How To Get A Promotion: Strategies #12 & #13

Choose not to use profanity. Over the last 50 years, some great things have happened in our culture. One of which is the miraculous advancements in medicine. Three years ago, my grandson James just couldn't wait to get his life started. He arrived two months early at just under two pounds. We nearly lost him several times and fifty years ago, we would have lost him. However, due to our medical advancements, today I get to chase him around the house and pull him up and down the street in his red wagon. However, over the last 50 years, our culture has lost something precious and that is decency. What has happened to our language? It seems so many people can't convey a message without profanity. Let me tell you something: profanity is the language of the uneducated. Profanity is the language of the unsuccessful.

If you will keep your ears open, you will notice an inverse relationship between the use of profanity and how far one has advanced in life. I have a leadership strategy for you - clean up your language. Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of "The Introverted Leader: Building Your Quiet Strength" said, "Using foul language can make it difficult to fit into a professional environment." She went on to say, "Perceptions are important in shaping your career. You don't want to be seen as a foul-mouthed person." Susanne Lucas, a writer and human resources expert says, "Similar to a disheveled appearance or tardiness, profanity can affect the way you are perceived by others in the workplace". She goes on to say that even if you do great work cursing can hurt your ability to get promoted or get better job responsibilities.

Treat Everyone Like You Would the CEO

Observe the behavior of the CEO and do what he or she does. How many hours a day does the CEO put in? Do you really think that he or she got to where they are by working eight-hour days? How much more does he or she know about your customers than you do? How much more does he or she know about your competitors - know about your industry? The difference between what your CEO knows and what you know is called "the gap." If you want to get that next promotion, then I suggest you need to fill that gap and know as much about your industry as your CEO. However, let me challenge you here: why not go a step further and learn more about your customers, competitors and industry than your CEO? Why not? Let's see just how badly you want this thing called, "success."

How does your CEO dress? Do you dress like your CEO or do you dress like a slob? And if you say, "Hey, I don't dress like a slob", then I have to ask, "Do you dress like a middle manager?" And if you ask, "Well, John, how does a middle manager dress?" And if you don't know the answer to that, then I suggest we talk. Clothes cover 95% of your body and speak volumes about where you are and where you are going... or not going. If you dress only like the position you are in then that's where you will stay. If your knowledge of your industry will only qualify you for the position that you are in then that is just where you will stay. You have heard that before you ever get the position that you want, you have to qualify for the position you want - you have to meet the requirements. Let me challenge you again. If you want that next promotion, don't deliver, over-deliver.