Top Three Ways to Be Liked By Management and Still Have Friends at Work

You need some suggestions to help you make a good impression on your boss without losing your friends. Here are my top three ideas.

Be a Team Player

In today's economy, we are constantly doing more with less and using fewer people to do it. That means it's more important than ever for everyone on the team to work together to accomplish the work team's goals. What makes for a good team player? A team player is reliable. Showing up late and leaving early, or calling in sick when you're not, create extra work for everyone else. This type of behavior will get you in trouble with your boss and your coworkers. Show up when you're supposed to show up and keep your promises. Let people know that they can count on you to do your part. Be committed to helping your work group and be willing to pitch in and do a little bit extra when required. One very effective way to use this technique is to offer to do some of the "grunt work" for a person that already has the job that you want. While it might be grunt work to them, it could be your opportunity to develop the skill and gain the knowledge needed to get a shot at that job the next time it comes open.

Be Flexible

This goes hand in hand with being willing to pitch in and help. The workplace today is constantly changing and some people find this very difficult to deal with change. Make this your chance to shine! Be eager to accept and learn new ways of doing things. Once you learn the ropes, be on the lookout for new ways to streamline operations and improve your efficiency. Be willing to take on new tasks and be excited when you are asked to help train other employees-that's a sign that your leadership qualities are shining through.

Be Problem Solver

Put yourself in the manager's place... he or she may spend most of the day dealing with customer complaints, putting out fires, solving problems for others. Sure, there are times that you will have to bring a problem in to discuss with your manager. But, stop and think a bit first. Identify two or three possible solutions. Which is the best solution? Why do you think that? Now, you are prepared to present your boss with a potential solution. This shows that you took responsibility for the problem and made an effort to solve it yourself. Even if none of your solutions are chosen, your manager will notice that you took a proactive approach and demonstrated maturity. By taking on more responsibility in your current position, you demonstrate the ability to move up in the organization.

If your new to management and want some team building tips, check out this article: http://soar.swiftlysoar.com/2010/09/04/removing-obstacles-that-impede-employee-perfomance.aspx.

Cynthia J Hanevy, Soar Coaching and Consulting LLC