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Table of Contents
Chapter 13 Manage Your Career
I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.
Helen Keller
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lao-
A Shining Star
In the morning, Jackson gives a lot of thought to what he is going to wear to work. Not only does he want to look nice, but he also finds that clients respect him more and look to him for answers when he dresses up. His company has a casual policy, but Jackson always wears at least dress pants and a button-
Another thing Jackson does for career success is to have an awareness of his power position. To create a stronger power position, Jackson is helpful to his colleagues, has a positive attitude, shows his problem-
Jackson’s manager says he is a prime candidate for a promotion. He is dedicated, commits himself to client satisfaction, and tries to continuously learn new things. When a deadline is looming, Jackson stays late to help his colleagues finish projects. Jackson always recognizes people’s contributions to the organization. Jackson epitomizes someone who is emotionally intelligent, which in turn, creates better relationships and thus more career opportunities.
Like Jackson, you can do many things to achieve career success, no matter what career you choose. It is impossible to achieve career success without human relations skills. This chapter will discuss some of the strategies, such as understanding power positions, dealing with change, and dressing and networking that can help propel anyone to have positive human relations and high emotional intelligence, which are both ingredients to career success.
13.1 Career Growth: Power Positioning and Power Sources
Learning Objective
1.Apply power positioning techniques to your career.
Remember our ongoing discussion on emotional intelligence skills and their necessity for career success? Here is how emotional intelligence skills tie into our chapter on career success.
Throughout this book, we have discussed the factors that create good human relations with our work relationships and personal relationships. When you started reading this book, you learned how your personality, attitude, and self-
•The importance of emotional intelligence when relating to other people, both professionally and personally.
•Understanding diversity, and how our own diversity and that of others could impact our human relations.
•How to work in teams, as working on a team is a mainstay of the workplace, and working with others is required in most jobs and careers.
•Communication styles—both ours and others can impact how we relate to people and how they relate to us.
•Handling conflict in the workplace. The ability to handle conflict in a constructive manner ensures our ability to manage our relations with others.
•People respect others who are ethical; therefore, making ethical decisions can assist us in creating good relationships with others.
•Having an understanding of human motivation can give us perspective into how others “tick,” allowing us to handle our relationships better.
•Knowing what it means to have personal success can create happiness—which leads to better human relations skills.
•The ability to make sound decisions relates to human relations, in that these skills can help us think logically and not emotionally, which can improve how we relate to others in group decision making. Knowing how to make sound decisions also relates to conflict management and the ability to handle conflict in group decision-
•Managing stress so it doesn’t create negative human relations with others.
With an understanding and practice in all of these areas, we can become successful people in our careers. This is the focus of the chapter—the skills it takes to be productive individuals through positive human relations. The first step is developing an understanding of how we can use power both at work and in our personal life.
Understanding power and power structure in our organizations can assist us in being more successful in our career. PowerRefers to our ability to influence others and convince them to do what we want them to do. refers to our ability to influence others and convince them to do what we want them to do. Power is different than influence, in that influenceThe application of the power we have to get people to do what we want them to do. is the application of the power we have to get people to do what we want them to do. Although it may seem this only applies to managers, we all use power in a variety of ways, both in our personal and professional lives. For example, Abbey may use her power to convince Amy they should have sushi for dinner tonight, but that doesn’t mean that Amy thinks it is the right thing to do. It isn’t until Abbey uses her influence that Amy agrees to eat sushi. Please keep in mind that power is not a negative thing if used in the correct way. Power and influence, ultimately, are what allow things to get done in our organizations.Mind Tools Website. (n.d.). French and Raven’s five forms of power, accessed March 12, 2012, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_56.htm Whether or not we are leaders in our organization, power can come in many forms. A study by John French and Bertram Raven in 1959 identified the ways leaders can influence others.French, J. R. P., & Raven, B. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright & A. Zander (Eds.). Group dynamics. New York: Harper & Row. They include the following:
1. Reward power. Reward power refers to a person’s ability to present the receiver some type of reward, should they do something in return. For example, a manager may use raises or praise. If John wants to reward his employees, he might use reward power by offering them a bonus if they meet certain sales goals. John, as a parent, may promise dessert if his son finishes his dinner.
2. Coercive power. Coercive power refers to the power of someone to punish someone should they not do something the person wants them to do. For example, John may say, “If you don’t meet the sales goal, you will have to look for another job.” This type of power is focused on punishment rather than rewards. As a parent, John may tell his son he will be grounded if his son does not do what is asked.
3. Legitimate power. This type of power refers to the ability to make another feel obligated or responsible. Because John’s title is manager, for example, this gives him the power or the right to make certain decisions. This can be powerful at first, but over time it can become less important if trust does not exist. Have you ever heard your Mom say, “Because I said so,” without further explanation? This is an example of legitimate power. The mother has the power simply because she is the mother.
4. Expert power. Sometimes people have power because they have a lot of knowledge or are known as experts in a certain area. John, for example, might use expert power by saying, “I know you can meet the sales goal because I was able to meet this same sales goal last year.” Because John is an expert salesperson, his employees respect his abilities and this respect gives him power. If John is using expert power with his son when teaching him to play baseball, he might tell his son about the years of experience he has had playing the sport—therefore, John’s son is motivated to listen to him.
5. Referent power. Referent power is often referred to as charisma, charm, or appeal. This type of power comes from one person respecting and liking another, so they are willing to do what the leader says. For example, if John’s employees really like and respect him, his source of power is the fact that people want to do what he says. If John is a convincing person with charisma, he may also use his power to convince his friends to go to the movie he wants to see.
Again, we feel it is important to point out there is nothing wrong with utilizing power to make things happen; the concern is when an individual is power-
Figure 13.1
Managers may use various types of power depending on the person they are trying to influence. This figure shows some of the strategies used for influence.
Source: David Kipnis et al., “Patterns of Managerial Influence: Shotgun Managers, Tacticians, and Bystanders,” Organizational Dynamics 12, no. 3 (New York: American Management Association, 1984), 62.
As mentioned earlier, the idea of “power” often seems negative, but we can use power in an appropriate way when getting ahead in our organizations. This is called power positionThe use of power in an appropriate way when getting ahead in an organization.. Power position comes from the concept of feng shui, where the power position is the physical position in the room for a business meeting. In this position, the person can see all entrances to the room and is seated against a wall. Because of this, they are said to be the center of attention and thus in the power position. Our meaning here refers to your ability to use conscientious techniques that can lead to personal and professional organizational growth; these also happen to be the characteristics needed for career success, and we can tie into emotional intelligence. Techniques that may help increase your power position at work include the following:
1. Be authentic. Be yourself. Stay true to your values and those things you find important.
2. Refuse to let people push your buttons. This can result in conflict, which does not increase your position power. Make an effort to try and get along with others.
3. Develop esteem and confidence. Esteem and confidence will give you the ability to take on difficult tasks, help others, and contribute to the organization.
4. Be a team player. Do all the things necessary to be part of a team. Get along with and help others. Helping others shows leadership, ability, and good citizenship. It can put you in a position of not only earning the respect of others but also showing your value to the organization.
5. Be someone that makes others feel good. Make others feel good when they are around you—for example, by being genuinely interested in them.
6. Develop your communication skills. Work on your written, oral, and nonverbal language skills. Learn to read and understand others’ body language.
7. Be visible in the workplace. Don’t take credit for others’ work, but do take credit for your own work. Choose high-
8. Don’t complain. Unless you can also provide a solution, don’t offer a complaint!
9. Be goal oriented and willing to take risks. Focus on goal setting personally and professionally. Show managers and colleagues how you can help them meet goals.
10. Have positive psychological capital. There are four aspects to positive psychological capitalFour aspects to positive psychological capital include hope, self-
The Five Bases of Power
(click to see video)
This somewhat silly (with typos) video shows the types of power.
In addition to the techniques, we can think about position power as a set of behaviors we exhibit on a daily basis. These five behaviors can help us increase our power position at work. We can think about the acronym POWER to remember these behaviors:Dawson, J. (2007–8) What good leaders do. ADI Performance website, accessed March 13, 2012, http://www.adiperformance.com/08/pub_article03.html
• Positive approach. Having a positive approach to everything can help increase your power position. Avoiding rumors, gossip, and other negative behaviors can gain the trust of others.
• Open. Being open to others, new ideas, and people can help increase your power position.
• Willingness. The willingness to do things different, try something new, and take risks can increase your power position.
• Employing. Employing things like tact, common courtesies, humor, patience, and emotional intelligence skills can increase your position power.
• Remembering. Know your purpose, set goals, and always do your best.
Having an understanding of the types of power and how to improve your own power position at work can increase your human relations at work and, therefore, your success—and probably make work more enjoyable, too!
Key Takeaways
•Power refers to our ability to influence others and convince them on what to do. This is different from influence, which is the application of our power to get people to do what we want them to do. In other words, power is our ability, while influence allows us to move someone to action.
•Someone who is power-
•Our power position can help us achieve career success. Our power position refers to the use of our own power to get ahead in organizations.
•Power positioning can be done using a variety of methods, but specific techniques and behaviors can be used to up our power position. For example, the POWER method refers to behaviors we can exhibit to increase our power position. They include positive approach, openness, willingness, employing things like tact and social skills, and remembering our purpose and goals.
Exercise
1.In a small group, discuss examples you or your team members have experienced relating to each of the sources of power. The discussion can be examples from past or present work experience, school, or home life. Compile a list and then present to the rest of the class.
13.2 Career Growth: Behaviors and Change
Learning Objective
1.Describe how you can be promoted in your current or future organization.
Since this chapter is all about professional growth, it makes sense to discuss planning strategies used by people who want to further their careers. Each of these involves and requires emotional intelligence skills discussed in Chapter 2 "Achieve Personal Success" and throughout the book. Having emotional intelligence skills, as you may recall, is even more important than having a high IQ.Goleman, D. (n.d.). Emotional intelligence. New York Times, accessed May 23, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/g/goleman-
How to get promoted must be one of the questions managers are asked the most. Often earning a promotion or movement into a higher level is dependent on not only one’s skills and abilities but also certain behaviors. According to Long Yun Siang of Career Success for Newbies,Siang, L. Y. (2006). How to get promoted. Career Success for Newbies, accessed March 13, 2012, http://www.career-
1. Perform self-
2. Keep your eye on the goals. Where do you want to be and how do you get there? Remember our chapter on goal setting? Now is the time to apply those ideas! Using SMART objectives (Chapter 2 "Achieve Personal Success"), determine where you want to be in the short, medium, and long term. Then create objectives that will help you meet those goals.
3. Put pride, passion, and belief in everything you do. People who get promoted have pride in their work; they enjoy what they are doing and have genuine enthusiasm. They work toward their own goals but also the goals of the company and of the department.
4. Back it up with skills, knowledge, and direction. Do what needs to be done to acquire skills. Take seminars and workshops and attend conferences. Make sure you continually update your skills.
5. See challenges as opportunities. Avoid complaining and look at things to overcome as ways to improve your skills but also to show others you are capable of solving problems.
6. Understand your role in helping the organization achieve goals. Be a team player to understand what you must do to help the rest of the department and organization achieve.
7. Do your best and do more than necessary. Volunteer for more work or projects, and take initiative. Look at how you can solve problems for the manager.
8. Do work from the next level up. Continue to do your own work, but try to take on assignments that may be “above your pay grade” or above your normal expected workload. This shows you are capable of the position you want.
9. Understand the importance of networking. Much of the business done today happens through networking.Fox News. (2008, June 3). The importance of networking, accessed May 21, 2012, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,362704,00.html Networking events are where we can meet new clients, friends, and employers. They might include events through your local chamber of commerce, charity functions, and professional organization conferences and events. The ability to stay in touch with people we meet at events has never been easier through the use of technology. Building relationships with others takes time but also is worthwhile. People you meet today may be a future employer or client one year from now. Networking can also help us find mentors and gain new insights into our industry.
Besides understanding the skills, attitudes, and abilities needed for promotion, learning how to handle change is a great way to earn a promotion and obtain career success. We discussed change in Chapter 2 "Achieve Personal Success"; because it’s necessary both from a personal and career perspective, it is good to discuss it here from a career approach. Oftentimes, people get too comfortable in their job, which does not allow them to move upwardly within the organization. We know that change is a continual process, and the more comfortable we can get, the better, especially to experience continued success at work. But why do people avoid change in their careers or jobs and why would they avoid taking on more responsibility to obtain a promotion? Figure 13.2 gives some examples.
Figure 13.2
When considering making a career change, whether it be to move to a different company or to earn a promotion, there are many reasons why people may be afraid of such a change.
It is important to identify the reasons why you may avoid change. When we identify them and our behaviors, we can begin to understand why we behave the way we do, which is a key component to self-
Key Takeaways
•Part of career success is making sure you know how to increase your power position and having an awareness of your attitude and personality.
•There are three main aspects to optimizing career success: planning, attitude, and action. Examples include being willing to go above and beyond your job description and having a specific path you know you want to reach. Besides goal setting, having a positive, can-
•Besides attitude and personality, career promotion means being uncomfortable with possible changes. People resist change because of fear of job security, the unknown, and failure; their individual personality; and bad past experiences with change.
Exercises
1.Go to http://images.barnesandnoble.com/pimages/resources/pdf/Change_Quiz.pdf and take the quiz on change. Then answer these questions:
1.Based on your results, what are some things you could do to improve your resistance to change?
2.Why do you think the abilities to deal with change and with job promotion are so closely tied?
2.Discuss each of the personality ways to obtaining a promotion. If you were a manager, how important do you think these are? Which would be the most important to you?
13.3 Career Growth: Impression Management
Learning Objective
1.Be able to explain etiquette aspects that can help you achieve career success.
Perhaps the most important components to career success are how we manage our reputation and the impression we give to others both in person and online. Learning how to manage our reputation can be a key ingredient to developing good human relations, which often results in career success. Although much of this will be a review, it is important to discuss key elements to making a good impression in a professional environment.
Introductions
An introduction to a person is possibly one of the most important aspects to etiquette. This nonverbal behavior can send positive or not-
1. Firm handshake. A firm handshake shows self-
2. Web to web. When you shake someone’s hand, put your right hand out and the web of skin between your thumb and pointer finger should touch the web of the other person. Try to avoid grabbing someone’s fingers when shaking hands, as this could send a negative message.
3. Eye contact. As you shake the person’s hand, make direct eye contact. This can be challenging for some people who grew up in a culture where direct eye contact would be considered rude. Make sure to smile.
4. Say your name and repeat the other person’s name. As you are making eye contact and shaking hands, you might say something like, “Hi, my name is Laura Portolese Dias. It is a pleasure to meet you.” When they say their name, make sure to repeat it, which will make it easier to remember. In fact, if they give you a business card, perhaps write down some of the things you discussed. This way, when you meet again, you are more likely to connect their name with a personal or professional interest.
5. Introducing two people. If you know two people and are introducing them, say both people’s names and try to tell them something they have in common they can discuss. For example, “Casey, meet Ms. Robins. Both of you went to the University of Washington-
A handshake should be firm but not too firm. The web of the other person’s hand should touch yours, as to avoid shaking someone’s fingers!
© Thinkstock
Good handshakes and introductions are important, but they also take practice. Often, people are too worried about the impression they are making to focus on their handshake, eye contact, and other aspects. The more comfortable you can get with this, the more second nature it will become and the better your human relations will be!
Why Handshakes?
(click to see video)
This video discusses the importance of handshakes.
Dining Out
Often a time will come when you must have a business dinner with your supervisor or colleagues. When we dine alone or with our family, sometimes we do not pay as much attention to table manners as we should. Showing you have proper table manners in a business setting not only conveys high emotional intelligence but also can create positive relationships with others. Let’s discuss this as if we are starting a dinner from the beginning.
Sometimes the amount of dinnerware can be overwhelming! For forks, use the last one out and work your way in. Make sure the napkin goes on your lap. Also be aware, your bread and butter plate will always be on your left, while your glasses will be on your right.
First, it would be proper to make sure the host is seated before you sit. Unless the host is male, in which case he would wait until all females are seated until he takes his seat. Likewise, in any situation, such as a job interview, you should never sit unless invited. Next, you will want to put the napkin on your lap. Avoid wiping your face or nose with the napkin. If you need to get up, leave the napkin on either side of your plate.
Try to order within the same price range as your host. Never order the most expensive menu item. Also avoid ordering alcohol unless the host is ordering it, and even then, never drink more than your limit in a business situation. When food is served, you should not begin eating until everyone has received their food.
Any food dish on the left is yours; any glass that is yours is on the right. Most silverware is set so the one you will use first is on the outside, and you work your way in. For example, the appetizer fork might be on the outside, then the salad fork, then the dinner fork. When you are finished with your meal, rest the silverware crosswise on your plate to indicate you are done.
Silverware resting together indicates to the server that you are finished with your meal.
If you are in a situation where food should be passed, always pass from left to right. Avoid reaching past people’s plates to get something. If someone asks you for salt and pepper, always pass both together, even if both were not requested. It goes without saying, but don’t talk with your mouth full or play with food on your plate. If you don’t like something, try to take a few bites, but it is ok to leave food. If you have special dietary restrictions—for example, if you are a vegetarian—don’t make a big deal out of it and just avoid eating those things you wouldn’t normally eat.
Always say please and thank you to anyone who does something for you, such as refilling your water or removing your plate. These basic manners can go a long way in showing politeness.
When the check comes and there is no obvious host, reach for it. If there is an obvious host, such as your supervisor had told everyone he was going to take the department to dinner, it is fine not to reach for the check. If people are splitting the check, it is normal to split it evenly, unless of course people had significantly different-
Clothing
Dress is another consideration with etiquette. Dress will vary greatly from region to region. For example, in the Seattle area, it is normal for many people to wear jeans to work, while in other parts of the country, this would be considered inappropriate. When deciding what to wear, it is always best to be a bit overdressed than underdressed. For job interviews, jeans or shorts would rarely, if ever, be acceptable. Normally in job interviews, dressing one “step up” from what people wear at the company is a good rule of thumb.
Showing too much skin or revealing tattoos or facial piercings in some work environments may prevent upward movement in a company, as it sends the wrong message to your boss, or future boss (fair or not). In a study by Peter Click, women in high-
Technology
Looking at your phone while talking with someone is the same thing as turning your back to them in the middle of a conversation.
Another important thing to mention is the use of technology. Although many people do it, the increased use of technology has actually made people more rude; according to an Intel survey, 9 of 10 Americans report they’ve seen others misuse technology and 75 percent agree that mobile etiquette is worse than it was a year ago.Bruzzese, A. (2011, March 27). Technology increases rudeness quotient. TribLive Business News, accessed March 15, 2012, http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_729376.html Here are some examples of basic etiquette when it comes to technology:
•Don’t look at your phone while talking with someone else.
•Don’t use a phone for calls or texts while at the dinner table.
•Don’t talk loudly on the phone in a public space.
•Avoid letting “text speak” cross over into e-
•Try to avoid multitasking with your phone in inappropriate places, such as when in the restroom.
•When sending e-
•Use spell-
•Try to answer e-
Another note related to technology is the use of social media and the Internet.
Reputation Management
Many companies pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars every month to monitor and clean up their online reputations. The process of monitoring your online reputation is called reputation management. Reputation.com, one of hundreds of firms that specializes in “fixing” online reputations, has become popular for companies looking to enhance their online image. Reputation management isn’t just for companies—individuals are using these services to make unflattering things on the Internet about them disappear.Tozzi, J. (2008, April 30). Do reputation management services work? Businessweek, accessed May 22, 2012, http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2008/sb20080430_356835.htm
Anything posted on the Internet, from a picture on Facebook to a comment on a blog, will be in cyberspace indefinitely. Consider the case of a New York professor. Eight years earlier, he had been charged with receiving grant money wrongfully. If you googled his name, you would find a press release listing this charge as one of his name’s top search results, even though he had paid the $2,000 fine.Bilton, N. (2011, April 1). Erasing the digital past. New York Times, accessed May 22, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/fashion/03reputation.html?pagewanted=all Not exactly something he would want a potential or current employer to see! This is exactly why it is important in career development to be aware of the kinds of things you post—whether you are looking for a job or already have a job. For example, thirteen Virgin Airlines employees were fired for a chat they had on Facebook about the plane’s safety, along with negative comments about customers.Bloomberg News. (2008, November 1). Facebook chat gets 13 Virgin Airlines employees fired, accessed March 22, 2012, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/facebook-
Websites that allow for professional networking can be a great tool but can also be detrimental. For example, BG, a natural gas company, had an employee post his resume on LinkedIn and clicked the “job seeker” box. When his employer saw this, he was fired for expressing interest in other job opportunities, along with his posting of disparaging comments about his employer.Nichols, S. (2012, January 5). Employee challenges dismissal after posting CV on LinkedIn. V3 Technology News, accessed May 21, 2012, http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-
So how exactly can you monitor your online reputation? Here are some tips:
•Google yourself often and see what the search results return.
•Consider changing your privacy settings in Facebook, so people you are not friends with cannot view your profile.
•Change your Facebook setting so you must approve posts that “tag” you.
•Be aware of your company’s policy on posting resumes on websites like LinkedIn.
•Do not talk about work on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media site.
•Never mention your company name on social media sites.
Managing your online reputation can make sure that when an employer or potential employer sees your online persona, they are seeing the side you want them to see. It will show them that you represent the company in a positive light, which can enhance career success.
Your Personal Online Brand
(click to see video)
This video discusses the importance of managing your online reputation.
General Etiquette for Career Success
We should discuss other parts to etiquette that would be considered general politeness and show professionalism, both skills that create positive relationships with others. Some of these include the following:
•Be on time for appointments. If you can’t be on time, call if you will be more than five minutes late.
•RSVP when people send an invitation.
•Always use please and thank you.
•Always send thank you notes when someone goes out of their way for you.
•Apologize if you make a mistake.
•Always bring a gift, wine, or flowers to the host when dining at another person’s home.
•Hold the door—whether you are male or female—if you get to the door first.
•Make eye contact.
•When given a business card, always look at it before tucking it away. Do not put it in a pocket.
•Avoid hording a conversation. Learn how to ask questions and be interested in what others have to say, too.
•Don’t use swear words in a professional environment.
•Don’t interrupt people.
Understanding and following general etiquette can help boost your career. People who do not have manners may not be as respected, and as a result, they may not be promoted or experience career growth. Etiquette is part of social intelligence skills, which—as we discussed in Chapter 2 "Achieve Personal Success"—are proven to help people attain career success. Speaking of career growth, how does one actually grow in their career? That will be the topic of Section 13.4 "Career Growth: Personality and Strategies".
Key Takeaways
•To ensure career success, there are a few main things to be concerned about. First impressions are important, so having a firm handshake that is web to web is important.
•When meeting someone, shake their hand, look them in the eye, and repeat their name to help you remember their name.
•When dining, there are many etiquette rules. For example, place the napkin on your lap and use the right forks and glasses. Generally speaking, the first forks you will use are farthest from the plate, and then you work your way in. Dinnerware, such as a bread plate, is always on the left and glasses are always on your right.
•Basic commonsense etiquette such as not using the napkin on your face or nose and waiting to begin eating until everyone has their food would be important to consider in dining etiquette.
•The use of technology has increased and so has the rudeness, some studies show. Basic etiquette for phones includes not texting while you are having a face-
•Other things to consider regarding technology might include not copying everyone on an e-
•Make sure to engage in careful consideration before posting comments on social media. This is called reputation management.
•Other tips for etiquette include sending thank you cards (not e-
Exercises
1.Shake the hands of five people you know well. Ask them to give you feedback on your handshake, and then write at least two to three paragraphs about it.
2.Visit a public place such as a mall or restaurant. Observe how people use technology when they are alone and when others are around them. What did you observe? What would be considered rude and what would be considered acceptable and normal behavior? Write four paragraphs on your observations and bring to class to discuss.
13.4 Career Growth: Personality and Strategies
Learning Objectives
1.Be able to explain the personality characteristics that can increase the chances for your personal career growth.
2.Be able to explain why having a mentor can be an important part of your career growth.
While this section doesn’t discuss job searching, resumes, and cover letters (since you do that in other classes), we will discuss tips for developing a career after you already have the job. First, we already know there are some personality characteristics that tend to be required for career success. Please note that this is different than behaviors, which we discussed earlier. Personality is a stable set of traits, while behavior is an expression of those traits in different circumstances. Although personality traits tend to be stable over time, we can change our personality traits. For example, Phil’s personality may normally not be career driven and motivated. This could come out in the way he relates to others in his organization. But suppose Phil finds a job he really likes. His behavior can change in that his satisfaction makes him confident, relaxed, and able to work well in teams. So sometimes when we change our behavior, our personality can change—and our human relations can change, too.
Some of the personality characteristics for success might include the following:
•Motivated
•Driven
•Good social skills
•Listening
•Reading body language
•Written communication
•Verbal communication
•Ability to make good decisions
•Ability to work with a diverse workforce
•Teamwork
•Handling conflict
•Managing emotions
•Managing stress
•Being ethical
•Positive attitude
•Goal oriented
•Informing your supervisor that you want to grow your career
Of course this list is not exhaustive, but we have discussed many of these throughout the book. But how do you develop these skills? First, being aware of your own need for self-
Why Human Relations?
Human relations skills allow us to better deal with situations and people (us included) who are imperfect. Human relations—and emotional intelligence—has shown to be twice as important to determine excellent performance at work.Goleman, D. (2004, January). What makes a leader? Harvard Business Review, accessed May 23, 2012, http://hbr.org/2004/01/what-
To get better at human relations, we need to hone on our strengths and weaknesses (self-
Sample assessment of strengths and weaknesses:
•I want to improve e-
•I tend to be impatient and protective of my time. Because of this personality trait (Chapter 1 "What Is Human Relations?"), I can sometimes come across as too demanding to others.
•I want to improve the way I deal with difficult team or group situations (Chapter 7 "Work Effectively in Groups"), so I don’t get so angry when things don’t go the way I want.
•Improve conflict management skills. My emotions run too high when there is conflict and disagreement. I want to improve this skill, because I know effective skills will allow me to resolve situations and move forward in my relationships (Chapter 9 "Handle Conflict and Negotiation").
•A strength is my ability to solve problems (Chapter 8 "Make Good Decisions") in a logical manner. I will continue to employ logical thinking in the decisions I make and teach others to do the same through the example I set.
•A strength is my understanding and appreciation of cultural differences. I understand people may behave differently from me based upon their background (Chapter 10 "Manage Diversity at Work"). Because I know this, I am comfortable in a wide variety of work environments. I will continue to develop this skill by reading about other cultures and traveling to experience the culture firsthand.
•A strength is my willingness to help team members. I try to always go above and beyond to assist someone who may lack skills that I have (Chapter 7 "Work Effectively in Groups"). I will make an effort to continually do this, even if it isn’t convenient.
This example shows how you might assess your own strengths and weaknesses in relation to your own human relations. As we know from this chapter, first acknowledging the need to further develop, then making efforts to improve the skills are the first steps to a positive human relations—and a successful career.
Soon, you will be taking final exams, working on final projects, and moving on to the next set of classes—or maybe a new career. Don’t think of your journey for improving emotional intelligence skills as ending; really, it is just beginning. As you begin the process of self-
Why Have a Mentor?
(click to see video)
Stone-
One of the ways we can develop the skill of recognizing your strengths and weaknesses is to utilize a mentor. A mentorSomeone who is a trusted counselor or teacher. is someone who is a trusted counselor or teacher. Sometimes, companies have formal mentorship programs. Often, though, the best mentorships come from relationships that form over time. For example, when Paul started working at Ascent Corporation, he knew he wanted to move up the company ranks but didn’t know how. When Paul was put on a project with Beth, a managing director, he knew that he wanted to talk with her to find out how she made it to that position. Paul felt nervous approaching Beth at first because she was so busy. But he decided to take the risk and invited her to have coffee after their meeting. After that, they began to speak weekly and Beth took an interest in helping Paul in his career. Together, the two worked to develop strategies and objectives for Paul’s career. When he had questions about his career path, she helped him. When a position opened up, Beth coached Paul on the interview and he was promoted.
Make sure you continue learning. Taking seminars and courses can help make you more marketable in your field. Since most fields change on a regular basis, we must continually update our skills to build upon what we already know and learn new things.
Key Takeaways
•There are many personality characteristics that can help someone be successful at work. They include learning how to manage emotions, being ethical, and learning how to deal with stress.
•Other factors to career success might include the ability to set goals, make decisions, and deal with conflict.
•Knowing which of these things you are good at and which need work is an important part to making sure you continually grow professionally and personally.
•Getting a mentor, that is, someone who can guide you through your career, is also a valuable tool for making sure you experience career growth.
•Continually learning is another way to grow in your career. Make sure you stay updated on new technologies and discoveries in your field. This can happen through formal training courses or reading publications from your industry.
Exercises
1.Looking at the list of personality characteristics for success in this section, rate yourself on a scale from one to ten, with ten being your strongest areas. Once you rate yourself, look at the three lowest areas. Create specific goals and objectives that will help you overcome these weaknesses.
2.List at least three possible mentors for you, and then discuss how you might approach each one to ask about his or her availability to mentor you.
13.5 Chapter Summary and Case
Chapter Summary
•Power refers to our ability to influence others and convince them on what to do. This is different from influence, which is the application of our power to get people to do what we want them to do. In other words, power is our ability, while influence allows us to move someone to action.
•Someone who is power-
•Our power position can help us achieve career success. Our power position refers to the use of our own power to get ahead in organizations.
•Power positioning can be done using a variety of methods, but specific techniques and behaviors can be used to up our power position. For example, the POWER method refers to behaviors we can exhibit to up our power position. They include positive approach, open, willingness, employing things like tact and social skills, and remembering our purpose and goals.
•Part of career success is making sure you know how to increase your power position, but it is also having an awareness of your attitude and personality.
•There are three main behavioral aspects to optimizing career success: planning, attitude, and action. Examples include being willing to go above and beyond your job description and having a specific path you know you want to reach. Besides goal setting, having a positive, can-
•To ensure career success, there are a few main things one should be concerned about. First impressions are important, so having a firm handshake that is web to web is important.
•When meeting someone, shake their hand, look them in the eye and repeat their name to help you remember it.
•When dining, there are many etiquette rules—for example, placing the napkin on your lap and using the right forks and glasses. Generally speaking, the first forks you will use are farthest from the plate, and then you work your way in. Dinnerware, such as a bread plate, is always on the left and glasses are always on your right.
•Basic commonsense etiquette such as not using the napkin on your face or nose, waiting to begin eating until everyone has their food, and others would be considered important things to consider in dining etiquette.
•The use of technology has increased and so has the rudeness, some studies show. Some basic etiquette rules for phones include not texting while you are having a face-
•Other things to consider regarding technology might include not copying everyone on an e-
•Other tips for etiquette include sending thank you cards (not e-
•Many personality characteristics can help someone be successful at work. They include many topics discussed throughout this book, such as learning how to manage emotions, being ethical, and learning how to deal with stress.
•Other factors to career success might include the ability to set goals, make decisions, and deal with conflict.
•Knowing which of these things you are good at and which need work is an important part to making sure you continually grow professionally and personally.
•Getting a mentor, that is, someone who can guide you through your career is also a valuable tool for making sure you experience career growth.
•Continually learning is another way to grow in your career. Stay updated on new technologies and discoveries in your field. This can happen through formal training courses or reading publications from your industry.
Chapter Case
Robert is a supervisor at a large bottling company. His job includes managing safety and breaks and setting schedules for his twenty-
Robert is an excellent, well-
While Robert wants to be promoted in the organization, he knows he lacks some of the skills needed to do the job, such as the ability to put together budgets. Because of this, he has identified two courses he would like to take to improve his financial skills.
Robert was recently asked to review the operational processes during his shift and excelled at it. In fact, because of the shifts’ awareness, Robert motivated his staff to change some of the procedures to be more cost effective. Since Robert would like a promotion, he knows he should assess his strengths and weaknesses.
1.Consider each of the following topics discussed in this chapter and discuss Robert’s strengths and weaknesses in each of the following areas (making reasonable assumptions is fine). Then create a plan addressing what Robert can do to improve in each area:
1.Power positioning
2.Planning, action, and attitude
3.Etiquette
4.Personality characteristics
5.Mentoring
6.Continual learning
2.Once you complete some ideas for Robert, think about your strengths and weaknesses in each area. Make a plan on how you can improve on each point.
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