4 Smart Workplace Insights I Have Used Over and Over Again   

Throughout my career I have encountered many different managers and mentors.  I found that no one could teach me everything — but everyone could teach me something. So depending on where I was in my career, each piece of advice might not have been relevant at the time, but the good advice always found its way back inside my brain when I needed it.

Here are four particularly great, simple (and dissimilar!) pieces of advice about your career:

1. Getting Promoted Really is About your Current Performance, PLUS Your Ability to Learn and Take on New Tasks  

As a former HR Leader, I can vouch for this one through the company’s perspective, as well as from an employee’s perspective.  If you perform well – i.e. prioritize, put in the effort, and actually achieve measurable results — people will notice, and you will be labeled a good, if not an exceptional performer. However, if on top of that, you also volunteer for new projects or assignments (especially when others shy away), you will be seen as someone who is willing and able to be promoted.  You will also network and actually learn new things that may prove valuable later in your career.

Personally, I have only applied for a few jobs in my career.  Instead, most of the time, I found that if I was performing and volunteering to take on new things, opportunities were presented to me.  So, as an HR Leader, the moment someone came in the door asking for a promotion or a raise, the first question I asked was “Why?”  If there was not a story that included consistent good performance over time with the willingness to do more, I would not support the request.

2. When Traveling, Remember that You Are the Guest in Another City/State/Country 

I have had the wonderful opportunity to both live outside the U.S. and to travel to many countries.  I had a manager once who had lived in many countries all over the world and traveled constantly.  He would often talk about his friendships that he created in many of the places where he had lived and journeyed.

I asked him once how he was able to form such great relationships — and this was the advice that he gave (you will see that the advice, at the core, was about respecting other’s cultures and perspectives): “You wouldn’t want someone coming into your city talking about how it was a miserable place with horrible food, so why would you do that to someone else?” Clearly, besides  the ethical and moral ramifications of this behavior, it is bad business too: in the twenty-first century, we are no longer in a bubble.  The economy is a global one, and offending people will only hurt you in the end.  I have actually seen careers ruined over this, and have been careful not to make the same mistake.

Besides, I have found that there is something to appreciate about every place and culture. So be adventurous and try new things. The best part of traveling is discovering new aspects of different geographies, food, and countries.  But if during your travels you find an aspect you don’t like, keep it to yourself.

3. Keep Up to Date with National and Global Economic and Business News 

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, or what function you have — just don’t be the person at the staff meeting or water cooler who doesn’t know that there is a major event, election, or financial crisis going on somewhere around the world. In today’s age of communication technology, there is no excuse to not be knowledgeable.  I am not saying you need to watch news channels 24/7 and scour through economics or geopolitical books.  However, you need to know enough that you can carry on a conversation and understand, even at a high level, how it could impact your company or industry.

I personally watch the local news while getting ready in the morning, listen to the BBC, CNN, or Business Radio on the way to work, and check online news sites for big stories during the day.  It doesn’t take long to stay informed — and being able to contribute to a conversation will help your reputation and career.

4. Have Fun at Work!  

There is no workplace that is perfect.  You will have to deal with a few people, policies, or practices that you don’t like, regardless of your industry. However, you should enjoy what you do, and who you do it with.  A wise friend of mine once said that life is too short to be miserable.  At the time, I thought they were talking about relationships.  Now I know that applies to every aspect of our lives.

There are days that my job is tough and I get frustrated but, on average, I really love the people I work with, the people I have worked for, and what my company is trying to do for our shareholders and the planet.  I actually like coming into work, and hanging out with these people.  I laugh every day.

If this is not true for you over an extended time, make a change.  I know most of you can’t just quit and walk out the door — but start working today on getting prepared for your next role if you are unhappy.  Just thinking about being in the next job will do wonders for your state of mind.

Also, if you are a manager, incorporate fun into your team’s work.  Having fun improves morale and productivity.  Make time for the team to get to know each other.  Ensure they spend time on things they are passionate about.  Their subsequent engagement and productivity will be your thanks for it.

Work, like life, can be a complex and challenging ride.  This advice, like any other you receive on a daily basis, will only bring value if it is applicable to you, and you use it.  That said, I have found that all of these adages have been of great value to me, and were fairly simple to follow: work hard, respect others, keep informed, and have fun.  Try them; you may find they make your professional ride far more enjoyable and fruitful!