July 25, 2013

Things to Think about………………………….

We always hear about ways to succeed, here are ways that may have you on the path to not succeeding

Poor e-mail communication.  This can involve everything from not responding to e-mails to not being aware of how you come across in an e-mail.  “You might be perceived as abrupt or rude, or too long-winded or wordy,” Brooks says. If you have a bad habit of taking too long to check or respond to e-mails, you could miss important meetings or deadlines, cause delays or confusion, or come off as unprofessional.
Social media addiction. Another common path to job loss is the habitual obsession that many employees have with social media, Stearns says. “If you said going on Facebook 20 times a day doesn’t interfere with your work, you’d be lying.” Some companies have taken measures to monitor or limit their employees’ social media use, while others have blocked these sites completely. So beware: spending too much time on social media or other websites not related to your work can cost you your job.
Bad body language habits. Do you routinely roll your eyes? Do you have a weak handshake? Do you avoid making eye contact? These could all be career killers. “People must understand that actions speak louder than words,” Peplow says. “And the majority of our communication is done through non-verbal cues.” Co-workers, managers or clients may perceive some of your non-verbal communication habits as rude or unprofessional—and these things could eventually have a significant impact on the advancement of your career.
Inattentiveness.  If you’re always distracted—a bad habit that plenty of employees possess—you might fail to properly assess the culture of the workplace, which can be damaging to your career.  “Each workplace has its own culture and style, whether it’s the official or unofficial dress code, the social atmosphere, or the official and unofficial hierarchy,” Brooks says. “Failure to observe the culture and fit in can create tension or mark you as different, and potentially less desirable.”
You’ll also want to be aware of personal habits that might be offensive or distracting to co-workers. “Working in an office setting demands that you be sensitive to co-workers and not behave in a manner which distracts them from their work or makes their work setting uncomfortable,” she adds. “This can run the range from body odor, bringing strong-smelling food to your cubicle, playing music too loudly, telling inappropriate jokes, or using your speaker-phone to make calls.”
Poor grammar. “When you hear someone using poor grammar, slang, or profanity, it translates into believing that person to be uneducated,” says Peplow. Remind yourself that you are not at home, or speaking with friends at a social gathering.  Be on point by always assuming that your boss is in earshot.
Lone wolf syndrome.  Have a habit of always wanting to do things on your own? That won’t work in the office. “While independence is good in some situations or when concentration is needed to get a project done, generally people who are team players experience more success at work,” Brooks says. “Team-playing involves a lot of positive behaviors including giving credit where it is due (that is, not taking credit for work which a colleague did), helping others when possible, doing tasks that aren’t necessarily in your job description, et cetera.” If you’re not seen as a team player, you won’t have the support of your colleagues when problems arise.
Temper tantrums. If you lose your temper, it is assumed that you cannot work well under pressure or handle responsibilities well, Peplow says. “Practice stress reduction techniques like mediation or deep breathing exercises, and never bring personal problems to work.”
Inefficiency. Bad habits like disorganization, wasting time, and being too talkative can make you an extremely inefficient worker. “You may not realize it, but many of your co-workers are there to work, not socialize, and they may not want to be rude to you by breaking off from personal conversations,” Hoover says. You don’t want to become the person your colleagues avoid working with–so, keep the water cooler talk to a minimum, keep your desk organized and don’t spend too much time on non-work-related tasks.
Speaking without thinking. If you’ve got ‘foot-in-mouth’ syndrome, you must control it in the workplace. Saying something inappropriate in a meeting or an e-mail can be detrimental to your career.
Lack of manners. “The most important things are what we learned when we were little,” Peplow says. When you ask for something, say ‘please.’  When someone gives you something, say ‘thank you.’ If you don’t know someone, introduce yourself.  If you need to interrupt someone, say ‘excuse me.’  “Manners are important, so don’t be rude.  And above all, if you don’t have something nice to say…don’t say anything at all,” she says.
These are just a few bad habits that can cause you to be fired, turned down for a job offer, or looked over for that promotion, Peplow says. “Take a look at yourself and ask others about your habits.” And if you do receive any feedback, take it seriously, Brooks adds. “Try to listen to the concern, and take some time to own it without defensively dismissing it.”
“Much of this comes down to communication,” Hoover concludes. “We all have little annoying habits, and top-down communication is really key [in making employees aware of their bad habits]. From there, it’s up to the individual to correct them.”