The young professional workplace, as well as our many social scenes, is made up of all types of characters. We can’t expect to mesh perfectly with every personality, but in order to maintain a professional reputation, sustain the respect of colleagues, and enjoy our daily work, learning to get along well with others is a must. Last week we talked about certain situations when it’s best to keep our opinions to ourselves. This week we take the subject further, to discuss why it is beneficial to recognize not only when to zip it, but when to fake it and just play nice.
Keep the peace
Every work environment requires a certain kind of balance, a harmony amongst employees, in order to thrive. There is already so much tension involved in the hierarchies of the workplace and our day-to-day tasks; no one appreciates those people who add to the stress for their own agendas. You may not agree with a certain coworker’s point of view, or you may not enjoy having to participate in certain activities, but causing a fuss can just make things worse for everyone. Though it’s important to be true to ourselves and to stick to our convictions, within most work environments and in many social situations, it’s often considered more socially appropriate to just put on a smile and endure, or keep opposing thoughts to ourselves and walk away.
Joiners get ahead
Part of playing nice is making the effort to get involved in different interoffice and social activities. You may not deem the people you work with to be “your type,” or certain activities to be “your scene,” but to both enjoy and get ahead in our careers, being friendly with colleagues is crucial. No one likes the guy/gal who says no to everything, so be a “yes (wo)man” and join that office committee and attend those after work events. Not only will making the effort to participate open you up to more opportunities, but you may just be surprised who ends up being “your type” after all.
Keep your name clean
Don’t add fodder to the gossip fire by being the girl with the big opinions, or the guy that has issues with everyone. Being friendly and playing nice helps to keep your name in the good books of colleagues and superiors, and out of the negative conversations of the coffee room corners. Don’t forget that our daily doings make up a big part of our brand out in the YP world. What’s your tag line – “the one that rolls their eyes” or “the one that lights up a room.”
No one’s better
Finally, and most importantly, who are we to judge? You may find your colleague annoying, closed-minded, self-righteous, etc., but as noted last week, unless you are someone’s parent, boss, or BFF, no one has the right to opine about how others should act, think, or feel. Further, keep in mind that some coworkers may find aspects of your personality or behaviour intolerable, but that part of being a mature young professional is learning to accept, or at least appear to accept, all different kinds of people.