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I read an article this week that Monday is no longer a cause for dread thanks to the pandemic. Sunday Scaries are gone, but what is the new “least favorite day”? Some experts are saying it is Wednesday, as we now don’t really have the weekend to look forward to anymore and weeks are flashing before our eyes. I think I might agree with them; however, here I am all bright and cheery for another post in our Women in the Workplace Wednesday series.

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Everlane Midi Dress (low stock - similar here and here - I size up in this dress so it fits my hips! I wear a 6 instead of a 4) | Senreve Mini Maestra (get $50 off with discount code ELLEMULENOS) | Kendra Scott Pepper Hoops (c/o) | Hip Optical Beverly Glasses in Midnight (c/o - use discount code ELLE10 for $10 off) | Vince Pointed Nude Flats (old, similar here)

The majority of my corporate roles have been in the project management arena. I’ve been in charge of a lot of moving pieces, people, and projects, which has given me a unique perspective. My job(s) have allowed me to think about what was best for the company, all while making sure the best interest of the people were met and managed. Not that you or other people may not care about being a good co-worker, but you may not be aware of certain things that could make or break your “good co-worker” title.

TIPS FOR BEING A GOOD CO-WORKER

Here are some tips for being a good co-worker whether you are working from home or in an office. Obviously you wouldn’t be human if you did all of these 100% of the time, so just keep that in mind.

Manage expectations properly. As a PM (project manager), I’ve had a lot of people tell me what they though I wanted to hear, not how something actually was going. It is my job to make sure that everything is going smoothly. Without the whole truth, I’m not able to realistically manage timelines and inform my superiors. If something isn’t going to be on time, let the affected person know and present a solution/timeline for moving forward. Don’t forget to give yourself realistic goals too. Don’t commit to something too quickly, especially when no one is asking for that quick of a turn around. It is much better to under-promise and over-deliver!
Own up to mistakes. It may be hard, but if you made a mistake let it be known, present a solution, and move forward. you’ll gain much more respect and waste less time with this approach. Don’t assign blame or get stuck pointing fingers at others when there’s an issue. As a PM, I’ve held countless meetings to figure out what happened so we can learn from it and prevent it from occurring again. You’d be surprised how many meetings were delayed because people wanted to talk about whose fault it was rather than fixing the issue at hand. If you mess up, take one for the team and keep on trucking forward. ‘How we’ll move forward’ matters a whole lot more than ‘Who screwed up.’
Don’t humiliate others. On the topic of mistakes, let’s all make a pact to not humiliate people. If you have an issue with someone or something make sure you go directly to them and do so privately. I like to do this in a room with a door if possible, so no one else can hear. I always try to remind them that I’m trying to help them and I can’t do my job if I’m not aware of an issue. My husband used to work for a company that said to spread positivity wide (to a lot of people) and negativity small (to the one person and perhaps your boss). It is a great mantra and something we all could stand to remember.

Compliment well. Tacking onto the previous section, don’t be stingy with positive feedback. Whether it is work related or that you like their dress, tell them! If it is work related, be sure to tell them personally, and mention it on an online feedback site if your company has one (AND shoot a note to their boss). The more experienced I’ve become, the less shy I have been about doing this, and asking this of others. If I received really good feedback whether it be over the phone or via email, I almost always request that they tell my supervisor… of course after saying thank you!!
Respect People’s Time. Treat others’ time as though it’s just as important as your own… because it is! Regarding tasks, take the mindset that being on time is late and being early is actually on time. With respect to meetings, only contribute items applicable to the subject of the meeting, arrive on time, and if something sparks another topic, follow up with others after the meeting is over.
Don’t gossip. This is pretty much a no-brainer, but still worth a mention here. I actually have an entire blog post dedicated to how to deal with gossip at work. To spin this section to the positive side, take an interest in people. You don’t have to be best friends with everyone, but remembering to ask how their daughter’s birthday was or how their back has been since they threw it out is not only nice, but can gain you additional respect.

Give grace. Sure we all lose our tempers, but make it point to cool off before addressing things. One tip my mom has always told me is don’t put anything in writing that you would be ashamed of if your mom saw it. On the same note, don’t talk to people in a manner which you would be embarrassed if your children heard. We are all human. We all mess up. The world is actually quite small and you do not want to burn bridges.
Give credit where credit is due. This kind of aligns with complimenting people, but goes beyond it. Do not take credit for someone else’s idea and if someone thinks it is yours, always mention other people. Consider prominent sports players. Do they credit themselves or speak to the strength of the team?
Proactively help. If someone is about to go out of town or even just struggling in general, consider reaching out to see how you can assist them. This is quite courteous if you have the bandwidth, and chances are you might end up needing help somewhere down the road too.

Oh and don’t microwave salmon. Cold tuna salad on the other-hand doesn’t bother me one bit! Do you have any tips? Send them my way so I can learn too!

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, you’ll probably like these:

How to Deal with Gossip at Work

How to Deal with Uneven Distribution of Work at the Office

How to Deal with Conflict at Work Especially with Women