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Those Little Things
Moving to another state meant finding a new dentist. I tried one a neighbor recommended who seemed friendly, competent and eager to please. But, I never went back. His office was a case study on the importance of little things. The coat hook was missing a screw and falling from the wall; waiting room magazines were outdated; the posted office hours were taped over with an index card and new hours written in marker; the credenza was overflowing with mail and claim forms. There are plenty of dentists to choose from, and while he might be a competent one, why chance it? It's the same at work. Bosses choose which people to give a great assignment to, take a chance on or consider for a project. Customers choose which businesses to frequent. All those little things really aren't so little. They're impressions. And those impressions help others make decisions about you. Does it matter if you don't spell check your email? It's only an email, right? Wrong. It's an impression about the way you work. Does it matter if the address label is crooked on the letter you send a customer? Who looks at the envelope anyway? It matters. It's an impression highlighting that the company (or individual) has poor attention to detail. Does it matter if you're habitually late for meetings or don't show up at all? I'd say so. It's an impression about what you think of other people's time. What about a voice mail message saying, "Your call is important to me. I'll get back to you as soon as I can." When it takes two weeks to call, that little thing is an impression about the real importance of my call and your credibility. If I ask you for a business card and you can't find one among your overflowing scraps of paper, it's a little thing. But it leaves an impression that you're disorganized. If your presentation looks like a six-grade term paper, it's hard to have confidence that the executed idea won't be as well. How it looks is a little thing that entices us to take a closer look (or not). Three more comments: first, don't confuse little things with big things. You can't just do all the little things well and think that's it. Content is king on the internet and television; competence is king in the workplace. The competent performance of your job is central to any winning at working strategy. Second, this is not a message encouraging perfectionism. You can't be perfect. If you try to be, you potentially limit yourself and get lost in those little things. Third, some people have a talent for details and noticing little things. But everyone can learn. Start by noticing those little things which create an impression on you. Little things like the cashier doesn't take off the sensor tag; or the babysitter is late again; or your name is misspelled on an invitation; or the orthodontist staff presents a rose to your daughter after her braces come off; or the repair man arrives at the designated time. What do those little things communicate to you about the person or business who delivered them? Consider what your little things are communicating about you. Bottom line? If you're not paying attention to the little things, you're losing opportunities or business. If you want to be winning at working, you have to pay attention to little things, too. (c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved. Sign up to receive Nan's free biweekly eColumn at http://www.winningatworking.com. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and on-line instructor. Visit http://www.nanrussell.com or contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com
MORE RESOURCES: Careers at CMS CMS Career Clusters – New Mexico Public Education Department New Mexico Public Education Department Report: community college students need more career guidance Inside Higher Ed Will Artificial Intelligence Steal My Job? | On Careers | U.S. News U.S News & World Report Money The energy transition’s effects on jobs MIT Technology Review Careers - Human Resources Kennesaw State University Workers eager to fill 3,000 Las Vegas jobs to build Brightline Fox 5 Las Vegas Jobs and Training at FDA FDA.gov Careers Boys & Girls Clubs of America Careers at TWU | The Office of Human Resources | TWU Texas Woman's University Tesla mass layoffs impact Bay Area, with over 2,750 jobs lost San Francisco Chronicle Careers Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Careers Micron Careers at FEMA FEMA Find a Job Samaritan Health Services Careers | Job Opportunities | MaineHealth MaineHealth Careers at Bucknell Bucknell University Industry sells workers on ag jobs The Western Producer Career Paths FEMA Job Search Results - Careers at UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group My career race is in the home stretch, here's what I know Financial Times Careers at Discovery Education Discovery Education Green careers report: Understanding green jobs and their increasing demand The Economic Times Employment USC Upstate Veterans and transitioning military | VA Careers VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Data indicates a strong job market but some employment seekers — even those with a Ph.D. — say they struggle Yahoo Finance What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80000 Fake Résumés to U.S. Jobs The New York Times Careers Smith College Grécourt Gate Careers Ap.org Permanent Full Time FEMA Careers at NATO NATO HQ Apply for a Job The City of Vancouver, WA The Best Jobs in America in 2024 | Careers | U.S. News U.S News & World Report Money Despite lagging performance, California expected to avoid recession Los Angeles Times Open Positions Pratt News Chesapeake Public Schools Employment Opportunities Chesapeake Public Schools Careers at USI University of Southern Indiana Careers Medline Newsroom Work for Us (U.S National Park Service Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools Careers at Air Liquide Air Liquide Another month of robust US job growth points to continued economic strength The Associated Press Careers | US Forest Service USDA Forest Service Careers at Metro King County Lawsuit claims Sheetz denied employment to class of job applicants because of their race WPXI Pittsburgh Careers in mental health services : Career Outlook: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics Careers Technip Energies Overemployed workers don't feel guilty working multiple remote jobs Business Insider Jobs for Experienced Professionals – Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Early careers UBS AI Will Transform the Global Economy. Let's Make Sure It Benefits Humanity. International Monetary Fund Careers CPKC 7 Best Technology Jobs in the U.S. | Careers | U.S. News U.S News & World Report Money Work Here UnitedHealth Group CoinGecko Careers: Careers at CoinGecko CoinGecko Careers with Impact IFC Press Releases Top Autism Jobs: Choosing the Best Careers for People With Autism Autism Parenting Magazine November 2023 Jobs Report JP Morgan Early Careers | Mondelēz International, Inc. Mondelez International Want to Know if AI Will Take Your Job? I Tried Using It to Replace Myself The Wall Street Journal Best job site of 2024 TechRadar Education and Development WellSpan Health Opinion | The A.I. Economy Will Make Jobs More Human The New York Times John Lewis publishes job interview questions to aid preparation Personnel Today Jobs home Mitie Upgraded National Career Service portal to give job market a fillip Business Standard Career Services Wake Tech Newsroom Careers with the Group Volkswagen Group Find a Role Bain & Company Exploring green careers The Star Online Careers at UNHCR UNHCR Jobs Energy.gov |
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