Member Article

Facing the reality into motivation

“Mirror Mirror on the wall…?” You could complete this question in infinite ways. Am I really unkempt? Am I unreliable? Rude?

Don’t I deserve a raise or promotion? Abrasive? A lone-ranger? Do I look tardy? Why can’t my team members just do what they are hired to do – co-operate and gel with me as a team?

These questions come up often. While every work environment is unique, requiring, well thought-out conduct, certain principles are basic.

They are values that run through wherever you add value as a student, executive or entrepreneur. If you have to ask anyone these and other questions in response to a perception of you, you want to consider these very common possible reasons for it. The truth is that you would not need to second-guess yourself if you were sending the message you want others to get about you. If you have to ask, then you are in doubt about your actions or inactions and when in doubt, the following don’ts can help.

1. Do not color your hair purple and tie it in great big afro-fusion braids if you are looking to make a partner and occupy the big corner office at the conservative corporate law firm where you work.

If, however, you are an artist, your eclectic taste may earn you a thousand and one brownie points.

2. Do not hit the send button unless you are sure your wording and tone is right for that e-mail message. He/she may have attacked your credibility, undermined your authority and quite honestly, the Human Resource people really must address this level of insubordination.

Acknowledge it and sleep on it if you need to.

Responding to negative e-mails requires time. Calm down and be sure that your response sends the right message with regard to your capability, authority and dignity. This means no sarcasm, no profanity, no capitals, no bold, no red color and certainly no triple exclamation marks.

3. Do not expect or demand a pay increase simply because you have been around since the turn of the century. It is about your productive output, not the length of your tenure. You and I know that there are people who stay on for long but when they leave, it is unnecessary to replace them because they have not been doing much around.

4. Do not start deliberately displaying the fact that you are looking for greener pastures by overtly sprucing up your resume during your employer’s time and using company resources to do so.

Alright, so you’ve been working very hard, you have not only met but surpassed every target ever set and yet besides the hefty commission or bonus payments, you take home and a few perfunctory appreciation letters, you have remained at the same job grade for five years.

What do these people want? They obviously do not appreciate you, right? Wrong. What is the grade and/or position you would like to serve at? What does it require of you?

My experienced guess is that you are waiting for the position to come before you can look, speak, think, walk and talk what as required. With that attitude, you are going to wait another five to 50 years unless the world stands still for you. Do you ask the car to run before you fuel it? Nope! It does not work that way.

5. Do not yell, curse or throw tantrums however justified you may feel you are. I know, I know — some people can be so infuriating. Never mind them. This is about you.

6. Do not form the habit of arriving late because you are a top performer. Top performance is what you were hired for, anyway. An all-rounded sense of urgency is required even if you have quadrupled your performance obligations for the twelfth consecutive year.

7. Do not dismiss the gate-keepers. It is wise to bear in mind that their job is to open or close the gates you need to walk in and out of everyday. Hey, pinching noses on your way back and forth is definitely a no! no!

8. Do not alienate yourself. You need everyone – even those who disagree with you to attain anything of consequence. Difficult? Well, besides firing all dissenting voices, there is no other way. Reel them all in. For the small price of getting over yourself to do this, you will be glad you made the effort.

9. Do not elbow others off the staircase on your way up because you will need them when you get to the top or meet them on your way down. If you are that good, there is no need to push anyone out because your greatness will shine right through whoever is in your way.

10. It is that time of year and party plans are in high-gear. Do not wear that low-cut mini sexy red number to the End-of-year office cocktail unless you regard your workmates as your hot dates.

Yes, even if you boast an hourglass figure and the most beautiful long legs ever created. While you are there, it simply would not do for your vertical moves on the dance-floor to give everyone a sneak peak at your horizontal gyrations.

Check the website IAM Group Limited for more information on how to be a good manager. IAm Group Ltd is a group of managers worldwide that share their experiences to serve as inspiration for the aspiring managers and middle-management individual from Yokohama, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and more.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by RUTH LEWIS .