10 things you should know in order to grow in the corporate world
Practical advice for entry- and mid-level employees
This article is elaborated upon my answer originally in Quora What are 10 things I should know in order to grow in the corporate world?
Work on your people skills. Build a network with purpose and learn how to be diplomatic. Develop patience to deal with a variety of individuals in the organization, some will rub you the wrong way with their mannerisms, some will work too slow or too fast, others may be gunning for your position, while a handful may be exercising ego trips at your expense. Smile often, learn to say hi and make an effort to learn names. Technical expertise alone is rarely sufficient in helping you rise up the ranks.
Tone it down! Flashy, attention-seeking and impulsive personalities risk getting isolated early in the game. This is not freshman year in college. You can be sociable and upbeat but not disruptive, the latter being highly subjective, hence requires cautious calibration on your part. If you are repeatedly signalling ‘look at me’ from the way you talk to the way you dress, you may attract negative attention instead. Fully grasp the culture of not just the company but the floor your are on and the group or team you are in. Especially when starting out, its always best to exhibit self-control and side with neutral behavior. If your personality significantly clashes with the company culture, offering little room to adapt, best to seek employment elsewhere.
Seek responsibility without real-time reward. Take on added responsibility without complaining about the lack of immediate reward for the added responsibility you volunteered to take on. The greater the responsibility the brighter the spotlight on you. Coming across as enterprising and patient will reflect maturity on your part and sooner or later you will begin to separate yourself from the herd.
For complete article visit Medium.
