Keep Your Hands Clean

There was once a time when simply doing your job and keeping your mouth shut was good enough to command respect within the corporate community. However, our business culture has evolved into a competitive and politically sensitive landscape. The advent of the BlackBerry has brought about the extinction of the 9 to 5 workday, and clocking in on the weekends has become standard protocol in many organizations, trust me i know. Modern day strivers look for leadership and likability in their protégés and tend to reward out of the box thinkers. Keeping your hands clean means being an active team player. It means executing your work in the most efficient manner while keeping your clients and coworkers in your good graces. Here are a few ways to navigate the treacherous corporate waters so that you can keep your hands clean.

Befriend the Gatekeepers

There are gatekeepers within every organization. Typically, they are the secretaries and personal assistants to the top dogs. They are in constant communication with these high powered Dons, even more so than their wives, and as a result are privy to the inner workings of the ivory tower. Make an extra effort to extend the olive branch to these often mistreated and misunderstood coworkers. All it takes is a casual five minute conversation a couple times a week. If the boss is pissed and looking for an axe to grind, they may tip you off to be on your best behavior.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that these subordinates only function to update calendars and set meetings they also serve as the eyes and ears to the ground floor of the operation, and you can safely assume that they fill their boss in on the weekly gossip. With this direct line of communication they can easily paint a picture of you as an innovative leader or the dude who keeps to himself. This is a great indirect way to keep your hands clean.

Pay attention to Detail

One of the easiest ways to keep your hands clean is to pay attention to detail. Unless you have a photographic memory, it will take more then simply listening to fully process a set of commands. Take a pen and pad with you to every meeting you attend or whenever you set foot into your boss’s office. Always be prepared to take notes there’s no telling when the boss may surprise you with a last minute order. However, before beginning any project, review the directives one more time to fully grasp the task at hand. If you still have questions, suck it up and ask the Don (when the timing is right). It’s better to take this humble approach to your work than to try to be the hero. Screwing up an assignment because you skipped over some minor factor will only add insult to injury and won’t help you keep your hands clean.

Be Aware of The Political Game

Every business revolves around a unique and delicate political structure. Although, the specifics of each office are different, many of the elements are universal. To effectively balance the different personalities at your workplace you should start by classifying the personnel into three basic categories...

The first and most important are the employees you can trust. These are your friends in the organization who you can confide in and know that your conversations won’t be the subject of their weekly blog. Second are those you should appease. This includes your boss and other direct superiors as well as the gatekeepers. You want to keep these people happy and in your hip pocket if at all possible. Finally, there are those you should avoid. These are the coworkers who gather around the water cooler hourly to gossip. Their negative energy brings down the vibe of the entire office and any association with them could tarnish your reputation.

If you want to keep your hands clean, take the time to analyze your coworkers and work on your poker face.

Think a Few Steps Ahead

Consistently thinking a few steps ahead at work will not only make you look like the smartest guy in the room, but it will also help keep your hands clean by ensuring that there are no flaws in your business plan. A good way to address this technique is by analyzing your current situation and then comparing it to a past experience. For example, if you use a delivery service that is notoriously a day or two late, simply place your orders early. Take the time to think about your operations and the personalities you will be dealing with to get the job done.

Stay Outta It

In order to keep your hands clean you must be alert and fully aware of your surroundings. Resist the urge to cut corners or burn bridges. These misgivings will come back to haunt you in the long run.

the audacious truth