Things You Need to Know

Professionalism

Opportunities to Teach

April 02, 2007

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend several days at The Jefferson Hotel (www.jeffersonhotel.com) in Richmond, VA. If for whatever reason you need to be visit Richmond, it’s a delightful place to stay. The hotel brims with a sense of old-fashioned charm and graciousness that you’ll never find in a trendy boutique hotel.

During my visit, I shared an elevator ride with a family of three: Mom, Dad and five-year-old Willie. As soon as he walked onto the elevator, Willie took charge of or vertical transport, pushing the appropriate floor buttons upon request. What so impressed me was how Willie acted when we reached my floor. As the elevator doors opened, Willie’s father quietly said his name, whereupon Willie immediately jumped to one side, allowing me to exit. A few moments later, Willie and his family stepped off, too.

That brief interaction reminded me how very important it is for managers and supervisors to look for the little opportunities to teach that pop up each and every day. I understand that there are important, big lessons that recruits must learn. They must become proficient is a series of technical skills. So many equally important people skills, however, can be taught quickly on a day-to-day basis.

Remind your managers and supervisors to look for little opportunities to teach. One subtle piece of feedback can yield impressive results.

comments powered by Disqus

Related Things You Need to Know

Developing Allies at Every Level

Allyship may be the “missing link” that can help organizations ensure inclusion actually occurs.

When You Need to Get to "Yes"

Because of covid-19, many employers will have a unique opportunity to discern how well their summer hires manage conflict. My contacts indicate that this year’s summer associates and interns have been assigned to group projects. Disagreements are inevitable when any team goes through the process of forming, storming, norming and performing. Additionally, since most summer hires will work from home, they will need to negotiate with family members or roommates over who gets access to the best printer, the extent to which background noise needs to be minimized during Zoom calls, and who and when someone can just walk into their workspace for a quick chat.

Proving You're a Professional During a Shortened Summer Program

Because so many summer associate and internship programs have been significantly curtailed, the students who will participate in these shortened programs must avoid unforced errors. Like never before, summer hires will have very few opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. How they handle one or two assignments will create critically important impressions.

Learn More

Order Mary'sbooksto learn the 100 things interns, new hires and summer associates need to know to succeed.

Let Mary Know

Do you have questions or want to see Mary speak at your school/employment? Reach out to Mary for more info.

Contact Mary