 |
Stop Whining and Ask For What You Want!
When you want something, the best way to get it is to make your request in a straightforward and positive way. You should not expect your boss or co-workers to read your mind and know what your expectations and desires are. Nor should you brood about the fact that someone else has not recognized what you think is obvious to everyone.
If it is important to you and you really want it, then bring it to your boss' attention. Here are 8 steps you can take to get your requests granted at work.
How to Succeed at Getting What You Want at Work
Think through your request. Spend some time planning and/or writing what you will say, how you will say it and any anticipated reactions (positive or negative) to your request.
Describe the WIFT (What's In It for Them). Articulate the value of your desired outcome, any benefits that will result, mistakes that will be avoided, or money that will be saved by granting your request.
Be prepared with at least one viable alternative. You should have at least two possible ways your request can be granted-the most desirable solution, and another solution that you could accept. Only offer your alternative solution if it is clear that your original request will not be granted.
Choose constructive and affirmative words to make your request. When asking for something at work, most people tend to start their sentences with negative phrase followed by a but and finally ending with the request. In almost every instance where this is done, the request is not granted.
Make your request simple, concise and direct. Simple to grant, brief and to the point, sincere and straightforward.
Find the right time. Timing is very important. Be alert to your boss' moods, and when he or she may be under a great deal of stress. Avoid making a request when a major deadline is due or you've just made a mistake. Watch your personal timing as well. Steer clear of those times when you are feeling low or overly excited.
Select the right person to grant your request. Make sure that you ask the right person--the one who has the authority to give you what you desire.
Show appreciation. Once your request has been granted, show your appreciation by saying, thank you. Even if it's not your desired outcome, still show your appreciation for what you did receive.
Let's face it, you will not always get what you want, but you may regret it if you don't try. Don't be afraid of a negative response. If it is important enough for you to ask for it, then do some more homework and try again at a more opportune time.
It's essential to keep a positive attitude, balanced perspective, and a high level of performance whether or not you get what you want on the job. Once a decision is made, if it is not your desired outcome, you should accept it and refrain from whining and complaining. As you do this, you demonstrate professional maturity--a very attractive competency indeed!
Althea DeBrule, entrepreneur and seasoned human resources executive, has focused for more than 30 years on helping people achieve their career goals. Creator of The Extreme-Career-Makeover? and a founding partner of RADSGroup Organizational Consultants, she is recognized for her bottom line and practical application of career development and management strategies in a way that penetrates hearts and compels action. She speaks and teaches with inspired talent, humor and contagious zeal at management conferences and leadership retreats nationwide, and has been featured in CFO Magazine, Strategy@Work, Human Resource Executive Magazine. Althea is the author of Bosses & Orchards, a compelling and candid book about how to make your work relationship with your boss succeed. To discover how you can take your career to a new level, visit http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/
|
|
|
|
CAREER TOPICS
Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover Letter
Every great resume deserves a great cover letter.A cover letter is crucial because it's the first thing
the hiring manager sees.
It May Be Time to Walk in an Employers Shoes
If you are in a job search and aren't receiving viable hits, it's time to walk a mile in an employer's shoes. Okay, I realize what you may be thinking.
Formal Business Attire is Making a Comeback
The dot com boom of 1990s brought with it a laissez-faire attitude to dress code. Business casual was not a word that was part of our daily vocabulary.
Resume Tips To Take You From SAHM to WAHM
When looking for a telecommuting position, it is very important to have your resume in tip-top
shape. This is often the only thing that a potential employer has to base a hiring decision on
since they most likely will not be interviewing you in person, your resume has to make that
great first impression for you.
10 Warning Signs That You're Ready for a Career Transition
1. You dread getting out of bed and going to work.
How To Find A Job As A Copy Editor
Jobs for copy editors may seem like they are hard to find, but really you can find them and you can do so with many of the qualifications you already have. But, if you do not have any qualifications, this may be the first step in finding the copyediting job that you have been looking for.
After Your Interview - What Must You Do Next?
Other than actually landing the interview itself and living through it, waiting after the interview and wondering whether you will get a phone call or a rejection letter can be one of the most difficult aspects of searching for a job. What you do after the interview should actually start while you are still 'working' the interview.
Career Success: Don't Be Caught With Your Pants Down
Do you want to know how to jump-start your professional career? Or, are you already in the trenches trying to be a high performer and wanting to make a quantum lead to the next stage of your career? Or, because of downsizings or reorganizations, you feel like you are paddling faster and faster but seem to be getting nowhere? Find out how to monitor your changing environment so you won't be caught with your pants down.Visualize your career environment as one huge jigsaw puzzle.
Job Layoff: Confronting Why Me?
Perhaps you saw it coming. The fall in company stock prices.
Stepping Stone Jobs
What we name something matters.It sets a tone that alters our attitude.
Youre Fired!
One-day you're minding your own business and your boss comes in and says "You're Fired", perhaps he was a bit more polite than that but the end result was the same, you're now out of work!!Now what do you do?Well get over the initial shock and look at the whole experience as a positive, this maybe the break you have been waiting for, no more excuses for not doing what you've always wanted to do, that is too work for yourself and if that's not what you always wanted to do, it is now, because you may not have any other choice.Okay, just got the sack and now suddenly thrust into the world of the entrepreneur! What next? First thing is to think about what you have been doing that actually had someone paying you previously to do it.
Don't Discount the Temporary Position Interview
If you think, 'it's just an interview for a temp job -- no big deal,' that's where you're mistaken. Some wonderful opportunities, networking connections and careers have resulted from temporary positions.
Resume Writing Tips
Make sure that your resume is up to date with your latest
job experience and educational accomplishments.
Have a friend or relative evaluate your resume to see if it
is clear, consistent, and fairly represents your skills and
experience.
Why Should We Hire You?
This is one of those broad questions that can take you down the wrong road unless you have done some thinking about what to say ahead of time. This question deals with your ability to sell yourself.
Three Steps to Writing Your Own Resume
While most professionals hire a professional resume writer, some draft their own resume. People who write a lot for business usually have more success in putting together a sharp, focused presentation; still, anyone can learn the basic steps to prepare his or her own resume.
Settling Successfully Into Your New Job
The euphoria of getting a new job can sometimes be overcome by apprehension about what comes next. After all, you're "the new kid on the block," and there's much to learn--about your new job duties and much more.
A Killer Secret To Get Your Cover Letter Read
You're still reading-so I know my title grabbed your attention.Why? Because it 'packed a punch.
3 Secrets to Landing a Home-Based Position
Landing a telecommute position isn't easy. Finding them in the first place is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
How To Conduct A Successful Job Search Campaign
1.Define your objective: Know what kind of work you most enjoy and perform the best.
Necessary Psychological Skills When Working in the Executive Protection Field
The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.
|
