Tact & Diplomacy

Author: Tim Bryce

| Posted: 05-10-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 151 | Rating: (109)

(?)

"As the "Newbie" to the company, you are considered to be at the bottom of the totem pole and have to prove yourself."
- Bryce's Law

The following is an excerpt from my new book, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life. The book offers considerable advice regarding how to manage our personal and professional lives. As a part of this, I found it necessary to discuss the political ramifications of being the new kid on the block.

Tact & Diplomacy

Unlike school where there are few rules in terms of decorum, you will find it necessary to practice tact and diplomacy in the workplace. As the "Newbie" to the company, you are considered to be at the bottom of the totem pole and have to prove yourself. This means initially, you will have to practice a little humility until you've proven yourself.

Many young people initially have trouble adapting to the pressures of corporate life. Stay calm and collected. Getting uptight is not going to help anyone, particularly yourself. If you get in trouble, the worst thing you can do is not ask for help. Remember, you will be judged by how well you react to pressure.

There will be situations where it will be necessary for you to be passive, and others where you will need to demonstrate some aggressiveness. It all depends on the responsibilities and assignments given you. Bottom-line, you have to get the job done. To do so, you will either have to do it yourself or require the cooperation of others. You do not want to appear to be a pushover, nor do you want to be overbearing. Instead, you have to find a balance between the two, particularly as the new hire. If you are not sure, consult your manager for advice.

Most people want to simply be treated fairly, courteously and respectfully. The problem arises when having to deal with people who do not have the same moral values or interests as you do, thereby causing conflicts. If you run into a problem with another worker, try to talk it out initially. Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes and understand their point of view. In most instances, problems arise simply by having different perceptions of a situation. Endeavor to find out the cause of the problem and, if necessary, seek a mutually agreeable compromise. Avoid butting heads if at all possible. But if the problem persists, consult your manager.

Above all else, watch your temper. As the old adage admonishes us, "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar." A little courtesy can go a long way towards building fruitful relationships.

If you make a mistake affecting someone else, learn how to make a sincere apology. Nobody likes to "eat crow," but there will be times when you have to put your dignity aside and mend a fence. If you have to make an apology, try to do so in person as opposed to by telephone or in writing. Your personal sincerity is better expressed in person, and you do not necessarily want to admit a mistake in writing which may be used against you later on.

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Tim, Bryce, Mba, Florida, Careers, Diplomacy, Tact

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/tact-diplomacy-227334.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Tim Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida, a management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management (IRM). Mr. Bryce has over 30 years of experience in the field. He is available for lecturing, training and consulting on an international basis. His corporate web page is at:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/

He can be contacted at: timb001@phmainstreet.com

Copyright © 2007 MBA. All rights reserved.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Do's and Don'ts in the Workplace (part Iii)
By: Tim Bryce | 26/10/2007 | Careers
Part III of my series on "DO'S AND DON'TS IN THE WORKPLACE," which discusses the legal ramifications of employment.

Do's and Don'ts in the Workplace (part Iv)
By: Tim Bryce | 02/11/2007 | Careers
Discusses the legal ramifications of employment (concluding installment).

Micromanagement
By: Tim Bryce | 01/06/2007 | Leadership
Recently, I had some business friends complain to me how their employees cannot follow directions. But on the other hand, I also know a lot of people who wonder why management doesn't trust them to do their job properly. You see this not only in the corporate world but in nonprofit organizations as well. Today, managers are spending more time supervising the work of others as opposed to actually managing them.

Screamers
By: Tim Bryce | 24/08/2007 | Home and Family
Discusses children in public places.

Do's and Don'ts in the Workplace (part Ii)
By: Tim Bryce | 19/10/2007 | Careers
This week we will discuss such things as Moonlighting, Discussing Salaries, Job Titles, and Employment Contracts.

Personal Advertising
By: Tim Bryce | 11/12/2007 | Advertising
Questions why we find it necessary to personally advertise other companies.

Has Ibm Become Irrelevant?
By: Tim Bryce | 08/02/2008 | Information Technology
Is IBM still a viable force in the I.T. Industry?

Understanding Effectiveness
By: Tim Bryce | 01/04/2008 | Management
Discusses the use of worker time and how it impacts estimating and scheduling in Project Management.

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

Florida Litigation Assistance for Pro Se Plaintiff
By: Howard David | 20-07-2008
Looking for a copy of Trawick's Florida Practice and a source for Florida pleadings and link to research. I am a pro se plaintiff looking to sue a party who sold a house to another that I have a valid contract for. Probably need to sue the seller's attorney also who was supposed to be the closing agent for both parties under the contract. Looking for whatever help and assistance is out there. Thanks.

Can a home owner association board deed ...
By: Renate | 20-07-2008
Can a home owner association board deed association owned property without approval of all the members of the association?

What are the results of the first day games ?
By: mconnorman23 | 20-07-2008
what are the results of the first day games ?

Where in Orlando Florida can I get a free TB test ...
By: ladystarr48 | 20-07-2008
where in Orlando Florida can I get a free TB test done?

Democrat's name
By: tim | 20-07-2008
Who is the Democrat challenging the incumbent and Republican, Putnam?

Selling price for homes in the Lakeside and Buena Vantura Lakes area.
By: Papo | 20-07-2008
What was the going selling price of homes in the Lakeside Estates and Buena Vantura Lakes area in Kissimmee,Fl.?.Thanks.Jose.

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Careers Articles

Is It Time For A New Career Change?
By: James Copper | 26/07/2008
An article giving advice on changing your job

How About Changing Your Career?
By: James Copper | 26/07/2008
An article about getting a different job

If You Want to See the World Choose the Hospitality Profession
By: Steve Nicolle | 25/07/2008
I had just returned for Switzerland having completed my two years there and was eager to return to Europe any way I could.

Getting Hired: Successful Job Interview Using Influence Skills
By: Alan Vengel | 25/07/2008
Important steps to give you the edge in a job interview. How to be assertive, ask questions and summarize information to give yourself a boost in the hiring process whether you're looking for a job in a corporation or landing a job as a self employed entrepreneur. Vengel gives specific examples on using these influence skills successfully in your job interview.

Electrician Training Is Great For Your Career Prospects
By: James Copper | 25/07/2008
Becoming an electrical engineer can really help your quality of life, find out how in this article

Electrical Training Courses: Are They Worth It?
By: James Copper | 25/07/2008
An informative article on courses to become an electrician

Electrical Classes: Is Time You Started Some?
By: James Copper | 25/07/2008
Is time you started to learn how to become an electrician?

Tips For Identifying Your Strengths And Landing The Job You Want
By: Tony Jacowski | 25/07/2008
Every individual who has ever looked for a job knows that it pays to include your strengths in your resume or cover letter. If you know your strengths, you can sell yourself better.

More from Tim Bryce

Recognizing the Peter Principle
By: Tim Bryce | 16/07/2008 | Management
Describes how to identify the attributes of the Peter Principle.

A Corporate Policy for Personal Electronic Devices
By: Tim Bryce | 09/07/2008 | Management
Describes a proposed policy for controlling personal electronic devices in the workplace.

Socialistic Management
By: Tim Bryce | 02/07/2008 | Management
Describes the problems of "flexible management."

System Design Backwards
By: Tim Bryce | 04/06/2008 | Programming
System Design technique which promotes "design correctness."

Stepwise Refinement
By: Tim Bryce | 29/05/2008 | Programming
Discusses the concept of refining a design using a blueprint-like approach.

When You Hit a Wall, Go Around it
By: Tim Bryce | 21/05/2008 | Programming
What to do when you strike a seemingly impossible problem to solve.

What Young People Want & Need
By: Tim Bryce | 15/05/2008 | Management
Discusses "parenting management" and how young people actually yearn for such things as accountability, organization, and discipline.

Why We Resist Planning
By: Tim Bryce | 07/05/2008 | Management
Discusses the reasons why people have an aversion to planning.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.45, 16)

Tact & Diplomacy

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Careers Articles

More from Tim Bryce

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter