SectionD
Evenifyougetworkdoneandgenerallygetalongwithco-workers,youcouldhavehabitsthatbugyourboss(nottomentionyourofficemates).Whilethesequirksmaynotnecessarilygetyoufired,theycertainlycankeepyoufromclimbingthecorporateladder.We’veuncoveredanumberofhabitsthatbugyourbossandoffertipsonhowtoavoidthem.
AccordingtoLaRhondaEdwards,ahumanresourcesmanagerwiththirteenyearsofHRexperience,tardinessisoneofthebiggestconcernsformanagers.“Ifthenormalworkdaystartsat8o’clock,thentheexpectationisthatyou’reintheofficereadytostartyourday,”sheexplains.Heradvicetothechronicallylate?“Planahead,”sheurges.“Ifyoulive50minutesaway,youdon’tleave50minutesearly.Tagonextratimeandanticipateroadblocks.”Somepeopleevensettheirclocksafewminutesearlytoensurethatthey’reontime.Differentbossespreferdifferentmodesofcommunication.LindseyPollak,aworkplaceexpertandauthorofGettingfromCollegetoCareer,saysifyoutextyourbossandsheprefersin-personmeetings,“eitheryourinformationwon’tgetacrossoryou’llirritate[her].”Fortunately,there’sasimplefix:askyourbosshowandwhentosendupdates.Ifyou’retooshytoaskoutright,thenPollaksuggestsobservinghowtheycommunicatewithyou.“Ifyouhaveabosswhocommunicatesonceadaybyemail,that’stheboss’preferredfrequencyandmethodofcommunication,”explainsPollak.
Acluttered,messyworkspacecangiveyourbosstheimpressionthatyou’relazyordisorganized,sotrytokeepyourdeskneat.“Neverputmoreonyourdeskthanyou’regoingtoworkonfortheday,”recommendsEdwards.“Attheendoftheday,makesureyousetupforthenextday.Imaybeworkingonfivethingsatonce,butattheendoftheday,they’regone,andIsetupforthenextday.”Mostmanagerswouldratheryouaskaquestionthanmakeamistake,butmanyquestionscanbeansweredonyourown.“IsthissomethingyoucouldGoogleoraskacolleague?”wondersPollak.“Theinternetissovastthatalotofinformationyoucangetyourself.”Ifyoumustapproachyourbosswithaquestionorissue,thenPollakrecommendsbrainstormingbeforehand.“Ratherthansaying‘Thisclientisterrible.WhatshouldIdo?’thinkaboutpotentialsolutions,”shesays.
Cellphonesarepracticallyubiquitousintheworkplacethesedays,butit’sstilldisruptiveanddisrespectfulwhentheygooffduringameeting.Edwardssaysthatyoushould,“putyourcellphoneonvibrateorleaveitinyourownofficesoit’snotadistraction.”Thatwayyouwon’tbetemptedtotexteither
()6.Accordingtothearticle,howmanypiecesofadviceareofferedhere?.
A.TwoB.ThreeC.FourD.Five(B)
()7.Whatisthisarticleabout?.
A.Howtobesuccessfulintheworkplace.
B.Howtocommunicatewithyourboss.
C.Howtoavoidquirksthatannoyyourboss.
D.Howtoutilizeyourmobilephonesatwork.
()8.Whatdoesthephrase“togetacross”inthesentence“…sheprefersin-personmeetings,“eitheryourinformationwon’tgetacrossoryou’llirritate…”ofthesecondparagraphmean?.
A.TobecommunicatedB.Tobepassed
C.TobepromotedD.Tobeanticipated(A)
()9.Accordingtothearticle,whichofthefollowingmodesofcommunicationisthebestwhencommunicatingwithyourboss?.
A.Anywaysyouthinkareappropriate.
B.In-personmeetings.
C.Correspondence.
D.Thewayyourbosscommunicateswithyou.(D)
()10.Whichofthefollowingstatementsisnotmentioned?
A.Employeesshouldpayrespecttotheirbossesanytime.
B.Employeesshouldplanbeforehandsoastoshowupatworkontime.
C.Employeesshouldnotlettheirmobilephonesgooffduringmeetings.
D.Employeesshouldkeeptheirdesksneatandorganized.
Whatismostimportantwhenlaunchingnewproducts,flankerbrandsextensionsofwell-knownbrands,orinfrequentlypurchasedbrands;orgoingafteranundefinedtargetmarket.（）