The Nice People's Guide to Business Politics

Written by Lisa Lake


I re-enteredrepparttar workforce after years of being a stay at home mom. I knew that I was good at what I did, but when I first started back in business it seemed that nothing I did was good enough. I felt I was lost at sea. It seemed that people were mad at me for no reason, or people didn't likerepparttar 131109 things I had to say. My work was good, but not fast enough, and on and on. Sometimes I would leaverepparttar 131110 office so stressed out that when I got home I couldn't be cheery with my husband and kids.

I was determined to get out of my rut so I started analyzing what was going on. I knew I did a good job, and that I was a pleasant enough person. It had to be something else. I asked my husband what he thought, and he brought up office politics. He said that, in a lot of businesses, your social skills and behavior have as much or more influence as your actual job performance on how you were treated. He told me to open my eyes and ears and to start noticing what was going on around me and to try to adapt.

The first thing I did was listen torepparttar 131111 morning conversations inrepparttar 131112 break room. I was usually pretty chatty withrepparttar 131113 friendlier people, but I decided to keep it down for a few days. What were people talking about? It seemed that people were talking about business issues and current events. I guess I'd forgotten that everyone didn't have kids, and that soccer and scouts weren't popular office topics.

I made a commitment to myself to readrepparttar 131114 morning paper onrepparttar 131115 bus, instead ofrepparttar 131116 latest romance novel, at least 3 days a week, and to make an input inrepparttar 131117 more serious office conversations. Of course I'd still talk about my kids withrepparttar 131118 ladies I'd become friendly with, but on our own time. The guys inrepparttar 131119 office really started responding. They even ask me my opinion on issues now.

Next I decided to figure out why my boss, who was seemingly so friendly, would sometimes complain about me behind my back. I really started listening to what she was asking for, and I realized that she was a little vague sometimes, and therefore maybe I wasn't always understanding what she wanted.

Success Begins Within

Written by Monique Rider


Incorporating bodybuilding into my lifestyle has been one ofrepparttar best decisions I ever made. My early childhood was marred byrepparttar 131107 trauma of sexual abuse. Although these memories were repressed until just a few years ago, I spent most of my life suffering from allrepparttar 131108 classical symptoms of abuse: low self-esteem, low self-confidence, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and depression.

The cycle of abuse continued through my adolescence when, at age 16, I entered into an eight year abusive marriage. I endured daily emotional and verbal abuse, threats, and intimidation. My self-esteem continued to plummet and at age 24, when I finally divorced my husband, I was a physical and emotional wreck. I had never practiced a healthy lifestyle, had no self-respect, andrepparttar 131109 stress of my lifelong abuse had taken its toll. At 24 years old I weighed 97 pounds, was having daily chest pains, heart palpitations, panic attacks, and insomnia. I also suffered from TMJ Syndrome due to stress. My doctors advised me to begin an exercise program before my condition worsened.

I reluctantly began aerobics and then incorporated a mild strength-training program. I immediately noticedrepparttar 131110 physical and mental benefits of exercise. At that point in my life, toning and building muscle was not my goal. I needed an outlet for stress and an increased energy level. However, it didn’t take long for me to develop an interest in nutrition, building muscle, and possibly competing. My self-esteem and general outlook on life improved tremendously as I continued my workouts.

In January 1998, at age 34, I took my love ofrepparttar 131111 sport one step further. I hired a professional bodybuilder to train me forrepparttar 131112 upcoming Belding Natural Classic Bodybuilding show in Belding, Michigan. Due torepparttar 131113 abuse I suffered, I have always had a terrible self-image. Even though I never had a weight problem, I have always been very embarrassed of my body. Competing was something I never thought I could do, because of this hang up.

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