Getting Ahead in a Corporate Environment

Shyness in the corporate world can be a major disability. Because the business world is so competitive, you have to be able not only to make connections with co-workers and people in other companies, but you also have to be assertive enough to step up and say what you want. Dealing with office politics, superiors, competitors, suppliers and even customers require us to break out of our shell and find a way to be more assertive.

In business, there are really only two directions. Some people find success by producing great work in relative seclusion, but they are the exception, not the rule. In most cases, you have to promote your talents, ideas and work to be noticed. If you aren’t moving ahead in business, you are probably falling behind. There is no static middle ground, no true job security. The most successful people see themselves as a marketable commodity and view themselves as the CEO of a business that is selling their skills. What this means is that you have to take responsibility for your future, for your own security and stop seeing your company or current job as your safety net. You may be employed, but ultimately, your ability to earn a living is up to you. If you want to make the most of your career, whether you want to stay with your current employer or if you need to move on to an employer with more room for growth, the point is the work to get your career moving is up to you.

We’ll take a look at three ways to make the most of your current and future employment. Of course, our specific focus will be on helping you overcome your shyness so that you can get ahead in the corporate world. We’ll look at how you can demonstrate value to decision makers in your company (or other companies). We’ll look at the best ways to navigate office politics without pushing you too far outside of your comfort zone, but giving you the best chance to get ahead. We’ll also talk about ways to get noticed and avoiding the trap of being invisible in the work place. The good news is you can develop a more outgoing personality progressively, not all at once. And while you are developing there are things you can do that will further your career. So let’s get started!

Demonstrate Value

In most career fields there is no shortage of workers. Even in most technical professions there are more workers than jobs. Partly because so many people deny their passions and try to live up to someone else’s expectations or they feel that what they love isn’t “vocational” and they’re trying to get a “real job.” What this means is that your training and even your work record or experience, isn’t really enough to make you stand out. When managers or hiring professionals are looking for human capital, they do look at credentials, but it’s achievements that make people shine. You have to be able to demonstrate that you can do more than just accomplish work related tasks; you have to show why you bring value to the company if you want to get ahead.

This is an issue for most shy people who would rather just do their work, keep their heads down and not stand out in any way. Sometimes a person can find a job that allows them to simply focus on the work, but in most cases, you have to deal with people, new factors and outside relationships to please your employer. So how does a shy person demonstrate their value?

Value comes when a person gets something of greater worth than what they pay for that thing. In business, value comes for an employer or manager when the work they get from an employee is worth more than the wage or salary they are paying that employee. In most cases you are already providing your employer value, but if you aren’t demonstrating that value, it may be going unnoticed which will mean you will be over looked for promotions, raises and special assignments. Demonstrating value can be as simple as including the difference you’ve made since taking on a specific task. If you’ve increased productivity, raised revenue, brought in new business or saved the organization money (really any statistic that can be measured) you can demonstrate your value in an email or memo. You don’t necessarily have to make a big deal about it or even speak to your supervisor in person. Let’s say you are applying for a promotion or raise, you might just send along a message requesting that you be considered and include your statistical data. In most cases a written message isn’t enough, but it is certainly a good start and a way to get your value noticed.

Another way to demonstrate your value to is take on a job others don’t want. If it is something no one really wants to do, you won’t have to argue or prove yourself to get the assignment. Again, you might be able to send along an email, or simply raise your hand in a meeting. Once you have the unwanted job or position, work hard and make sure that what you are doing is above and beyond your supervisor’s expectations. When a person is willing to do the lowest job and do it well, it proves their commitment to the company and their ability in their field.

Eventually, you will have to speak up, perhaps in an employee review, or when making a request. People need to see you as an invaluable part of their team, department or company. You need to be able to discuss your skills, accomplishments and knowledge. If you have trouble talking about yourself, practice. Look at yourself in the mirror and go over your accomplishments. Buy a friend dinner and ask them to help you practice talking about your contribution to your company. Do whatever it takes to let people know that you are a big part of your company or department’s success.

Office Politics

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, office politics are a part of life. There is always someone working some angle. It’s like being part of a civilized version of the reality show “Survivor.” You have to learn to out work, out wit and out last your competition. Hopefully, you have a good working dynamic in your office. If so, you simply need to do your best to connect with the other people on your team. Even if you bring great value to your team, if the other members don’t like you they’ll sabotage your efforts and make your work life miserable. On the other hand, it only takes a little effort to let people know you like them and appreciate them. People know you’re shy, and most of the time they feel for you. Just reach out, work on small goals of talking to them about something, even for just one minute every day, and you’ll soon be a loved and accepted part of the team. On the other hand, if your office is cut throat and competitive you need a more aggressive strategy.

Find the person or group within your work place with which either you feel that you could connect with the most, or you could bring the most value to. The last thing you need to do in the war of office politics is to try and please everyone, you’ll just be miserable and seen as a tool that everyone will use but no one will claim as their own. You don’t want to just try and keep your head down and go unnoticed either. If you have any hopes of advancing your career, you’ll need to build your reputation among your peers and demonstrate your social skills to your superiors. Find a group and make friends, think of it as an alliance. Use your talents and skills as currency and don’t back down when the people you’re connected with are facing difficulties. You don’t have to be the most socially outgoing person to bring value and show loyalty.

If you are in a difficult work environment, keep your shields up all the time. You need to see your workplace as a hostile environment and realize that some people feel that business isn’t personal, even when it feels like it is. Don’t be anyone’s punching bag, and don’t take attacks personally. It’s a job and there is life beyond the office, so do your best, but if it is stressing you out, look for another place to work where you can develop your social skills in a safer environment.

Getting Noticed to Get Ahead

The basic premise of this book is that you can’t get ahead in your career without building relationships and showing that you have social skills. You need to be known and seen in your job, not just as a person who gets their work done, but as a person who brings value to their work. Again, there are lots of people who can do what you are doing, but no one else can do your work in the special way you do. So use your talents and passions to make your work the best it can be.

Getting noticed is oftentimes more about being in the right place at the right time, connecting with the right people and taking advantage of opportunities. Let’s look at each one of these things from a strategic point of view to see how you can learn to make them happen, get noticed and get ahead in your career.

First, you really do have to learn to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes this is pure luck, but if you will use your observation skills you’ll probably be able to pick up a few clues that will help you be in the right places at strategic times. For instance, if your manager happens to get his morning coffee in the break room every day around 9:30, you might start making yourself a cup about the same time everyday. You’d be surprised how someone seeing you doing something as simple as getting a cup of coffee, will keep you on their mind and make them think of you when they are looking for someone to step up and take on a new task. Of course, being friendly with your superior is a key to getting noticed. We’ll talk specifically about dealing with your boss in the next chapter, but here’s a rule to hang onto – talk about life. People all have interests outside of work and talking about things that interest you makes you real to the people around you. If all you ever talk about is work, people won’t trust you, not even your boss!

Next, remember that your connections with people count. Make a list of the most influential people in your office and then make goals to connect with them socially. You’d be surprised how big an impact it makes when someone learns something personal about you. Our relationships are like roads that take us where we want to go. You don’t have to be a suck-up to get ahead, instead, rely on human nature. When people do business, they think of their friends first.

Finally, don’t hesitate to volunteer for opportunities that come along. When you step up, people notice. It shows your confidence, your ambition and your skills. You may not succeed in getting every opportunity that comes your way or there may be opportunities that you intentionally pass over, but if you want to be noticed and get ahead, you have to be willing to put yourself out there. Opportunities are sometimes the best way to get noticed and demonstrate your value.

This post is an extract from my new book about how to overcome shyness at work, find out more at: How To Overcome Shyness At Work book

Its a short, straight to the point, read that shows you how to easily approach and talk to anyone by using some proven conversation skills techniques.

Use the practical tips in this book and you`ll be more relaxed, more talkative and have much more fun meeting new people.

With the right instructions you`d know how to take charge and lead the conversation. You`d stop worrying about what to say, people would enjoy meeting you and you`d be much more relaxed taking to strangers. You`d become one of those people others admire for your confidence and ability to make great conversation.

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The book is titled 25 Conversation Lubricants. Check out Amazon to find out why.

What is the importance of having good communication skills?

Good communication skills are the difference between getting what you want in life and doing without. It really is that important.

Look at any highly successful person whether that be in business, politics or family life. You will be hard pressed to find someone who has attained and sustained long term success without great communication skills.

Furthermore, to truly enjoy life and share it with good friends and people who respect and care about you, you`ll need good communication skills to get to know people and to express the ideas, opinions and thoughts that make you an interesting and likable person to know. There is no way you can do this otherwise.

Can anyone improve themselves when it comes to good speech and how they express themselves?

Yes, anyone can learn, improve and enjoy better communication skills. All it takes is the determination to get better and a good model to follow. That model can be someone you know who has great communication skills who you can learn from or it can be a communication skills course that teaches step by step practical solutions to the most common problems people experience when it comes to expressing themselves.

Even people who already have good communication skills can get better. It is simply a question of attitude. Do you really want to improve? If you do, follow a proven formula.

What skills do we need to get our message across when we want to make a point without being aggressive or pushy in anyway?

First of all we need to understand how powerful voice tone can be. We can be assertive and direct without appearing aggressive if we speak with a soft voice tone and a lower volume. If we also adopt a relaxed posture we will not come across as pushy.

Secondly, it helps if we can make the same point in different ways. That way we won`t appear dogmatic and too persistent. Be flexible in how you express yourself – give examples of what you mean, reference proof that supports your point and talk in language that makes sense to your listener. Do all of this and you`ll find people more receptive to what you say.

When we think of communication, we usually think of more than 1 person involved. But what about the communication between  what we think and what we actually say, or what we feel and how we express ourselves. Can we improve ourselves at that level?

Yes we can. I highly recommend meditation. Start and end your day with meditation and you`ll cultivate a greater awareness of how you think and feel in different situations. Once you are more aware of how you operate you`ll have a choice – do I want to make a change or not? If you want to change then mentally rehearse how you want to be, imagine having a thought or feeling you want to express then play out how it will be to express that. With practice you`ll develop the ability to express a wider range of thoughts and feelings.

Emotions can literally shut us off while being in a conversation. Can you share one secret that can help us in dealing with our emotions and still be able to participate in the conversation?

Make a decision to give 100% attention to who you are talking to and become so absorbed in both what others are saying and how they are expressing themselves that it takes all your brain power to watch, listen and get a feel for all the subtle elements of their communication. To be more specific track breathing, voice tone variance, eye movements, language patterns and body language shifts. Track all of this activity and observe how these elements interact simultaneously.

If you pay close enough attention to these factors it`ll be impossible to also fixate on any nerves that were stopping you from being effective in the conversation.

We have been talking about active communication, what about passive communication e.g. body language, attitude? How important is that in a one on one conversation?

Body language is more important than the words we speak. We need to treat the dance of body language between two or more people as an essential ingredient that we cannot neglect.

Matching and mirroring is important just be careful to also lead with body language or you may neglect to express your personality and simply end up agreeing with everything the other person is saying.

Whenever there is some tension or disharmony the first element to check is body language. Check that you are matching the other person, correct poor posture or any lack of involvement expressed by your body positioning and you can quickly regain rapport.

And what if we are in a group meeting, how do we best handle ourselves if we want to actively participate in the group happening?

In a group meeting we first of all need to spend some time weighing up the different participants. Which ones are actively contributing? Which ones are passive observers? Who is the group leader?

Then we need to go with the flow of the group to establish our position as a positive  contributor. We do that by agreeing with the influential group members where we share their opinions.

Once we have established that we share the values and common objectives of the group we`ll have much more impact whenever we want to win over the group to over viewpoints.

Is there a tip you can share that we can immediately put into action to improve our communication?

The single best tip I can give anyone is to choose to like the people you meet. Instead of waiting to see if you like people and waiting for them to prove themselves start off by assuming you like them unless they give you a reason not to.

This makes you a much warmer and more attentive person to meet. You`ll come across as more positive and interested in others and you`ll tend to bring out the best in other people. In this respect, expecting to like people causes you to like people and they in turn are more likely to see you in a favorable light.

What tools would you suggest to help us become better communicators?

I highly recommend ongoing learning and setting a goal to become an excellent communicator. When you set the bar high and aim to learn and improve a little each day you`ll spot tips, tricks and techniques used by other people all the time. You`ll gradually and consistently get better and better.

You`ll learn from the friendly and popular people in your life. You`ll start to view communication skills as a skill that can be learned. Luck has nothing to do with it.

Consequently, you can model the techniques you see popular people using. Copy their approach and you will enjoy better results in your own life.

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and where your passion comes from, your great ideas and insights regarding this interesting topic?

I noticed early on that the people who were not only successful but enjoying their lives all had great communication skills. They seemed to glide through life and people enjoyed their company and valued their input.

I then started studying communication skills and I used everything I learned to become a much better communicator. This changed my world. When you can talk to anyone, get your point across and be a great listener you live a fuller and happier life. This has been true for me and I continue to learn and improve.

Because I am always observing great communicators in action and learning new approaches I enjoy sharing these ideas with people through my courses and at my blog.

I believe good communication skills are critical to expressing your true personality and to having good relationships with the important people in your life. That`s why I teach this key life skill.