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8 Ways Your Telling Your Boss You Don't Want to be There, US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

Here are a few quotes from me from an article in US News and World Report on bad behaviors that could get you fired.  The link to the  full "rockin" great article by Laura Mcmullen is below the quotes. This topic inspired my blog post below this one, "Ten Behaviors that can get you fired."

You’re tweeting and texting and browsing and shopping – when you should be working. Yes, people sometimes notice when you scroll through Facebook​, add items to your virtual shopping cart or hunch over your smartphone. And speaking of that addicting iPhone, stop checking it during meetings. Seriously. doing so doesn’t make you look important; it kind of makes you look like a jerk. At the very least, don’t set the smartphone or tablet on the table during the meeting, says ​Patti Wood, body language and communication expert​. Doing so is “almost like bringing your 3-year-old to work with you,” she says. “You’re saying: This is important to me. It’s right by my side, and if this distracts me in any way, it’s more important than you are.” And yes, you may feel like whatever you’re doing on the phone is more important than whoever is talking. But Wood points out: “[Your boss] doesn’t know if you’re playing Candy Crush or checking your email from a big client. And they usually assume the worst.”

7. You’re being silent. Wood says silence comes in many forms, such as not picking up the phone to make that client call, not speaking up in meetings or not responding to an email. ​She points out that while you know in your head why you’re remaining silent – you plan to make the call tomorrow; you were feeling under the weather during that meeting; you’re gathering your thoughts before sending the email – the people receiving the silent treatment will probably not be so generous. “Typically people always assume the worst, so they will make up reasons,” she says, and those reasons may not be so flattering, like laziness or unprofessionalism. Don’t leave any room for assumptions. Speak up and engage.

8. You’re not engaging with other people in the office. It’s simple: Say "hello" to your team when you arrive to work, and say "goodbye" when you leave. Give the nod and “howyadoin'?” when you pass your boss in the hallway. Small talk isn't as small as you may think, Wood says. You give your time when you stop and ask about someone's weekend plans. And "time is a communicator of respect," she points out. You don’t have to chat it up or treat every day at the office like a networking event​, but simply extending common courtesies goes a long way, Weisman and Wood say. And the reverse is true, too. Your co-workers and manager likely notice if you skip these niceties every day. “People don’t feel recognized; they don’t feel connected to you,” Wood says. “And whatever your motivation is, people aren’t going to know that.” So if you’re shy, distracted or, in fact, miserable at work, suck it ​up and at least say, "Hi!"



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.