HowToDoThings.com Recent Business & Co-Worker Relationships Articles

How To Exercise Your Creativity

a2yands2n — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:46:36 -0500

This article is a continuation to my previous article, ‘How to think creatively'.

How To Think Creatively

a2yands2n — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:17:56 -0500

How To Be Charming

Cassandra — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:13:42 -0500

How To Call In Sick When You Need a Day Off

marcalex — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:07:32 -0500

Every one needs a day off now and then. If you are out of vacation or personal time or you don’t have these benefits, calling in sick may be your only option. If you want to learn how to call in sick when you need a day off, follow these steps and you will be able to get the time and keep your job.

How To Ask Your Boss for a Raise

jasonkeeley — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:56:38 -0500

How To Screw Up a Job Interview

Mattheller — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:05:22 -0500

Your interview for that new position starts before you sit down in the uncomfortable chair. It begins with the submittal of an application or resume and includes communication to schedule an interview, the interview itself, and post-interview conversation. Each interaction tells your prospective employer about who you are and what type of employee you will be. If you want to be sure you do NOT get the job you are looking for (or a future opening at the company), follow these steps:

How To Be Fit for Promotion

aesta — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:55:12 -0500

While your managers are staring at the walls and sorting their brains out on how to replace those moving on or the boomers retiring, don't stay in your cubicle praying that you will get the promotion simply because it's your turn! Start planning, too. And start your personal "Fit for Promotion" campaign. To get fit and keep fit, here are some of the steps to take:

How To Stand Up for Yourself

Marilisa560 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:13:37 -0600

"Standing up for yourself": kind of a dated term. It's what we now call assertiveness. But I still kind of like "standing up for yourself"; this phrase creates a clear directive for action. Research shows that people respond better to active vs. passive verbs. We also prefer to be told what to do, rather than what not to do. So I am going to give you a set of active verbs -- your 'to-do list' to stand up for yourself in any situation.

How To Handle Difficult People in the Office and Workplace

Waheedaleko — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:55:50 -0600

We all have experience dealing with difficult, unpleasant and problematic people at our offices and workplaces.

Difficult people are those who:

How To Recognize the Biggest Mistakes Women Make at Work

goldenpen — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:06:09 -0600

Many women let the “chick difference” stand between them and career success. Sometimes success is so close, yet so elusive, when well-meaning women sabotage themselves. Do yourself a favor; find out where you may be making a flub-up at the office.

The biggest mistakes women make when trying to climb the corporate ladder:

How To Handle Office Politics

Elizabeth69 — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:51:06 -0600

Office politics come into play in virtually every workplace. No matter how efficiently you perform your job, your place in the pecking order is going to be influenced by your ability (or inability) to read people and conduct yourself in ways that present you in the very best light. While it can be easy to say that career advancement should be based solely on job performance, the fact remains that whether you like it or not, if you are employed, you must know how to play the game. That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to leave your ethics at the door – you can work to advance your career while staying true to your values if you keep a few things in mind:

How To Impress Your Boss

Mattheller — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:54:48 -0600

Making a positive impression is important when establishing any relationship. Impressing your boss is essential if you wish to be successful in the workplace. There are no shortcuts to making a lasting positive impression. Hard work, respect, and sincerity are key factors. You will be sure to impress a boss in any work setting by following these steps.

How To Use Instant Messaging in the Workplace

christphe6 — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:32:02 -0600

The use of instant messaging in the workplace is on the rise. Many people, myself included, believe that IM will someday replace email as the main communication tool for companies -- large and small. Given my current occupation, I think IM is fantastic -- it allows me to quickly and easily share code snippets with other developers, easily communicate non-technical information with other members of my team, and keep in touch with a few friends that I don't have the luxury of working with.

Having said that, companies for the most part don't have any "formal" guidelines in place when it comes to the use of IM by employees. However, just because said guidelines may not be in place, there are some "best practices" that you should try and stick to when using IM at work:

How To Manage Your Professional Brand

Margaret — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:56:03 -0500

If you are not clear about who you are as a professional, others will make up their own image for you. Then they will broadcast that image. Wouldn't it be better if you took control? If you heard an associate describe you, would you be shocked? You don't have to let that happen. Your character is your own. Your reputation is defined by others. It is your job to make sure they get it right.

If you want your management and associates to ‘get' you, then first you need to understand just who you are. You need to define your true professional self or professional brand. Then act in a way that clearly reflects the real you. Then you are not taking any chances. When you hear your management describe you, it will be as if you have put the words in their mouths yourself.

What are the steps?

How To Build a Strong Support System

Brian McClellan — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:37:59 -0500

The people who surround you--your support system--will determine how well you will build and maintain the self-confidence necessary for success. Why? They are the ones that are feeding your mind on a regular basis. Having self-confidence that will never fail is a manifestation of a strong mind. Anything we want to be strong in the future needs to be fed well in the present. An Olympic athlete that dines on milkshakes and candy bars will be a former Olympic athlete in no time. A delicate flower that dines on Coca-Cola and darkness rather than water and sunlight will be a dead flower eventually. The car that has sugar in its gas tank rather than premium petrol will not go. By the same token, your mind needs to be fed well to become a strong, confident mind. So, how do you build a strong support system that will help you become successful?

How To Spot a Liar

JohnStejskal — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:06:52 -0500

The techniques bellow will show you how to tell if you are being lied to. These techniques are used by government agencies for interrogation. They can easily be utilized in relationships and in business situations. To make successful use of these indicators, it helps to know the suspect's ‘normal' body language and reactions to different situations.

How To Develop a Pleasant, Approachable Appearance

SteveBoyd — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:14:30 -0500

Some years ago, The New Yorker had an article about people who commit suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. About every two weeks, someone jumps from the bridge. The article told of a victim’s psychiatrist who was going through the person’s apartment after he jumped. He found a hand-written note left on the man’s bureau. The note said, “I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me, I will not jump.”

How To Date Co-Workers: NBC's "The Office" Style

The2 — Thu, 03 May 2007 11:46:00 -0500

Office relationships are always a bit of a sticky situation. There's no question that dating in the office can make things awkward, especially if things don't work out. That's why it's so entertaining to watch relationships develop and disintegrate around the water cooler. And that's also why shows like The Office capitalize on this uncomfortable, unavoidable situation.

"The Office" presents the top 5 approaches to inter-office relationships...

How To Shake Hands

Vanessa264 — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:37:00 -0500

Let's face it: Some people--like the Kennedys--know how to shake hands. And considering that you can make or break a deal--or an election--depending upon how well you shake hands, it's important that you learn how to shake hands well:

First impressions. Your handshake will do much to establish a first impression of yourself. Even if your hand is greasy, sweaty or otherwise less-than-presentable, give it a quick swipe, and extend it anyway. Extending a hand is an important symbol of friendship, approachability, trustworthiness and it is all-important in establishing an initial connection with another person. Really, the significance of a handshake cannot be overstated--if you don't have a passable handshake, you aren't getting the job.

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How To Resolve Personality Conflicts in the Workplace

Victoria116 — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 08:43:00 -0500

Interpersonal relationships between co-workers are one of the most important factors in any work environment--and personality conflicts are a leading cause of problems in the workplace. If two co-workers continually butt heads on work-related issues, it affects everyone around them and impacts the workplace in a negative way. Here are some tips on how to resolve personality conflicts in the workplace.

How To Improve Your Communication Skills

Victoria116 — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 06:28:00 -0500

One of the most common causes of work-related conflict is lack of communication between co-workers. Because good communication skills are essential in just about any workplace, it is important that you master the basics. Here are some tips on how to improve your communication skills.

Listen. Active listening is one of the most important communication skills you can acquire. By listening intently and not allowing your mind to drift off during meetings and discussions with co-workers, you can ensure that you are retaining the important information being discussed. Take notes during meetings and ask pertinent questions about the subject matter--repeating what the speaker has said will also help to keep the information in your brain.

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How To Do Public Speaking

Donald128 — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 11:39:00 -0500

Public speaking is one of the more scary undertakings for the average person. In fact, a recent survey showed the fear of public speaking was the number one fear of those polled. Number two was the fear of dying! But if you prepare and practice, you can put yourself in the position of being able to do what many won't. This can lead to a promotion at work or notice by others in a position to offer you other opportunities. And you might even find that you have fun doing it. Here are a few things to help you become good at public speaking.

How To Throw a Great Retirement Party

Elizabeth69 — Wed, 17 May 2006 10:38:00 -0500

Most of us look forward to the day when we will be able to retire. No more alarm clocks, no more overtime, and no more answering to the boss. Retirement is freedom -- and a wonderful reason to have a party! If you are planning a retirement party, here are a few good ideas:

How To Limit Workplace Relationships

Donna162 — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:13:00 -0500

Relationships in the workplace, whether they be of a romantic or purely platonic nature, can be tricky to navigate. Certainly we all want to be comfortable in our work environments and forming friendships at work is basic human nature. But what if friendships turn toxic or even worse, a co-worker should overstep proper business boundaries? How do we limit workplace relationships? Here are some points to consider.

How To Handle an Office Romance

Donna162 — Sat, 06 May 2006 11:54:00 -0500

Considering that we spend 40 to 50 hours a week at work, it's no surprise that personal relationships develop between co-workers. We work together on projects, sharing successes (and failures) and often relax together after work or during lunch hours. We discover that we share common interests and it's only natural that friendships formed during work can progress into romantic relationships.

While these relationships are not uncommon, problems can arise when two people who work together find themselves in this situation. Here are some tips to help you navigate this potential workplace minefield.

How To Develop Interpersonal Relationships

Meave223 — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 10:23:00 -0500

Office life isn't just free internet and endless meetings. Even independent contractors will have to encounter other people sometimes, and as such, you will need to develop some kind of rapport with them. Your cubicle may sometimes feel isolating, but no one wants to be a hermit. With a little effort, you'll have more than the job to look forward to on Monday morning.

How To Develop Relationships in the Workplace

Meave223 — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:03:00 -0500

While work does not have to become your entire life, you do spend a significant amount of time there. Having positive relationships with your coworkers can make a boring job more interesting, and turn a job you like into a job you love. Being the new person at a job isn't easy, but everyone needs at least one office buddy!

How To Deal with Difficult Coworkers

Meave223 — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 08:50:00 -0500

Just like life outside the workplace, you won't get along with everyone you meet on the job. However, unlike real life, you can't choose to spend all your time with the people you like; eventually, you will encounter difficult coworkers, and learning how to deal with them while maintaining professional civility could mean the difference between a happy work environment and an unbearable one.

Circumvent: Try to figure out when you tend to see your troublesome office mate, and change your routine accordingly. Can you take a route to the printer that doesn't take you past the loud talker's cubicle? If you meet the same irritating gossip in the kitchen at 10 o'clock, try taking your morning coffee break 15 minutes earlier or later. Simply avoiding an unpleasant situation can significantly improve your work day.

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