It’s like the two sides of a slice of bread: Just as there are some common behaviors that cause negative perceptions in the office, there are also behaviors that tend to garner far more praise than they probably deserve.
In an earlier feature, we covered negative workplace perceptions and how eliminating some seemingly innocent behaviors could lead to greater career success. In this article, we will look at how some of the smallest actions or behaviors can make a big -- and often undeserved -- positive impression on your boss.
Keep in mind that people see things in different ways. In some, these actions may elicit no reaction at all. But in many others, these behaviors could cause such a positive reaction that benefits such as a promotion or a better standing in your employer’s eyes are possible.
Not everything will work for everyone, so you will have to pick and reinforce the behaviors that have the highest chance of eliciting a positive response in your workplace.
Responding to e-mails at odd times
How you perceive it: You are bored, so you spend a couple of minutes before bed checking if there is anything urgent.How your employer perceives it: You are a dedicated individual who puts work first.
Just one late-night or weekend e-mail can make the utmost impression on your boss. Even if you do it because you have nothing better to do, this never fails to make an impact.
It takes no time at all. If your company has web-based e-mail access or if you have your e-mails forwarded to your personal account (check whether your company has rules against this first), it literally takes minutes to scan through e-mails over the weekend and to make a quick response.
Addressing problems on your own
How you perceive it: Fear and anxiety cause you to push the boundaries and make the odd call on your own.How your employer perceives it: He is relieved that you do not need to have your hand held all the time.
Although embarking on big projects on your own can cause you to be labeled a free spirit that is difficult to control, addressing smaller problems by yourself can have the opposite effect and relieve your employer by demonstrating that you can handle things by yourself.
Remember that we are dealing with perceptions here, and each person’s take on things could be quite different. Keep this in mind and make sure you know your boss well before you embark on these sorts of behaviors.
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