WORKPLACE

MISTAKES TO AVOID AT WORKPLACE

Learning objectives

Skills covered

 

1. PRESENTING YOURSELF

 

Whether you're starting a new job, joining a new team, or working towards a promotion, there are key mistakes that can prevent you from moving forward in your career. Julie Nisbet outlines 21 of the top workplace mistakes—and simple ways to avoid these blunders. Learn how to present yourself in a professional manner, ask better questions, use technology wisely, and advance your career. Each tip helps you recognize and avoid these toxic and self-destructive behaviors and start putting proactive and positive habits into place. By the end of the course, you'll have the skills and resources you need to get out of your own way and become the in-demand professional that employers want working on their teams.

·       DWELLING IN THE PAST

- We've all been there. It's natural when you get a new job or join a new team to compare all the ways in which your new team is different from your old team. You should absolutely bring your past experiences to your current role. However, be careful not to make the common mistake of dwelling on the past. It's an easy mistake to make. Maybe your last experience wasn't entirely positive, so you're trying to compliment your new team or you're anxious to have an impact, so you want to mention all the ways that you used to do things. It's really important especially early on to keep things in a good light and learn as much as you can about the way things operate in your new environment. So, instead of revisiting the past, use joining a new team or starting a new job as a chance to start fresh and learn new things.

·       Taking on too much too soon

- If you're a hard worker, anxious to make a good first impression, and eager to make an impact, it can be tempting to say yes to everything that crosses your desk. While it's important to get into the swing of things as quickly as possible and be open to learning as much as you can, be careful to avoid the common mistake of taking on too much, too soon. Don't underestimate the amount of time it will take to learn new systems, jargon, acronyms, and company culture. All of these things will impact your early productivity on a new team. It's better to take on less and ensure that you're really knocking it out of the park early, then take on too much and immediately feel under pressure. And also another pro-tip for the things that you do take on, keep an eye out for the things that will have maximum impact or elevate your visibility in your company. Don't just take on work to be busy. Be helpful, but also be strategic.

·       Not understanding company culture

- It can be really tempting early on in a new job or on a new team to try to make changes. While we should all make efforts to improve the way we do work, it's important to avoid the mistake of trying to make changes without properly understanding the company culture. Not understanding company culture, it's like swimming upstream. You might make some progress, but you're more likely to get swept away. If you want to affect change, you really have to understand the environment you're working in. You need to understand your team's values and priorities. Framing your ideas within that context will allow you to get others on board. So be smart and don't come in too hot. Take the time to get to know your team before rocking the boat too hard. You're much more likely to be successful if you do.

·       Complaining too much

- Let's be honest, work can be frustrating. It can feel like you're subject to all sorts of processes and bureaucracy that seem to only exist in order to get in the way of doing your job. However, it's important not to make the mistake of complaining too much about the way things are without putting in the effort to make suggestions for improvements. The key to approaching conversations like this is to come in with questions rather than complaints and suggestions, not demands. It's possible that once you really dig in and ask the right questions about why things are done the way they are, you'll discover that they're in fact valid reasons that you didn't fully appreciate. The best case scenario however, is that your manager is open to change. And that is a perfect opportunity to provide a suggestion to management for how things can improve. So avoid being overly negative, take the reins, make some suggestions. The worst they can say is no.

2. ASKING BETTER QUESTIONS

 

·       Being a bad listener

- No matter what your job is, being a good listener is one of the most important skills you can learn. Most disputes are the result of poor communication and improving your listening skills is critical to your success at work. This is why you need to avoid the mistake of being a bad listener. When you develop good listening skills, you'll actually be more productive by ensuring you really understand whatever tasks you have been assigned and it can also help you avoid misunderstandings with coworkers. So, what makes a good listener? Well, a 2016 Harvard Business Review study found the following. People perceive the best listeners to be those who periodically ask questions that promote discovery and insight. Good listeners make the other person feel supported and convey confidence in them. In other words, good listeners were able to create an environment in which issues and differences could be discussed, openly. Poor listeners were seen as competitive as listening only to identify errors in reasoning or logic, using their silence as a chance to prepare their next response. So, there you have it. Put in the time to improve your listening skills. You'll be glad you did.

·       Lacking initiative or showing too much

- As I've worked on teams inside of many companies, one common mistake I've seen individuals make is lacking initiative or showing too much. Initiative is one of those rare qualities that manages to be seen as both a positive and a negative trait in the workplace, depending on the situation. Researcher Donald Campbell referred to this as the initiative paradox, as he puts it, "Employees are expected to use independent judgment and initiative and simultaneously expected to think and act like their bosses." So how are you supposed to know when to show initiative and when to just keep your head down? Unfortunately, the answer to that is of course it depends, but the most important thing is to respect the company culture. Is this an environment where initiative is encouraged or were you given a large set of rules and processes that you were expected to follow to the letter? Understanding your environment can help prevent you from making the mistake of lacking initiative or showing too much.

·       Forgetting details

- What did we decide in that meeting? Did you say you would take care of that or did I? And when did you want me to finish that for you? Do those questions sound all too familiar? In a fast-paced environment, it's really easy to forget details. So be sure that you're setting yourself up for success. First of all, close your laptop while you're in meetings. I know that multitasking is tempting, especially if you're, let's admit it, a little bored, but just don't do it. Close your laptop, focus on the task at hand. And if you really aren't needed in that meeting, figure out how to not go to the next one. Secondly, take notes by hand. Seriously, close your laptop. It's too tempting to do other things if you're taking notes on your laptop. And we're more likely to retain things when we write them by hand. Finally, save the last five minutes of every meeting to agree on action items and you guessed it, write them down. Did you get all of that? When you can master the details it will do wonders for your career.

·       Not asking for help

- Being self-sufficient is great, and it's good to show initiative, and try to solve problems before asking for help. However, it's really important to know the difference between self-sufficiency and wasting time and energy. So, be careful not to make the mistake of not asking for help when you need it. When I changed careers, and became a software engineer, this was the hardest lesson for me to learn. I hated asking for help, but I had to learn really quickly that my ego was getting in the way of my learning. Knowing how and when to ask for help is one of the most important skills you can acquire. And now that I'm in the position of teaching others, I would so much prefer someone ask a question than spend an hour going down the wrong track. So, remember to ask for help when you need it. You'll be happy you did.

·       Not checking in with your boss

- I'm guessing your boss is busy. If they've gotten to the position of leadership, they're probably in a ton of meetings, and it might just feel like they never have any time. At one of my jobs, my coworkers and I would roshambo over who got the 7:00 AM time slot versus the 6:00 AM time slot on our manager's calendar, because almost every day he was in meetings from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM nonstop. No matter how busy they are, however, don't fall into the trap of not checking in regularly with your boss. Ask your boss for a good time, and set up a recurring one-on-one meeting either once a week or once every other week, and make sure you both stick to it. Try not to make these meetings status updates about day-to-day tasks, and instead use the opportunity to discuss your goals and to build a rapport with the person that will ultimately be responsible for your career advancement. It's important that your boss gets to know you as a person and knows where you want to be. A good boss will be excited to help you get there, so check in regularly to make sure you're on the right path.

3. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

 

·       Being late

- Do you consider yourself a night owl? Do you try to go to bed early but no matter what seem to struggle to fall asleep? According to a growing number of studies, it really is harder to be a night owl, as your internal clock doesn't match up with the externally and socially-imposed timing of day to day life. That being said, if you do shift work or just work for a company that generally follows a specific set of working hours, don't make the mistake of being late. Honestly, it's not fair, and everyone should be allowed to work at the times they feel most productive. However, unfortunately not everyone has embraced this way of thinking and until we have a cultural evolution, you got to be on time. It communicates that you care about your job, and that you care about your coworkers. Not only that, but being on time will reduce your stress and start your day off on a positive note. Finally, no matter what, do not show up late with a to-go cup of coffee in your hand. Don't communicate that you care more about your morning latte than you do about being on time. Trust me, it's not a good look.

·       Communicating too casually

- Work communication has definitely changed with technology. Conversations that used to happen on the phone or in person more and more are happening via emails, text messages, or workplace communication tools like Slack. While this has made communication much more efficient, don't make the mistake of communicating too casually. Always remember that even though you're using the same technology that you use to chat with your friends, keep things professional. Also, be careful about what you post in public forums. I've known of people being demoted or even fired due to a poorly executed joke on a public Slack channel. It's always challenging to convey tone via text. So even if you think your stuck out tongue emoji indicates that you're joking, there's a really good chance that someone else is not going to pick up on the sarcasm. Finally, if you're having a disagreement with someone, pick up the phone, jump on a video call or go over to their desk. It's always easier to resolve in person rather than by text.

·       Getting pulled into office drama

- I like a good reality show as much as the next person. However, be careful to avoid making your life feel like one by getting pulled into office drama. Unless something impacts you directly, you should try to avoid getting involved. It's fine if a friend or a colleague wants to vent to you, but make sure the conversation stays between the two of you, and always have those conversations in a private setting rather than in the office. Be especially careful with written communication, and don't write anything that you wouldn't be comfortable being broadcast to the entire office. And finally, be a vault. Never repeat anything that you have heard that you know probably shouldn't be repeated. The easiest and best way to avoid office drama is to just keep your mouth shut.

·       Treating office events too casually

- These days the line between personal life and professional life can get incredibly blurry. Companies are providing lots of extra perks to make work feel, well, less like work. What used to be mostly the purvey of tech companies has become more and more mainstream. There's drinks in the fridge as well as a seemingly endless stream of extracurricular bonding activities like holiday parties or team offsites. While it's tempting to treat these activities as casual gatherings of your friends, don't treat these events too casually. And remember that if these activities are sponsored by your company, you're still on the clock. It's hard not to feel like a kid in a candy store especially early in your career when you're budgeting every penny and you're suddenly faced with free drinks, endless appetizers, and a chance to vent to your work family about how annoying that one client is. Save those conversations for one on one chats in private settings, and be careful with how much you drink. If you're like me, it's easy enough to stick your foot in your mouth without any external help.

4. USING TACHNOLOGY WISELY

·       Blending work and personal time

- It used to be that there was a very clear line between work time and personal time. Work could only be done in the office, so once you left, personal time began. These days, thanks to technology, this line is a lot more blurry. We can pretty much work from anywhere, whether it's during our morning commute or on a beach in Tahiti. And similarly, it's easy to complete personal errands while in the office, like paying bills or researching your next vacation destination. Given these blurred lines, it's really important to avoid the mistake of blending work and personal time. This can impact you in both directions. You can easily burn yourself out by not making work boundaries clear and allowing it to bleed into your home life. You can also burn bridges at work by doing too many personal errands while on the clock. So, set yourself up for success by setting clear boundaries. You'll be happy you did.

·       Using social media at work

- Social media and work have a complicated relationship. Back in the dark ages when I started my first job, the advice was to completely avoid being friends on social media with anyone you worked with. These days, that advice feels slightly dated. It's nice to be friends with the people you work with and social media offers you the opportunity to share things outside of the office. That being said, it is important to recognize that unless your job specifically requires it, you should avoid using social media at work. Save it for your evenings and weekends and if you do choose to be friends with coworkers, be extremely careful about what you post. Everything you do publicly reflects back on the company and it has become extremely common for people to be let go because of wayward social media posts. So be smart with your social media. It might feel private but ultimately if it's on the internet, consider it public.

·       Getting too distracted

- Modern offices have come a long way from the cold drab cubicle mazes that I worked in early in my career. However, they're also chalk full of distractions. These days you'll find unlimited snacks and coffee, open concept layouts providing ample opportunities for hallway chats with friends, video games, board games, not to mention funny Slack channels, piles of emails and a calendar filled with meetings about meetings to discuss when you're going to have more meetings, but you're not going to fall for this. I want to help you avoid the common mistake of getting too distracted and honestly with all the distractions in a modern office it's amazing that any work ever gets done at all. It's really important to learn early on how to be as productive as possible in an endlessly distracting environment. Here are a few things that can help. If your company uses Slack or another similar messaging platform, limit the channels that you're in and optimize your notifications. If you're getting a ping every time someone posts a hilarious GIF in the Vegan Recipes channel, you're doing it wrong. Set aside heads down time and put all notifications on do not disturb. Build in distraction time. Allow yourself a walk around the building. It is easier to focus now, if you know you're allowing yourself a break at a specific time. Invest in a nice pair of noise canceling headphones, especially if you work in an open office environment. These can be a lifesaver and finally, don't be afraid to leave your desk and find a quiet spot elsewhere in the building where you can focus. It's that simple. Now, don't get too distracted.

5. CAREER ADVANCEMENT

 

·       Not tracking your accomplishments

- Early on in my career, I made the mistake of thinking that just putting my head down, working hard, and doing a good job was going to be enough. While those things are all important, it's also important to remember that your number one career advocate should be yourself. Your boss likely has multiple direct reports and will be looking to you to help them make the case that you're ready for a promotion or to take on that new project or that you're simply deserving of a raise. A very common mistake is not tracking your accomplishments. Some good advice I once received was to keep a notebook on my desk, and at least once a week, write down your accomplishments for that week. If you can do it every day, even better. Think as though you were planning to update your resume. What problem did you face that week? What action did you take to resolve it, and what was the result? You may think you'll always remember, but trust me, when faced with filling out a personal evaluation, it is significantly easier to have these ideas jotted down as they happened, rather than trying to recall them months later. Trust me, write down your accomplishments. It will go a long way.

·       Not setting goals

- One of the mistakes I made early in my career was not setting goals. I didn't like to think long term, so I was just operating day to day and doing whatever was put in front of me. The problem with that philosophy is that you can wake up one day and realize that you're on a path you didn't intend to be on or one that you might not even enjoy. Also, goals can help you see the bigger picture. So if your day to day begins to feel like a grind, you have a longer term vision to help you get through it. Make sure your goals are smart, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. And re-evaluate them often. It's okay if your goals change. Sometimes we start down a path and realize it's not what we wanted to do after all. Don't be afraid to try things out and change your mind. Having smart goals is a great way to help you find a path that you do want to be on.

·       Not looking for opportunities

- If you work for a bigger organization, there are likely opportunities everywhere. Avoid making the mistake of having tunnel vision and not looking for opportunities outside of your current division or department. Make friends on other teams, chat with them about what they do. I know plenty of people who have had the equivalent of three or four different jobs all within the same company. So, keep an eye out for interesting projects or people that you would like to work with and if there's a specific role that you're interested in but you don't feel qualified for it, talk to the team and ask them what you can do to make them consider you. Hiring is one of the hardest things that companies have to do. So, they generally would prefer to allow a lateral jump internally than have to take a risk of a new hire. Your current company is your best network. So, take advantage of it.

·       Not knowing when to move on

- Like a lot of millennials, I was raised by baby boomers. Baby boomers are known for their job loyalty. In fact, according to one survey, more than 40% of America's baby boomers stayed with their employer for more than 20 years. This loyalty is commendable, but it is important to realize that times have changed, and that today, that kind of loyalty isn't always rewarded in the way that it was for our parents and grandparents. In fact, in some cases, remaining loyal to your company may be hindering your career growth, and a really common career mistake is not knowing when to move on from your current position. But when is the right time to move on? Obviously, it's hard to come up with a hard and fast rule since everyone's situation will be different, but some fantastic advice I once received from a manager was to optimize for learning. The most important aspect of your current role should be that you're being given opportunities to learn and grow. I think this is especially true early on in your career, when your risk tolerance for change is higher. Whether that is by learning new skills or taking on new projects, always be on the lookout for ways to strengthen your skills. If these opportunities aren't presenting themselves, or even worse, if you're being prevented from acquiring new skills, it might just be time for you to move on.

·       Getting burned out

- Did you know that the World Health Organization has included workplace burnout in its international classification of diseases? Working yourself to the point of causing yourself physical or emotional harm is a real risk in today's work environment, and that's why it's so important to regularly check in with yourself and make sure you're not getting burned out. Burnout can be sneaky. Sometimes you don't realize you're on the road to burnout until you're already there. There are a few tell-tale signs though. Are you feeling more tired than normal, both physically and emotionally? Are you less patient with people? Are you quicker to anger, quicker to frustration? Is it taking you longer to get things done because you're just not motivated? Are you spending more time worrying about all the things that you need to do rather than actually doing them? These are all signs that you're getting burned out. So if you're feeling this way, take a break. Take some time off and really think about what led to this burnout. Is it something that you can change? Can you talk to your manager about getting more support or more training or ask them to take a project off of your plate? If it's not, don't be afraid to look for other opportunities that will provide more work-life balance. Your physical and emotional health are more important than your career.

CONCLUSION

 

Avoiding future mistakes

- All right, so there you have it. I hope you can now see by avoiding these common mistakes, you'll be well-positioned to not only get more done, but stand out at work and transform your career. As you may have guessed, your learning doesn't stop here. In fact, I've barely scratched the surface on a lot of these mistakes. There are great courses on this platform that can help you do better at work. Courses on using to-do lists, or managing your time, or improving your relationship with your manager. So definitely dive in deeper there. So that's it. Stay in touch. Connect with me on LinkedIn or follow me on Twitter. I would love to hear from you. Congrats on completing this course. You're now well-equipped to avoid making too many mistakes at work.