VIEWPOINT
Put in well-directed efforts to win support of peers
We all want to be respected, admired and held in high esteem whether at work or in private life. We also feel the need to be helped and supported by people around us in times of crisis. Like all other things in life respect and support of people have to be earned too. Especially in the workplace these two things are slightly difficult to come by because the people around you happen to be not just your friends but your competitors as well. And perhaps that is the reason why
getting the respect of your co-workers acts as an important motivating factor for you to grow as a professional. Not only that, in a group setting like the workplace you cannot hope to make much headway unless you enlist the support and cooperation of the rest of the group. So it goes without saying that you must put in some well-directed efforts to win over the respect and support of your colleagues at work.
While expending efforts in this direction you must always remember that respect is a two-way process. The more you give it to others, the more you get in return. Hence, be appreciative and respectful in all your interactions with others. Avoid speaking ill of others or talking behind their backs. If you have any issue with any person do not allow it to fester but resolve it in an amicable fashion at the earliest. Also if you notice, reliable people command more respect. So keep your word as far as possible and refrain from making empty promises.
On the contrary, people with a negative or pessimistic attitude don’t get much respect. Develop a positive and enthusiastic outlook towards life. Others will start looking up to you for guidance. Let your work speak for itself. Have lofty goals and work hard to realise them. Your achievements will automatically earn you the respect you deserve. But there are two other things you must do to retain the respect you have earned. Firstly, you must share credit with others where due. If you try to hog all the limelight yourself, you will lose the respect of those who helped you to succeed.
Secondly, you must always behave as a responsible individual. If you do a mistake you must be willing to accept your fault. Resorting to blame games or pointing fingers at others are easy to do options to save your face but these will cost you dearly in terms of the respect you lose out. On the other hand by honestly accepting your mistake you earn more respect.
Just like respect, support too is a reciprocal phenomenon. If you support others when they are in need they will be more willing to support you when the time comes. Opposition is not uncommon in a workplace. When others have conflicting views understanding their perspective helps you to strike a common ground. By addressing their concerns you can easily enlist their support.
Many times, it is not just support but you may need some explicit help from your colleagues to discharge your duties effectively. This is especially true when you move to a new division or take up a new job, wherein you require some time to pick up the threads and settle down in the new environment. But often something as simple as asking for help gets tough when you don’t know how or whom to approach for help.
Here are some pointers to secure the necessary help without causing friction or looking too naïve:
Asking lot of questions is the key to get what you want. But remember to project confidence that your information needs are genuine and necessary. Find out about training, documentation and knowledge banks that can help you learn what you want to. From the organisational chart find out who does what in your organisation. Then you will know who is the right person to approach for help.
When you ask for help be very specific about what you want. To succeed in your new job you must also be aware of the cultural undercurrents apart from having sound technical knowledge. Therefore, approach a senior employee who has been around for quite some time to help you in these areas. But be careful not to ask too many questions too soon. Ask only for information that you can absorb and put to use at that stage. Also make it a point to find out beforehand when it is convenient to approach the people from whom you need help.
Small efforts in the right direction help you make great strides in your career. With respect and support from your co-workers reaching your goals becomes more of a certainty.
N. PURNIMA SRIKRISHNA
faqs@cnkonline.com
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opportunities
