How to Succeed At Work

Nancy worked at a large financial company that was infamous for frequent lay-offs. Yet, Nancy was still there after 20 years.

When people were laid off, she was like Teflon. Employees came and went, but Nancy remained. And, yet, she worked in a department vulnerable to lay-offs -- Marketing.

What was Nancy's secret? I got to know her well, and, in this blog, I will share the secrets of her success. Some of them may be hard to execute. But, if you do so, you may have a higher chance of success at work.

-- Nancy didn't get involved in office politics. While others huddled together to vent about this boss or that colleague, Nancy stayed neutral. She was friendly to everyone, but showed no favorites.

-- She kept a clear boundary between work and private life. When people chatted, Nancy would join in -- but share very little. She'd say, "My husband and I had a great meal in the city at that new Italian place. The lasagne was amazing," rather than, "My husband and I had a horrible argument this weekend. I don't know how much more of this marriage I can take."

--Nancy was supportive of her coworkers. But she didn't join in on gossip or badmouthing. So if someone came to her tearful because the manager belitted her, Nancy didn't say, "That happened to me too. He is the worst." Instead, she'd respond, "I'm so sorry to hear that. Just take a break for a little while and try not to think about it." Again, neutrality.

--She didn't fall into a common trap that supervisors set when they ask, "How do you like the job?" or "Tell me honestly what you like and don't like about this company," or "What do you think we do right here and wrong?

While these questions seem innocuous, the truth is that most managers don't want to know -- and can retaliate against you if you tell the truth. Knowing this, Nancy would answer positively and vaguely, "I'm really happy to be working here. It's a great environment, and I learn something everyday."

If pushed to give some more feedback, she might say something nonthreatening, such as, "It might be good to have a meeting with the new staff to introduce everyone to them."

(For more information on that topic, see my blog, "(Don't) Tell Me How You Really Feel.")

--Nancy would remain polite and positive at meetings. She didn't talk over the managers or contradict them. While she might offer a suggestion or two, it was always offered sensitively and delicately.

I hope that these suggestions give you food for thought. If you try them, you may not be immune to problems at your job, or even lay-offs. But, if Nancy is any example, it may work for you.