How to Take Initiative at Work: doing your homework

celiahe

As many prosperous businesspeople already know,preparation is often the key to success in any endeavor1. You may be socially adept2 at work and have a pleasant enough personality, but you'll be more likely to convince others that your solution is the right one if you have the facts on your side. Doing your homework means taking the initiative to be prepared for any challenge: making a presentation,participating in a meeting, advancing a new idea to your boss, overhauling3 company processes and procedures. And doing your homework also means doing the basic research necessary to back up4 whatever claims you are making. One especially critical factor to consider is the culture of the organization you work for: each organization has its own set of values and norms5--the ideals that are held in high esteem6 by management and used as models for good employee behavior. For your initiatives to be successful, you have to tailor your approach accordingly7.Here are some suggestions:
1.Research your organization's culture by talking with your colleagues--both workers and managers--about what norms, values,and beliefs are most important to your organization and to the individuals who work within it. 2.Map out8 your organization's decision-making channels and take time to get to know each person in the channels you wish to influence. 3.Seek out and develop informal channels for influencing others in your organization, in a way consistent with the organization's culture. 4. Cultivate9 networks of coworkers who can support you in your efforts and influence others on your behalf. 5.As you prepare to influence others in your organization, be sure that your anticipated approach is consistent10 with the organization's culture.

celiahe

成功者之路

正如许多成功的商业人士早已知道的，作好准备工作常常是使各种努力获得成功的关键所在。你可能在工作中有很强的社交能力和讨人喜欢的性格，但如果你能准备好事实依据，那么你说服他人接受你的方案的可能性就更大。做好准备工作意味着准备好面临任何挑战：进行陈述，参加会议，向老板提出新的想法，全面修订公司的运作和程序，等等。做准备工作也意味着为支持你的观点进行必要的基本调查。其中一个特别关键的因素是考虑你所在企业的文化。每个企业都有一套自己的价值观和行为准则——即管理阶层所推崇的、用以指导雇员行为的理念。为确保你的举措成功，你需要对你的做法作相应的调整。这儿有几点建议：
　　1.与你的同仁(同事和经理们)交谈，了解什么样的行为准则、价值观和信念对你们公司以及公司的人员最为重要，从而调查出你所在公司的文化。2.弄清公司中制定决策的渠道并花些时间去认识这些渠道中你想影响的每个人。3.找出并开通影响公司中其他人的非正式渠道，但要与公司的文化相吻合。4.将能够辅助你并代表你影响其他人的同事组成网络。5.在你准备影响公司的其他人员时，你所采取的方式一定要与公司的文化相吻合。