areas that could use a little improvement. Some of us could use a lot of improvement. Even if you improve in just a few of these areas—focusing on just one behavior or thought pattern at a time—people around you will take notice immediately and your career will start to take off.

CONCLUSION

Although this is the conclusion to the self-test in this series of articles called “Success in the Corporate World,” it is far from the last topic to be discussed in this series. I hope you will join me in exploring all the ways you might be sabotaging your own career and how you can change those old behaviors into new, career-building habits that will put your career back on the fast track.

Some of you may be wondering why I’m focusing on career advancement in the corporate world when, in so many other articles, I recommend starting your own business to gain the real riches in life, such as freedom of choice. I am writing this series for two reasons: (1) First, you need money to save enough of it for investment in your business. Most of us have no way of getting money, other than from jobs. And, just as importantly, (2) some of us don’t have the right personality to succeed as entrepreneurs. For examples of those who do, see “Interview with the Inventor, Entrepreneur, and Factory Owner” and “Interview with the Young Founder and CEO of Four Corporations.”

Finally, it can be just as exciting and rewarding for some people to rise to a high position in the corporate world as it is to succeed as an entrepreneur, though every occupation has its drawbacks. For example, see “Interview with the President of a Giant Corporation and Consultant” and “Interview with the TV Commercials Producer.” Whatever your destination may be, this website is designed to help you get there from here. Be awesome! Be your own hero!

[Continued in “Success in the Corporate World: How to Play the Game - Part 1.”]

[For the entire “Success in the Corporate World” series, click here.]

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