10 power moves

Vicki O'Brien | Image: Kelly Sutherland | Published: May 01, 2008

How many times have you inwardly seethed while a colleague glibly speaks up at a meeting, passing off your brilliant idea as her own? Or felt that inner alarm bell jangle when your boss spells out a plan that you know is doomed to failure?

They don’t teach you how to handle these everyday dilemmas in business school, but knowing how to field them smoothly might just save your bacon if the going gets rough. With the help of some advice from the experts, here are 10 tips that will help you finesse the challenges that might otherwise derail your progress from the bullpen to the corner office.

1. How to dine solo and not look like a loser
Eating alone is a daunting but necessary evil. Unless you’re a fan of room service, fast food or sports bars, sooner or later you’ll have to utter the four most pathetic words in the English language: “Table for one, please.” Until recent times, that meant being turned away at the door, shoved into a corner near the toilet, given a seat near a bunch of drunken guys or ignored by supercilious servers. Not anymore, says Stephan Cachard, restaurant director at Vancouver’s Blue Water Café. Today most establishments worth their salt – and your patronage – accommodate the needs of singletons. In Cachard’s restaurant, parties of one can sit at the bar and watch food plating underway in the kitchen or admire the dexterity of sushi chefs in the restaurant’s raw bar. “It gives people something to do; they don’t have to feel alone,” he says.

Not every business diner feels like company after a long day of meetings, he adds. “Some just want to get away from their hotel and enjoy great food. It makes sense to make single diners feel welcome and find them a table where they feel most comfortable.” Vancouver Sun food critic Mia Stainsby, who has sampled hundreds of local eateries over 14 years on the job, says it’s okay to read while eating, but make it a magazine. “A book somehow seems like bad manners, more uninterruptible when the server wants a word or when you should be noticing your food.” She gives the thumbs up to using a BlackBerry or writing in a notebook while dining, but nixes the use of a cellphone or laptop.

Stainsby, who will eat alone in casual restaurants but never in

fine dining rooms, says Canadians are not like the French or Italians, foodies whose love of fine food supersedes being labelled a lonely loser. “This summer I was at the upscale L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris, sitting near a solo diner reading a magazine between courses looking totally at home. And that’s the point: you only look like a loser if you feel like one. Don’t, and you won’t. Nothing works better than confidence and owning your space.”

2. How to be remembered
While good looks, self-confidence and designer duds might turn heads – even get you a date – they aren’t enough to get you remembered. The best way to make a lasting impression with strangers at social and corporate events is to approach them with confidence, make eye contact, ask questions about their lives and work and listen carefully to what they have to say. “It sounds easy, but in reality, most people spend way too much time talking about themselves and their own achievements,” says Vancouver life coach Julia James. “It’s very rare to meet someone who shows a genuine interest and really listens ­– so when you do, it’s memorable.”

Make a special effort to approach people who are on their own, adds James; your sensitivity will be appreciated and your people skills will get you noticed. “If, during the conversation, you see an opportunity to help them in some way, be sure to follow up. Sending a card or email after the event will reinforce their first impression.”

No matter how good you are at your job, if you don’t stand out (in a positive way), you will probably remain in the same position for years, unnoticed and unappreciated. In today’s workplace, it’s all about personal branding, so learn what you’re good at, what you love to do and how to sell yourself. Maybe you’re a technology whiz; maybe you have good communication skills; maybe you’re good at coming up with great ideas. Discover your strengths and build on them with broader leadership training. Extracurricular commitment to your career won’t go unnoticed.

3. How to disagree with your boss
We tend to forget that bosses are under constant pressure from above and don’t need nabobs of negativity nattering from below. It doesn’t mean staying mindlessly upbeat when an important deadline is going to hell in a hand­basket. But Vancouver business coach Joni Mar recommends that before heading to the corner office to set the boss straight, you burn off the emotional edge by venting with someone outside the organization.

“See what your concern – and more importantly, tone of voice – sounds like to other people, then sleep on it,” Mar advises. “Sometimes you gain a different perspective.” If you still feel the need to speak up, she says, avoid voicing your difference of opinion in front of other people. Instead, tell your boss that you have some thoughts on the subject and that you would like to discuss them. When you finally get face time, show that you understand what she wants to achieve and assure her you just want to offer another option, which you believe is better for both the company and
for her.

“It’s crucial to approach the boss in a respectful, non-confrontational way,” says Mar. “Remember, you will be navigating this hierarchical structure long after you have this disagreement. Avoid positioning yourself as being right and your boss being wrong: your goal is to present an alternative perspective. In all but the most extreme cases, your boss is purely seeking the best solution and will appreciate your openness and honesty.” If you get shot down without an explanation that makes sense, it might just be time to dust off your resumé.

4. How to make the most out of cubicle life
If you toil in an “open environment,” as does 70 per cent of the Canadian workforce, you must perfect the art of peaceful coexistence. Six issues that frequently drive stressed-out cubby dwellers to mutiny are: too much perfume or body/foot odour (keep your shoes on if you aren’t sure), loud music, long, gossipy personal calls (make them in a meeting room), smelly food and braying into speakerphones. If this is you, know that someone ­– maybe everyone – is muttering about you under their breath. If there’s tension in cubicle land, your boss will know and may even step in, which is never a good thing for your career.

Life coach Julia James says we tend to feel trapped in an environment without natural light and privacy. “Don’t sit there for eight hours or eat at your desk,” she stresses. “Take short renewal breaks, up to five minutes at a time. Take a walk, kick back and listen to music (through an iPod or headphones), stretch, relax and focus on your breath or go on a mini-vacation in your imagination.” While it’s important to interact with colleagues, she notes, it’s poor form to interrupt their work, invade their space or hover over their computers. “By all means socialize, but do it in the lunch room or at the water cooler – that way you also get in a little exercise.”

If you’re new to cubby world, instead of rushing to personalize your space with potpourri, family photos, candy bowls, stuffed toys or those ugly things your kids made at preschool, focus first on important health and safety issues. Do you have adequate lighting, ergonomic furniture and appropriate technology? Comfortable employees are more productive, so don’t hesitate to ask for what you need; it gives you a professional edge.