Steps to build your workplace power

[simplydamon]

Fired, Laid-Off or Forced Out by Richard C. Busse actually has some tips on how to reduce your probability of being let go. The book has twelve recommendations on how to build your workplace power, but I will only be posting a few of them.

Reminder: I am only trying to provide potential resources for our community members. While I am reading the books mentioned in the community, I would recommend that community members get their own copies to get the full amount of information in a book.

Some sample recommendations:
1. Learn to like the people you work with.
2. Don't be afraid to socialize with your boss.
3. Make your co-workers feel good about themselves.
4. Don't broadcast your unhappiness with work at work.

[George]

Yes number 4 is very important to know. I know a couple of people who did this and it had a very bad result. Turns your work place into a unfriendly work place.

[scifi4me2004]

2 on the list have been so hard for me. And unfortunately have proven to not have been successful for me personally. Part of the reason for one may have been I cannot hide my true feelings well.

The first being, like who you work with. Wow that has been so hard for me, and when you look at my actual job(other than Ebay) you won't believe it!! I have old school work ethics, I am from the old school. I am open to the new school, but I cannot change my work ethics. I have tried and it is just not me. One of the areas that has been the hardest is letting go and not feeling compelled to do all of my duties and pick up the slack in completing someone elses. The people I have worked with generally are much younger and don't mind leaving mid day, don't mind not doing all their work, don't mind slacking. And I could go on and on, but I won't. I have found it hard to respect their work ethics.

At this time I have not worked anywhere in this area that has been different. I continue to run into the same situations. I have often wondered if it was me that stays the same and that is why this keeps occurring. Socializing with your boss was such a no no in the old days. Oh my word. But nowadays things are more relaxed and I applaud that. It is nice to see your boss on a human level. I did however have an experience that actually ended up causing me great pains at work a few yrs ago. I went out for a drink with my boss and another coworker(female) and after a couple drinks he loosened up and became rather flirtatious. Now this was a side I had never seen and actually liked, a lot! We all had a great time, dancing and laughing and finally bidding each other a goodnight. Monday morning his wife began calling, questioning if I knew where he had been friday night. Nope I didn't. He came into work wanting me to actually lie about his whereabouts friday night, which I hesitated to do. My hesitation caused me a promotion as the other gal didn't hesitate at all and lied away. There after most everything was downhill and I soon moved on to another department.

Socializing has worked better for me socializing with the boss and many coworkers, such as a holiday party:)

I think some things overall may work better in more diversely populated areas. There is a lot of nepotism in this area, which makes for a very difficult work environment.