Note: "The man who rows a boat uses effort, but the man who puts up a sail uses magic"
Alan Watts
Walk with purpose to meetings, lunch, the bathroom or any chance you get to walk around. This shows that you have somewhere that you need to be and that your legs play a significant role in transporting your very smart head. The way in which you walk is also important, therefore, you must remember the following:
a. Walk with hasty pace
b. Make sure the heels of your shoes plummet to the ground, clubbing the floor with each step
c. Carry a notebook or laptop whenever or wherever you are walking to.
d. Wear a frown exhibiting how busy, important and serious you are about getting to your next location whether a meeting or even the bathroom.Vacate the lunch table five minutes earlier than your intended lunch break ensuring that you arise at a quick to rapid pace. This shows that you are capable of the following qualities:
a. You’re willing to work in your own time and nothing gets in your way (even on build your own burger day).
b. You are important and lunch is simply the time to refuel. This tactic will ensure that your colleagues believe you always have somewhere to be, that you’re an integral part of the organisation and ultimately, it instills the fact that your subordinates could never do your job.Show up to meetings one – two minutes late (using the speed referenced in step 1). It’s important that you don’t do this too often as it can show poor time management. However, on the odd occasion it’ll play in your favour. Aim to include the following during entrance:
a. Display the traditional frown.
b. Add a dab of water to your forehead. This should resemble a bead of sweat that would indicate you ran from your prior meeting.
c. Never apologise & don’t say you were at another meeting, leave the thought process to the other meeting participants.Early into work and last to leave is an important behaviour to display. If you have your own work to do such as paying bills or checking your g-mail that is perfectly fine. Just note that 50-70% of the time this is the behaviour that needs to be displayed.
Displaying the frown intermittently throughout the day whilst in front of your computer. This demonstrates the following to those around you:
a. That you have a very important and complex task at hand that requires your full and devoted attention.
b. You are an important colleague that has interactions with the most senior members of the organisation.Book meetings in your calendar for yourself so that your days look pretty much packed out, leaving only a couple of 30-minute time slots available. That way when a colleague or manager tries to book you for a meeting they will believe you are extremely busy, spending most of your days proactively.
a. If someone asks if you are able to make time for them, you should oblige stating clearly that you will move a few things around to accommodate their request.
b. Label meetings with strategic business subjects otherwise those that can access your calendar may just see that there is no substance to your packed-out day. Even though you’re the only participant, meetings should contain headings such as “Aligning business requirements” or “Intro to Demand Planning Software” or “Report Analysis & Structural Importance”.Send emails at late hours but write them in your working time. Don’t take this too far though and use with caution. If you are sending mails consistently out of office hours it can reflect badly on your overall time-management skills. A few emails here and there at 18:00 or early in the morning, when you wake up. This will indicate that you’re passionate and willing to work before you even arrive.
a. It is important that you spend your “no longer busy days” preparing the e-mail and ensuring its purpose. Sending an email late in the evening is good. Sending a purposeful mail with a strong message is exceptionally good.
b. Use your normal email principle making sure deadlines are secured, action points and optional criteria for the receivers.Because you have plenty of time during your “extremely busy day” you have a chance to network through the organization. This can be a particularly great benefit that contributes to the overall perception of you knowing and having dealt with a lot of colleagues during meetings & large scale projects. When people in your own team see that you say hello to someone in financial shared services or crack a joke with the CEO, you will be perceived as a knowledgeable networker that has interacted with many teams at all levels of the organization. Here’s what you need to do:
a. When you take your systematic coffee breaks (every 30 minutes) say hello to the person at the coffee machine and ask them about their plans at the weekend or what they did during the previous weekend. If it’s Wednesday you can discuss the weather and your hopes for it brightening up because you’re going to a wedding this coming weekend.
b. When walking down the corridor and you see someone you don’t know (most likely a temp from financial shared services) stop them and say “hey do you know where Bernard sits”. Now, you know that there is no one by the name Bernard so your temporary worker will definitely not know who this is. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself. This person will most likely become that same person you bump into when you’re with your closer colleagues and you can give them the eye brow raise and ask them how they are.Make sure that you attend social events where possible. It shows that you care about your colleagues and that you’re capable of more than just being a great colleague. You’re actually capable of socialising! However, there are points you should be aware of when taking the social step. These can be defined by the following:
a. Don’t get shit-faced. Getting shit-faced will show that you’re incapable of self-control of which all leaders should have and display proudly
b. Don’t make out with a colleague. Your name will be the hot topic in your organisation for many months to come. In addition you will always be known as the one who made out with……..
c. Leave at a reasonable hour. This will ensure that a & b are less likely to transpire.Posture whilst seated is an important part of displaying pride, power and integrity even though in a static state. Making sure of the following will be the “cherry on the cake” in your attempt to become the leader of the pack:
a. Sit with your back straight at all times and do not slouch under any circumstances.
b. Feet to the floor and back pushed firmly on your back support
c. In addition we encourage you to consider your posture in every situation you find yourself in.
Get out there, practice. You're welcome!