Whichever career you decide to get into, you will be dealing with people. In order to be successful and tap your full potential you will need to develop the tools to deal with other folks. It has been said that 90 percent of your success in your career will be dependent on how well you are able to get along with the people you work with and the customers you are serving.
Many professional careers have been short circuited because the person has not learned how to get along with other people. On numerous occasions, I have seen employees and managers of companies who have severely limited their ability to get cooperation from the people they work with because of their lack of inter-personal skills.
One way to get a head start in learning how to do this, is to realize that individuals have different personalities and behavior styles. Also, you must recognize that you will be dealing with different age groups and cultures. All of these have their different preferences. One of the rules for dealing with people that has guided me over the years and has stood the test of time is the “platinum rule”. That is, treat people the way they want to be treated- not the way you would want to be treated.
As you begin dealing with others, pay attention to how they respond when you interact with them and note their preferences. When in doubt, simply ask the person you are interacting with, how they want to be treated, and then follow their suggestions.
By following this simple rule in dealing with others, you will be well on your way to a successful professional career.
By Tom Borg ©2010
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