BODY LANGUAGE IN THE WORKPLACE

INSIDE OUT

Washington, D.C., and the airport is snowed in, you try for a

ticket on the Metroliner. If that isn't running, you try the bus

station, or you rent a car. Before giving up on your ultimate goal,

you search for every possible way of realizing that goal.

The first step toward any goal is understanding the reality of

that goal. Can you reach it?

The second step is to test your motivation. How much do you

want to get there? Enough to warrant the attempt?

If both answers are yes, then you take the third step and examine

all the different routes to the goal.

Here are three problems that can help you to decide how flexible

you are, or how rigid. Each concerns someone boxed into an

apparent dead end—yet each problem can be solved by a flexible

approach. Consider each, and list all the possible solutions that

occur to you.

If you see no way out, be careful! You are much too rigid and

so you are sending a rigid, uncooperative subtext to the world

around you.

If you can find two or three solutions, you are extremely flexible

and headed for better things not only in the workplace but in

your private life as well.

If you can find only one solution, you are still able to cope.

The faster you find a solution, the more flexible you are.

The Hotshot Salesman
Dan is executive vice president in charge of sales at International
Data Systems. Lou is one of IDS's top salespeople, and he has
just approached Dan for a sizable raise.
Dan feels Lou deserves a raise. His record has been terrific,
but Dan has laid down some rigid rules linking raises to seniority.