As youngsters, we learn the lessons needed to function in society. From parents teaching their toddlers not to whine to preschool teachers showing students the value of taking turns, each early childhood lesson is meant to carry individuals through the stages of life.
Unfortunately, as people age and enter the workplace, many lose those important childhood lessons. From whining at employers to being impatient with coworkers, many employees revert to toddler-like actions when faced with workplace stress. Here are five preschool refreshers that double as career advice that most employees could use to improve their workplace relations.
Don’t Whine
No one wants to hear you whine incessantly about workplace issues. Employees who whine about projects to coworkers or who complain to managers about coworkers are viewed as immature and as unable to handle workplace stress.
If you have serious issues with a particular workplace project, approach your manager in an adult-like manner and calmly explain the situation. Make suggestions for how the issue could be resolved and, if the manager still requests that you complete the assignment, do the work and move on. Every employee is assigned less-than-ideal projects at some point and those who complete them with enthusiasm are viewed as team players.
Say Please and Thank You
Manners make an impression in any setting. Play nice with coworkers by always using the magic words of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ regardless of your personal feelings towards the other worker. Additionally, if your job entails customer interactions, ensure you’re always pleasant during those interactions regardless of the customer’s attitude.
Take Turns
While you may be eager to showcase your workplace talents to management, you won’t get far by always trying to outshine coworkers. If your workplace department includes a team environment, take turns with coworkers on important projects rather than always trying to be the team leader. Taking turns and letting coworkers have their turn in the spotlight will show your ability at someday taking a management position.
Share
Most companies have limited resources to offer employees. While you may need those resources to effectively do your job, so do other employees. Always be willing to share equipment with coworkers so you can expect the same in return. In addition, share your workplace knowledge with new coworkers to help them adapt in the workplace because you may need this favor from others someday when starting a new job.
Be Patient
Many working styles exist in the workplace. From those who enjoy viewing every possible project angle before starting to those who would rather jump in head first, employees often lose patience when paired with those who are different from them. While you may want to scream and shout at a coworker who has a different working style than you, be an adult instead and have patience. This will enhance your workplace relationships and will prevent you from being viewed by others as unable to handle workplace stress.
When faced with workplace stress, many employees revert to toddler-like behaviors, forgetting the basic lessons learned in preschool. From remembering to share to being patient with coworkers, having manners will help you be a better employee.
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