It's also difficult to deal with co-workers who don't have, or don't want to have, intelligence required to do job. Sometimes people fain ignorance in order to avoid work or responsibility. Sometimes an individual is in a job position that they are not suited for.

Your job may provide your life with meaning and purpose. Professionalism and pride in your work may be important to you. But don't expect everyone to have those same values. Some people are more focused on friends, family, or other preoccupations outside of work. They come to work only for paycheck. They want to make least amount of effort required to get paycheck.

Your happiness and success at work requires you to accept and embrace uniqueness of other individuals. You need to form good relationships with any co-worker whose cooperation you need in order to perform your tasks. The best way to do that is to care about them. Engage in small talk and learn what their interests are and what motivates them. Approach them with an optimistic attitude, praise, and compliments. People gravitate towards other people who make them feel good.

You must impress upon them that you are not a threat. You will not criticize them, nor threaten their job security. Help them understand that cooperation would be mutually advantageous. Let others in company compete and vie against one another, while you team up with your co-workers for your mutual success at work.

---------------------------------------------------------- Resource Box: Copyright(C)2004 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp ----------------------------------------------------------

How receptive was staff to your request to view facility? Were they pleasant and courteous? Did facility manager greet you with a handshake and a smile upon your arrival at venue?

Sometimes catering or banquet halls have an adjoining restaurant. This is a perfect opportunity to sample facility's cuisine. Observe attitude of wait staff towards their customers. Do they seem pleasant and attentive? Are their uniforms neatly pressed? How often do they come back to check on your table? This is a fairly reliable indicator of service that you will receive on day of your event.

If facility does not have an adjoining restaurant, you are perfectly within your rights to request a small sample tasting. Most facility managers should be happy to oblige.

Amenities & Special Features

Amenities may include any number of items such as a built in sound system, in house audiovisual equipment, valet parking, complementary floral arrangements, a mystery dinner theater or any special perk that sets that venue apart from others. It may be helpful for you to make a list of these features, so that you can compare various sites that you have inspected.

No facility is perfect. If you look hard enough, you are bound to find some small flaw in service or in maintenance of building. Use following checklists as a guide for evaluating facility as a whole. Don't drive yourself crazy looking for every rip and tear! Only you can decide what type of venue is right for your event. If you are fortunate enough to find a venue that meets all of your requirements and fits within your budget, you've hit goldmine! However, this may not always be case and some form of compromise may be required. For instance, you may choose one venue over another because it is more conveniently located for your guests, although you may have felt that other site was more elegant. Only you can determine what factors will come into play when making your final decision.

Just remember basics. The following should never be compromised:

1. Cleanliness and proper maintenance of facility both inside and outside. 2. Convenience and accessibility of location. 3. Attentive and courteous service. 4. Quality and presentation of catering.

Andrea has over ten years of experience in the hospitality and events industry. She is the founder of Eleganza Meetings, Events & Conferences Inc., a full service agency offering meeting, event and conference planning resources.