Mega Genius Intelligence Briefing No. 12

Mega Genius

The 20 Rules for Success in Your Job

1. Always begin work on time.

Your employer is paying you for your time. Anytime you are tardy, you are actually stealing from your employer some of the time for which he or she is paying you.

2. Work consistently during company time.

Your employer is also paying you for your energy. You would think it was unfair if your employer paid you less than 100 percent of your agreed-upon wages on payday. Conversely, you owe it to your employer to work 100 percent of the time for which he is paying you.

3. Treat your employer's possessions with respect.

Any machines, devices, tools, or supplies that you break or damage, or utilities that you waste, cost money to replace. That is money that you have depleted and that your company no longer has available for other purposes, including employee benefits.

4. Protect your employer's resources.

Employees who would think it was appalling if their employer stole their belongings sometimes steal equipment or miscellaneous supplies from their company. Doing so is cowardly, subversive, unethical and illegal --- and quite prosecutable. By various means, companies catch and terminate such thieves every day. It is your duty to be a friend to your company, not an enemy.

5. Cultivate friendly relationships with your co-workers.

Unless you are perfect, your boss and your co-workers are putting up with your imperfections. Learn to deal amicably with theirs, too. Anyone can take offense, bicker, ostracize and hold a grudge anytime he chooses. You were not hired to do that. Act petty on your own time, if you must, but always behave professionally at work.

6. Always present a suitable appearance.

Employees are teams, which seldom act any more proficiently than they appear. Just as you appreciate it when your co-workers dress and groom themselves appropriately, so will they appreciate it, and take more pride in their work, when you do.

7. Be supportive of your employer.

Avoid engaging in non-constructive criticism, rumors, gossip, misdirected complaints and other negative activities with any co-worker. Such actions weaken employees' morale and are parasitic to your company's success. Your income depends on your employer's ability to survive and prosper. It is irrational and foolish to bite the hand that feeds you.

8. Be honest with your employer.

It's important that you enjoy your work. An integral part of that enjoyment is maintaining a trustworthy relationship with your employer. Being dishonest with your boss will result in a feeling of separation from him, which will lead to a lesser quality of communication between the two of you. You will then begin to enjoy your job less and blame him for it. Yet he didn't cause your job dissatisfaction; your dishonesty did.

9. When you make a mistake, admit it promptly.

Everyone occasionally makes a mistake. Your boss won't appreciate having to waste time discovering what happened, who did what, and how to rectify the difficulties that resulted from the mistake not being known. He will appreciate an honest and timely admission of responsibility and your respect for his time and energy.

10. Direct any complaint or problem to the proper authority.

If you have a problem or disagreement with your company's procedures, don't waste both your time and the time of others by complaining indiscriminately to your co-workers. Instead, channel your communication about the matter directly to your superior. After all, he is the person who has the ability to actually do something about it.

11. Be fair to your boss.

Your immediate superior has considerable information that you don't have and sees a bigger picture than anyone who works for him. Treat your boss with the respect that his or her position deserves; give him the benefit of any doubt; and, if you disagree with one of his policies or actions, talk it over with him, promptly. The same fairness that you expect from him, you owe to him.

12. Respect your employer's time.

When you need to discuss a problem with your boss, think it through beforehand. Organize your thoughts. Formulate a proposed solution. Condense your presentation. Then when you meet with him, be concise and brief. He will recognize and appreciate your professionalism.

13. Learn to maintain confidentiality.

Sooner or later, almost all employees learn some confidential information. If you then disseminate it indiscriminately, you can bet that you will hurt yourself. (If you didn't think it was important enough to keep confidential, why should the person you told?) Loose lips not only sink ships, they have been the downfall of many careers.

14. A pat on the back works both ways.

Your employer does much more for you than you probably realize. A simple word of encouragement can mean a great deal to an employee. It works in the reverse, too. When was the last time you thanked your employer for the innumerable things that he has done for you and your co-workers and for helping to keep in place and functioning the company that pays your wages?

15. Learn and abide by your company's policies and procedures.

They exist to prevent difficulties from occurring and to prevent old predicaments from recurring. Unnecessary problems waste a company's resources. Unless you care enough to learn your company's policies and procedures and abide by all of them, you are being part of the problem.

16. Keep all promises once made.

Effective organizations consist of people who work hand in hand and depend on each other. Whenever you tell a co-worker or customer that you will take an action or follow through on something, ensure that you do. Organizations self-destruct to the degree that they do not deliver the things they promise.

17. Don't expect your wages to increase if your abilities have not.

Your employer doesn't owe you pay raises just because the Earth revolves. The potential for wage increases relates to a company's profits. Ask for more responsibility; increase your job knowledge; find ways to do your job better and more cost-effectively. Then explain to your employer specifically how you have made yourself into a significantly more valuable employee.

18. Suggest in writing to your company how to cut costs.

If you have learned all of your job responsibilities and have performed effectively for some time, you probably know how to do your job better than anyone else. Because of your knowledge and experience, you can see where money is being wasted or can be saved. Look for it and then share your insight with your employer. If your ideas are workable and adopted by your company, it can only be to your advantage during any subsequent performance review.

19. Maintain a good attitude at work.

Part of the money your employer is paying you is for a consistently courteous, pleasant, and positive attitude. Life is what one makes it. So is each day. Whether you decide you are going to have a good day or a bad day, when your workday is over you will discover that you were right.

20. Always be professional.

One of the greatest secrets to success in any business is to always act professionally. The public purchases the most products and services from those companies that do. Learn to do your job as well as you possibly can and consistently strive to do it better. Then take pride in your ability to do it as well as, if not better than, anyone else. Your job will prosper because of it and, consequently, so will most other aspects of your life.

Mega Genius

8 June 2002

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