Rules For Getting Ahead
by Connie Glaser
Best-selling author and keynote speaker Connie
Glaser is one of the country's leading experts on gender communication and women
in leadership . Exploring communication differences
between men and women, Connie offers corporate seminars on effective communications
and overcoming barriers to leadership.
Women are inclined to play by the rules. But all the rules of your company
aren't listed in the employee handbook. Nor will you find them at the new
employee orientation session. What are the real "rules" for getting
ahead?
Here are some insider tips that should help put you on the fast track at
work:
-- Create visibility for yourself. Volunteer for a committee. Give a presentation.
Develop a brochure or public-relations packet for your operation. Write an
article for the company newsletter, your local newspaper or a trade journal.
Run for office in an organization related to your line of work. Volunteer
to give a workshop in your area of expertise.
-- Find a mentor who is visible and with whom you can increase your visibility
by association. Good mentors will not only introduce you to key players in
your organization, they'll also serve as excellent sources of inside information.
Furthermore, a new study of women executives shows that women with mentors
get more promotions faster.
Join a womens network. This will give you a chance to pass your business
card around to other women and make important contacts. You'll also learn
about job opportunities.
Stay in touch with colleagues you meet at meetings and conventions as well
as those you've worked with in the past. Periodically, send them information
you think might interest them, and call on them for ideas when you have a
problem you can't solve.
Read trade journals to stay on top of what's going on in your field. When
you come across an article that is particularly informative, send a copy
of it to your boss with a short note saying, "Thought you’d enjoy
reading this."
Find out what makes your organization tick. Get involved in interdepartmental
discussion groups or committees. Invite someone from another department or
division to lunch. Make good contacts on every level of your organization.
Make yourself indispensable; create a niche for yourself by volunteering
for a job nobody else wants.
Take advantage of corporate training opportunities offered both on the job
and off. And if you take a course offered by your company, be sure to write
a thank-you note to your boss briefly summarizing what you got out of the
program. Also, volunteer to train others with the information you received.
Be your own publicity agent when you've accomplished something. Send out
press releases describing you achievements to your local newspapers.
Take on challenges. If someone asks you to tackle a tough project, don't
say, "I can't do that" or "I've never done that." Give
it your best shot. Others believe in you because you've given them a reason
to. Believe in yourself!
Keep a weekly log of your achievements. Use it to update you resume and
to cite your accomplishments during job interviews and performance appraisals.
When someone compliments you for a job well done, ask her to put it in writing.
Then keep a file of letters you can refer to when you need references --
or when your self-esteem is sorely in need of a boost.
