Survive Office: 10 Tips For Moving Up Corporate Ladder

By Rajiv Sighamony. in Office. Updated on August 5, 2021.

A majority of employees seek opportunities to climb up the corporate ladder. However, in the corporate world having mere ambition is not enough. What matters is whether you have the discipline and the positive intent to reach the desired level.

It is important to remember that there’s a combination of small principles and actions that eventually make the difference. To begin with, here are 10 significant tips for you to practice in your professional life to make yourself rise to the top. Let’s go through them one by one.

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1. Make Yourself Presentable

The corporate world is not a place where beauty lies skin deep, rather it’s your appearance that matters a lot. How you dress up tells a lot about your attitude and in most situations, formal dress means you are serious at your work.

It also indicates your commitment to the affairs of the company. A person who wears a casual dress is always considered to be less dedicated and not focused on his work.

2. Take Initiative

Try to involve yourself with problems your colleague or boss encounter. If the problem solving lands you with a little extra work, don’t fret, rather try to be as helpful as possible. Remember that a leader is always eager to go beyond his domain to helps others.

Supervisors often take notice of the one who’s willing to take initiative and offer a helping hand, as it just looks like you’re not just working for the company, but you actually belong to it. This is the kind of person that bosses want to get into the manager’s realm.

3. Be Well Prepared

It’s important for you to take even the most trivial assignments seriously. Your superiors will notice it through your presentations and other materials that you present to them. A seemingly harmless mistake can leave a lasting bad impression on your boss.

In a fast-moving corporate world, meetings can be called on very short notice. Instead of panicking, try to take such meetings an opportunity to prove your aptness to your boss. Such small acts of efficiency can lead to a big leap on the corporate ladder.

4. Be Responsible

From personal to professional. being a responsible individual is important for every area of life. Be punctual, keep a timetable, manage your time and prioritize your daily tasks – all of which will help you take your responsibilities seriously.

If you fail at certain task assigned to you, you should be the one standing up to admit your fault and ask for the apology. A boss is always on the lookout for such a person who is not only ready to shoulder any responsibilities but willing to bear the consequences of his failure or irresponsibility.

Being responsible should not only be your work’s ethic, but also your life principle if you aim to strive for tremendous success in your life.

5. Never Postpone

Postponing of work is looked upon as less dedicated, and not focused. There are many employees who go to the extent of postponing their work to days and even weeks. Such individuals will hardly rise to the top. Instead, they will find it even harder to remain in the payroll of the company.

Remember that the good time to do what has been assigned to you is to do it before its deadline. If a task does not have a deadline try to assign it one yourself. It will keep you from delaying your work.

6. Communicate Effectively

Effective communication (both verbal and textual) is an essential tool for a successful career. If you are able to put your thoughts and opinion across in an effective manner, you will get the most attention among your bosses and managers.

Communicating with a better style is half the work done. Ask politely. State clearly. Say friendly. Share your opinion carefully. That said, you have to be emotionally stable, as bosses only look for the person who communicates effectively while keeping his emotion stable in any situation.

7. Avoid Being too Smart

There are a number of employees who try to act smart, they carry an attitude that they are not just smart but they can get away with doing silly things in the office, and still not get caught. You should not be one of those “smart” guys

Remember, someone would get the word to the bosses. Acts like these will never help. Playing Facebook at work and try to hide it while boss passes by is unprofessional, and most bosses take these kinds of acts a violation of office rules. Boss just doesn’t like someone who challenges his rules, be it directly or indirectly.

9. Understand Your Boss

For an employee who aspires promotion, understanding your boss is of the utmost importance. Appreciate your boss where needed but don’t go overboard because you may come across as a sycophant. And if he needs your suggestion on something try to give a balanced and well-thought opinion.

When you’ve worked in an employment for a long time, your boss would expect you to understand his work ethics and follow them. This will not only make things easier for you but will also pave the way for your professional progress.

9. Learn to Say No

Learn to say no. Of course, you should not offend your boss, manager, and colleagues, but you should sound your disagreement and opinion wisely. A more polished way of saying ‘no’ will not harm your relationship and position in the company. Disagreements are bound to exist among colleagues, but what matters is the way it’s done.

There are a host of polite ways to say no, but what’s universal is to apologize before you decline anything, as it will make the person to feel that you’re sincere. When you disagree with a colleague’s opinion, you can say your appreciation before you share your own opinion.

Be sincere and honest. A boss will likely to take you into the leadership as he wants someone who has his own standpoint and dare to sound his opinion.