Did you buy any of that? Maybe just a little. But it’s not enough to get you on board the green bandwagon. You’re looking for something a little more tangible and short term. You’re in luck. There is something in it for you and the polar bears.

Good for the company

There are some serious upsides for our employer if we work out some serious green policies. You start with energy efficiency measures that will cut our expenses. There also is a lot to gain with waste reduction. This is one one those win-win situations. You help the environment and you help the company’s bottom line.

Your green efforts also are worth something in marketing. Many companies will take it too far – greenwashing. But if you’re going to care about the world, you might as well make it into a good ad campaign.

Good for your career

If this is going to help the company, you want to be a part of it and get some of the credit.

This is more than a movement. It’s a committee. All the literature on green business practices advises managers to get the employees involved. After all, we’re the ones who are going to be turning off unused lights and printing on both sides of paper. So we need to be part of the decision making effort. Be proactive and ask to be part of whatever task force or advisory panel that will shape your green policies. Do it before all the seats and glory are gone.

If this does turn into a standing committee, you’re going to be able to network with a lot of people across all departments. And some of them will be heavy hitters – managers looking for new talent. Your career path at this company can go right through this committee.

If it doesn’t turn into a committee and relies mostly on you or a very small group, then that’s glory that won’t get spread around.

How’s your resume look? Sure the paper is made from totally recycled fibers without any harmful chemicals. But being able to brag about involved in green policy making is going to help. Your next employer may be looking for someone with some energy efficiency experience. Or it can be a start of a new career

Where to start

Here are some suggestions:

Talk trash: How much of what goes out can be recycled? The goal is to put less in the trash bin. So find out what your community does with recyclables – cardboard, paper, cans and bottles. The packing materials in items shipped to you can be recycled too. Some centers will pay for recyclables.

Gone organic: How much organic waste do you have? I’m talking about food stuff. Local farmers may want it for compost and be willing to haul it away. Even coffee grounds make good compost. Think about how much coffee your office goes through in a week. Even if you don’t save a lot in trash fees, it’s going to generate some local goodwill.

Pay paperless: Let your vendors bill you online. The fewer bills we receive in the mail, the less paper you have to throw away. If you follow suit, and submit your invoices electronically, you can save money on paper, printing and postage. And do it electronically. Reduce the number of checks you have to write and mail.

Less paper: Going totally paperless isn’t practical. So be careful with what paper you do use. Print on both sides of a page. Use scraps and envelopes as note paper. At The Great Impasta restaurant in Brunswick, servers use the blank sides of old specials printouts to write orders.

Enlightened savings: Start with your light bulbs. Replace burned out bulbs with CFLs. As you convert more bulbs, small savings on the electric bill will add up.

Upgrade: Use more energy efficient appliances and equipment. Everything from microwaves to coffee makers to printers can save you money in energy costs. Newer equipment uses less electricity, and some models are more efficient than others.

Getting warmer: For bigger savings, look at your heating and cooling bills. Check with the local government or utility company for energy efficiency help. They also may offer free energy audits and can show you where to find big savings. Some of the upgrades could qualify for rebates, grants and tax credits.

It’s an investment: These items will cost you more up front. But the energy savings will overtake that investment in the long term. But one thing you can do for free. Make sure everything is really off and unplugged when you end the day. Everything from computers to coffee makers still can use electricity when you aren’t using them.

Keep it all green

Remember you want this to be a win-win-win endeavor. You’re trying to help the environment, the company and your career. The key element is to find and implement practices that save money.

Why did we do it? Weren’t you listening when I described the burger?

Oh, the mountain. Why did we climb it in winter? During a storm you wouldn’t drive in? There are a lot of reasons. There’s the scenery, the conflict of man vs. nature and a really good beer. But I see the “Yeah, right” in your eyes. So I’m going to explain it this way.

These adventures develop corporate skills. That’s right. I learn more useful skills running around mountains and paddling the bay than you will in a lifetime of seminars and Dale Carnegie courses.

There’s the networking

Believe it or not, getting back to nature is a very social activity. It’s usually done in groups. Sure you can do the lone wolf thing. But there is safety in numbers. Sometimes you need someone else to rescue your lost self or apply some first aid.

Like I say, it’s a social activity. And it brings together people with varied interests, backgrounds and professions. Your adventures are chances to mix with people and tell them about what you do.

I’m not advocating that you treat fellow hikers as prospects. The best networkers will tell you that’s not the way to do it. You network to meet people. Maybe some day they will buy from you or promote you. Better yet, they may become friends. But the goal is to learn and share what you know.

But the trail isn’t always a great place to talk it up. Sometimes you want to hear the sounds of nature – not some tales from the cubicle. Knowing when to shut up is a skill that will work well for you throughout your career.

Don’t worry. There will be lots of opportunities to network. There’s nothing like a burger and beer after a day trip.

Then you’re challenging yourself

You’re never going to grow unless you step outside of your comfort zone. You’re going to learn a lot about what you can do. It’s not hard to find adventures outside that comfort zone – literally and figuratively.

It’s more than taking risks or facing fear. It’s about doing something that is unknown and new. There also are skills to learn. Climbing is something that takes practice. The more you paddle canoes and kayaks in rough waters, the better you get. Some trips require endurance that needs to be built up.

Each step you take into new territory builds something inside of you. It’s called confidence. And that’s going to get you places at work. It’s something coworkers, supervisors, customers and clients will notice. And in the proper dosage, they will respect you for it.

These are two vital steps in getting what you want. The first is to believe you can do it. And why not? You have reached the summits of mountains. Promotion should be a cake walk.

That leads to the second step. Making others believe you can do it too. Especially if your goals involve leadership.

If you’re going to be a leader…

Now we come to the most tangible benefit of group adventure. It is a fantastic leadership training exercise.

Here’s the deal with most people. They want someone to lead them. All it takes to qualify is to declare you have an idea and plan the adventure. Just like that, you’re a leader.

But are you a good leader? That’s another question that is not going to be answered unless you try it. And outdoor leadership really is not that different from corporate leadership.

The most important skills you need to lead an adventure are planning and communication.

Planning requires figuring out the where and what obviously. What mountain are you going to climb? What lake are you going to paddle? What trail are you going to hike? You need to know miles covered and supplies needed.

You need to assess how challenging is the trip and the skill levels of your fellow adventurers. That requires careful recruitment or discouragement of participants. The adventure and people are a careful match. You want people who can do it. But remember they may be challenging themselves, stepping out of their comfort zones. Allowing them to do that without compromising the safety of others or the goals of the trip is tough. It’s leadership.

It’s also accepting that all planning isn’t perfect. Things go wrong. Good leaders have good plan Bs then. Or at least they look like they do. A little bit of confidence goes a long way here.

Even more difficult than the planning though is the communication. Good leaders are excellent communicators. The people you lead need to understand what is expected. You need to make sure you use language they are familiar with. This is especially true when you lead new adventurers. Often they don’t have the opportunity to learn a new vocabulary. Or they don’t have the same frame of reference as the person giving instructions.

Throw in the fact that people tend to spread out and get easily distracted by what is going on around them. You need to develop excellent communication skills to keep everyone safe and on mission.

Being able to give feedback helps tremendously. Especially when they are trying to grow beyond their comfort zones too.

What are you doing this weekend?

Let’s not forget that I’m getting exercise. And it’s a good way to relieve the stress that builds up here during the week. It’s all making me a healthier individual. Which in turn leads to greater productivity.

All this helps me be a valuable member of the team here. You have that option too. There are outdoor clubs and organizations that offer opportunities to get out and lead. They aren’t hard to find on the Internet. It’s not too late to start.

Even if you don’t leverage it into a promotion here, you’re going to be happier.

And this is when people start coming up with new ideas and suggestions. Often it’s a major decision maker such as your boss who thinks a new feature or two is needed. Do you rework everything? How do you consider everyone’s feedback and respectfully decline the advice? That all depends on many factors. In the end, you need to decide what’s the gain. And some of that advice comes from someone you can’t ignore.

What now? Do you rework everything? How do you consider everyone’s feedback and respectfully decline the advice? That all depends on many factors. In the end, you need to decide what’s the gain. If it’s a lousy idea, it’s easy to dismiss. But good ideas at the last minute are very tempting to implement. You have to decide whether they are worth the cost. Make a honest analysis of what the costs and benefits of a change will be. That last-minute idea could make your launch a success.

But even so, the last-minute ideas can derail the most well run project. It’s tough when someone ignores all your planning and work. Where were they when you planned this thing? Now that all the work is done, they want to tell you what you should have done. Implementing a last-minute idea or two could delay launch.

You know what I do? Enforce an idea embargo. While planning a project and creating a time line, I mark the day that no new ideas will be accepted. That’s right. After that day, keep your great ideas to yourself because we have work to do.

I’m not advocating restricting people from contributing to your work. Encourage people to contribute early. The embargo is simply the last step in a series of communications. Seek lots of input. Early.

First, you need to communicate your project schedule. Include dates for each step. That includes idea embargo and project deadline. The embargo cannot be a surprise to anyone. Everyone in your group needs to be aware of the time line.

Get everyone involved in a brainstorming session. Get their ideas now. But this isn’t the final idea harvest. You need to stay open to feedback.

Announce your progress as you complete parts of the project. Show off what you have done and solicit more feedback.

Ask for advice or bounce your ideas off individuals. Include as many perspectives as you can. Give people chances to contribute more ideas.

You need to foster an environment that lets people contribute. They need to feel they can add something beyond their daily tasks. All of this will be a waste if they stay silent because no one listens to them anyway.

At no point are you required to implement every idea suggested. You need to use your best judgment. And you need to communicate why some ideas won’t be included. There will be good ideas that aren’t right or economical for a particular project. The key is that you are using your judgment early in the process.

Even after you declare the embargo, don’t write your project plan in stone. I know what I just wrote. But you need to recognize that markets change, glitches arise and assumptions are wrong. Schedule testing moments when you question how things are going. You may need to adjust ideas and procedures. The key is to recognize change happens and try to plan for it.

Of course none of this will prevent the last-minute idea or change. Scott Belsky of Behance writes that there is a good reason for this:

“Some of the most productive leaders we have interviewed suggest that their greatest realizations often come at very inconvenient times – often when it is almost too late to change. The reason is obvious: brain power is concentrated and more able to grasp the tangible outcome of a project only in the final stages. While the team may want to discourage any last minute changes, you will also want to capitalize and capture these insights.”

Scott writes that you don’t want to discard good ideas simply because they came after a deadline. He advocates patience and feels that will lead to more meaningful engagement. Hey, I’m all for meaningful engagement. I’m just saying you need to start it earlier.

I’m going to stick with my idea embargo. Simply because it puts a lot of emphasis on collecting ideas and engagement very early in the process. That cannot hurt no matter what you do days before launch. By seriously including many views in your planning, you reduce the likelihood someone will have last-minute ideas. Those ideas are collected earlier.

When I figure out how to schedule unforeseen problems, I will let you know.

It was my first job out of college. I was working as an accountant at a small firm doing tax returns for small businesses. It was run by three partners. Nice guys. But after four months, they weren’t happy with my work. And they shouldn’t have been. I was slow and made a lot of mistakes. I was a lousy accountant.

The big problem was that I was right out of college working my first professional job. I was struggling just to figure out the basics like filling out time sheets. Like I said it was a small firm. I was the first college graduate they hired. They didn’t have any training programs.

So that would be my first takeaway from the experience. If I’m going to hire someone young or new to professional work, I need to make sure there’s a program to get them into the routine. Make sure they learn how to work here. They know the skills of the profession but not how to do the job.

Not that I’m making excuses.

I should have done a better job despite their lack of training programs. I could have prepared myself better. That’s my second takeaway. I worked pretty hard in class and learned a lot about accounting, but I never learned how to be an accountant. I had chances. There were opportunities for internships at a factory where I worked during the summers in college. I made decent money on the line so I never tried to do more. I should have pushed to work as an intern in the offices and gained some valuable experience that could have saved my job later.

And I could have saved a career. When I got fired, I decided that I couldn’t ever be an accountant for any firm. So I gave up and looked for another career.

That’s what bothers me the most. Not the firing. But I hate that I gave up. I didn’t take the time to figure out my mistakes and try again. Giving up is a nasty habit. It will keep you from being successful. Thankfully I learned to lose that habit.

You can say giving up is my biggest regret. But without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. In the career I love in the city I love with the woman I love. Everything I did since the firing has led me here. I probably wouldn’t be happy today as an accountant. But I wish I made that choice instead of letting someone else make it for me. It’s ironic that my biggest regret is the turning point that made me happy.

So I know a bit about what you’re going through. So let me walk you through your next choices.

First, you’re going to finish that beer. It will be your last tonight. This firing is all about taking control away from you. You need to exert control over something in your life. Start with drinking. Show yourself you can control it. You don’t want this to be an area that you can’t control.

Second, avoid decisions for a few days. I mean big, life-changing decisions. You can decide to do laundry and shower. Basic hygiene is good. Remember how I got here? I dumped a career in the time it took me to drive home. So take some time off from choosing your next move. Don’t make any decisions unless it involves a long weekend in your favorite retreat. You need to back off and gain some perspective on how you got here.

Third, get introspective. Be honest and understand why you’re now unemployed. You made mistakes. Understand why you made them. This may mean some Myers-Briggs testing or catching up on Dr. Phil. But you need to know how you will avoid these mistakes in the future or compensate for them. Once that happens, you can move on in this career. Or start a new one. You can’t do either without an honest assessment.

Fourth, make your life changing decisions. This company could be all wrong for you. Or you might just need to work with a different management style. That’s for you to decide. Remember what I said about control. Either way, you have options. Choose them based upon what you want and what you are capable of doing.

Fifth, remember this firing does not define the rest of your life. The more you do and accomplish, the less impact this firing will have on your life. So hit the job market, go out with friends and do the things you want to do. Choose what you want your life to be.

I know this is a long-winded way of saying, “Buck up, cowboy.” But you need to think about your life as a series of choices. Everything that happens now is a choice you make. The guy who fired you has no more affect over your life.

Here’s to choices. Cheers.

Twelve sales reps drumming up business

This isn’t so bad. It’s the end of the year, and they’re trying to make their year end goals. Nothing like a little bit of panic to keep them out of my way.

Eleven shifting paradigms

Maybe it’s the economy, but everything is changing. No one is doing business like they used to do. Somehow I have to figure out what’s going to survive all this.

Ten logistical solutions packages

Don’t ask me what they are but apparently there’s a quota on selling them. Maybe they go with shifting paradigms.

Nine kabuki dancers

These guys are all show, no substance. They come in my office and use words like “logistical solutions” and “shifting paradigms. Wish one of them would sell something.

Eight marketers milking

They’ve been working the new campaign for three weeks. They’re keeping it going so they can coast through the holidays. I swear I heard mooing from a cubicle yesterday. And their explanations smell like a dairy barn.

Seven swans swimming with sharks

These new people have no idea how to take care of their territory. The desperate reps smell the blood in the water and are circling.

Six geese a-laying…
… five golden eggs

These are the clients who are bring in the kind of business that allows my mentor to take two weeks of vacation during the holidays. They get treated like the company depends on them. I can’t ruffle a single feather.

Four calling vendors

I keep forgetting that I’m not the only one trying to make goal. Everybody we deal with is on the phone trying to double our orders by year end.

Three henchmen

Actually, they’re admins. But I just figured out that they do all the real work. They’re now doing all my dirty work. Am I responsible for their bonuses?

Two hurdle rates in a dive

That’s the number we calculated for the ROI on some long term projects last month. But now they’re looking a bit optimistic.

and the low-hanging fruit in a pear tree

Even I can make goal with this prospect list. They’re practically begging to give us money. All I have to do is call. Right after I order fruitcake for everyone in the office.

Happy holidays.

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You can’t miss it. It’s the nicest thing management does for us. It almost makes up for the low pay and the frustration we experience the rest of the year. You deserve it.

Plus it looks good. Management will be there. They don’t just see you at the party as a guest but a team player. You’re getting along with the rest of the team, and you’re showing appreciation for this grand gesture. Yeah, you need to clear your schedule for this.

Of course I’m going to be there. And I look forward to seeing you and meeting your significant other. But I hope you’re not planning to rely on me for entertainment all evening. You need to get around and meet some folks. Think of it as a networking event.

OK, this is supposed to be a fun event. People are going to expect to get away from work and relax. But it’s still a work function. Like I said, someone is taking attendance. So the challenge is to give people a positive impression that will advance your career without looking like you’re trying to advance your career.

The first thing you’re going to do is meet lots of people. Shake a lot of hands. Wish a lot of happy holidays. Just introducing yourself is big.

You need a good introduction. It needs to be better than “Hi, I’m Bob in Accounting.” That doesn’t tell anyone anything. See if you can find out who they are first.

So when you meet someone in sales, tell them “Hi, I’m Bob. I compile your contract amounts into our weekly sales reports.” You just made yourself relevant to them.

If you’re having trouble figuring out that relevancy right off the bat, introduce what you do, not your title. “Hi I’m Bob. I bring in new business from the hospitality industry.” You just established your value to the company.

After the introductions, comes the “How are things going?”

Before you respond with “Busy. But that’s a good thing,” think of something you want management to know about your job.

Think about being specific like “I’m wrapping up the migration project that’s going to make our data more secure. It’s the kind of work I really enjoy.” You don’t want to go over their head with jargon but sounding a little bit geeky isn’t a bad thing. The key is that you are presenting yourself as someone who enjoys the job and does valuable work.

This isn’t supposed to be about work so be ready to get personal. So get ready to move the conversation outside of your cubicle. Avoid the weather unless you’re planning a ski trip. Try these questions to get the ball rolling.

“How’s your shopping going?”

Yeah, this is a standard opening at this time of year. It’s worth asking even if you get a boring, non-descript answer like “Pretty close to being done.” This gives you a chance to confess some troubles on your end like not being able to find the right gift for your significant other. This may prompt your conversation partner to offer advice or talk more about their shopping.

“You going anywhere for the holidays?”

Another standard that offers a gateway to more conversation. If they are going somewhere, that can lead to more questions about the area they’re visiting. How does it compare to where you are now? You may get lucky and have been to there so you can offer something to the conversation.

“Have you tried the cookies?”

Or whatever else on the buffet table is pretty good. Yes this seems about as small as small talk can get. But it can lead you into how the food reminds you of something your favorite aunt would make around the holidays or talking about your favorite recipe. Or take a different tact about how your going to have to spend more time in the gym working off the calories. Then move the conversation into how you’re training for something interesting.

I’m going to suggest you avoid sports. Because if you’re talking to someone who isn’t a fan of anything with a ball, the conversation is going to come to a screeching halt. It will make both of you feel extremely uncomfortable.

But if the someone else brings it up, run with it. If you’re already not a fan I suggest you do some research into these topics:

• The college bowl system vs. playoffs for a national championship
• Who’s going to the playoffs in the NFL
• Tiger Woods’ driving ability

Be ready to ask a lot of questions. And don’t be afraid to be a fan of a rival team. You can keep the conversation civil.

By the way, do I have to tell you to watch the drinking? Even if you brought a designated driver, you need to be able to control your conversation and behavior. I say have one drink. It will help you relax and show management you can handle alcohol. Keep hydrated with water or soft drinks because it will help to have something in your hand.

And not to sound all girly on you, but what are you wearing? I’m going like it’s casual Friday. But I have this cool Santa hat to round out the ensemble. It’s the holidays. Yeah I think you can get away with the tie with a Christmas tree. And it has real lights? Go for it. But draw the line there. You want to show some fun and professionalism.

It’s going to be a good time. We should be able to have some fun without damaging our careers. Maybe even do some good.

I know you have the potential too. But it’s just not your time. When will it be your time? You need to take these steps first.

Make connections

The first time you meet the decision makers in this company should not be when you interview for a promotion. You need to make positive first impressions now.

This means going to company functions and being friendly. Volunteer for committees. Strike up conversations in the elevator. Make eye contact and ask questions.

I don’t want you to suck up. Be yourself. But you need to set the groundwork now for when managers are deciding if they want you to join their ranks.

And be a social butterfly outside the building. Meet people at networking functions and trade association mixers. Get to know other people. Socializing is a skill that you need to practice. And who knows. The good impression you make in the community could become known to the decision makers here. Yeah, that’s a double-edge sword. Bad impressions travel too.

Learn more

You need to keep up your education. Work on your masters, take adult ed classes or enroll in online learning. Whatever it takes. You need to be on top of this industry.

Maybe all it will take is to keep reading. Buy the books and magazines. Spend a few minutes with Google to find blogs and newsletters. Things are always changing and no knowledge is wasted at this company.

By the way, it won’t hurt to let someone know that you’re learning.

Look at who’s a manager

Who gets promoted around here? And don’t say “Suck ups.” That’s just going to cement you in that seat. But all these managers come from somewhere. What is their path to now?

Here’s why it’s important. They tend to like prospects following in their footsteps. It’s a tribute to their career. And they feel like they know what the prospect has to bring to the table. And given half a chance, they will groom people to follow similar paths.

Assess yourself – privately

Unfortunately, management doesn’t like to promote without consulting a set of tests. If they’re not using Myers-Briggs, it’s something similar. Personally, I abhor the concept. But if this is the game you want to play, these are the rules.

So get an advance scouting report on yourself. Take a Myers-Briggs test and see what it says. You might learn something about yourself that you can emphasize or change to make you a good candidate for management.

Take responsibility and show leadership

There are two types of people in this office – people who manage and people who manage to avoid responsibility. Just because you’re not part of management, that doesn’t mean you can’t manage projects.

Take responsibility for getting things done. They’re looking for someone who’s not afraid to lead without a title.

Did I tell you the time I applied to be our supervisor? Joe was doing the interviewing and told me that I wouldn’t get the job. He had it reserved for someone he had been watching who took on leadership roles.

Joe said management was all about making mistakes. Every manager made them. The key was to find someone who has made mistakes and learned from them. The guy who got the job I wanted had been leading small groups and managing projects. He didn’t do it perfectly. But he made the mistakes when the stakes were low.

You can take on informal leadership roles too. Some of the managers have this theory that there are workers who are influencers and have followings. They tend to give good jobs to the influencers so they will encourage their followers to be happy worker bees.

It’s pretty lame, and I haven’t seen it work. But those perceived influencers get the opportunities to advance.

Develop skills outside the office

Join a club or volunteer at a nonprofit organization. But don’t just sit there or do what you’re told. Take on responsibility. Learn those management mistakes outside the office.

I worked with a woman who joined an outdoors club to meet hunky men. But she got into the whole hiking and skiing scene. It wasn’t long before she started organizing and leading trips into the wild. She said she learned a lot about management that way. Her most important lesson was the importance of communication. It was a challenge to make sure everyone knew what was needed to be safe and reach their goals.

And she’s now Director of IT Services.

If you want to stay indoors, try Toastmasters. It’s a public speaking club. Not only do they have a lot of training for speakers but they have a lot of leadership positions. Thus it attracts a lot of people with control issues. But it’s a chance to work on those management skills while learning a thing or two about presentation and confidence.

OK, that’s all I got. I don’t know if this will make you feel any better. But you’re not stuck in a dead end job. You have the opportunity to advance. But you have to prepare yourself.

Just don’t forget us little people.

That’s not going to help either. At least not right now. You have to do a few things first. Like grab a pen and paper. And write down what happened. It’s like remembering a dream.

Good point. More like a nightmare.

But you need to write down all the details of what you were doing while it is still fresh. Someone is going to ask these things. While you’re at it, write down what programs you’re running. No, just don’t say word processing. Get specific. Are you using Word? What browser are you running?

OK, you should have a pretty detailed report on what’s wrong with your computer. By the way, is it still haywire? Just checking.

Hey, is everything plugged in correctly? Are all your cables securely connected? Is it possible to restart the computer?

Try all the easy fixes. Note everything you’re doing. It can help someone help you.

Before you call for help, use the prairie dog network. Just pop your head above the cubicle wall and ask if anyone else is having trouble. Maybe it’s not you. It could be the network. Even if it isn’t, maybe someone else has had the same problem. They might be able to show you how to get out of this mess.

Yeah I don’t know what’s your problem either. Sorry.

If you have any kind of access, try the Internet. Enter some keywords like “[stupid program]freezing multiple documents open.” See if there is anything about your problem. It’s really unlikely that you’re the first to discover this glitch.

If you’re lucky, someone will have a forum post or blog entry or article on the fix. If you’re not so lucky, the fix will be above your pay grade.

But at least you will know something about the problem. And IT people like people who know something about the problem. They like people who fix their own problems even more. But for now you’re not that person. The person you don’t want to be is the one who calls and says, “My computer won’t work.”

Those are the people who are of no help fixing the problem. These geeks and nerds seem like wizards with arcane knowledge. But they’re mere mortals who need info on the problem. They need to know what’s running, what was your computer doing before the problem and – as specific as possible – what is the problem.

No matter how close to deadline you are or how important you think you are, be calm and friendly. Yes, IT is here to serve you and me. But don’t act that way. You’re here to serve other people too. How should they treat you?

If the Golden Rule isn’t enough to adjust your attitude, remember someone will be setting a priority to your problem. Nice guys may never win, but they tend to get their problems solved.

Well, maybe not always. There’s always the chance that your problem is going to be put on the back burner. Then it’s time to master the fine art of the squeaky wheel.

First, squeaky wheels need to get names. Write it down. Get an extension and e-mail address for that person.

Second, call back when you’re problem isn’t fixed. Make sure you talk to the original person who logged your problem. Ask for a status and estimate on when you’re going to get a fix.

Third, be nice and friendly. Ask about more than your problem. Get to know the person on the other end. You want to be genuine but you want them to like you. If there is any chance to get someone to give more priority to your problem, it’s here.

Fourth, keep up the relationship after your problem is solved. Because the next time you have a problem, you want to be comfortable going to them directly. Don’t be surprised if they send you through official channels. But they might give you some advice on how to get a solution more quickly. Or your friend may bump up your priority or take a personal interest in the solution.

Of course this is only good if you’re genuine. Faking friendship with the IT people will backfire. They’re not stupid.

Sometimes you’re not going to have to have time for all this. Then it’s time to recruit a squeakier wheel – your boss. You’re going to have to let him or know why you can’t do your job. The best way to do this is to send e-mails to IT with copies going to your boss. That lets them know that they aren’t just delaying you, but a manager.

Make sure you show appreciation to everyone who helps you. Especially if they go out of their way to solve your problem. And find out what it takes to fix it. Maybe you can do it yourself next time. They will appreciate one less thing to do.

And maybe you can help when it happens to me.

It’s possible to do all this from home. Think about how much money you can save on gas and parking. You could avoid being exposed to H1N1. You can have all this—except for the engaging conversation with me—all from the comfort of home.

If you’re going to sell this to our boss, you’re going to need a good reason. And it’s not going to have anything to do with being able to work in your pajamas or avoid the commute to the office. This has to create benefits for the company, not just you.

You need to start with a cost. For example, Sam in accounting is responsible for compiling all the daily indicators from yesterday and reporting them to management by the time they make it into work. That required him to start work at 6 a.m. and leave at 2 p.m. But management needed someone to review reports that came in later in the day.

So Sam came up with a plan to work a split shift from home. He gets his children ready for school while working on the overnight reports. Then mid morning he takes a break to take care of household chores. When his wife gets home from her part-time job, he starts his afternoon tasks. He can lengthen his work day without working more hours.

There is a second way to create a need for you to work at home. Some people have personal issues that would require them to quit jobs or cut hours. If working from home is a way to keep you on the payroll, we may be willing to give you the opportunity.

Even if you demonstrate clear costs and benefits, we’re going to have some concerns. And you need to be ready to address them.

The first is productivity. We need to know we can trust you to get the job done no matter where you sit. There’s an assumption that there are too many distractions at home. Of course there are tons here too. The problem with working at big companies is that there are a lot of people who can distract you. The important thing is to prove your work ethic now while we’re watching you.

Here’s an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. There are studies that find people working from home are more productive. This is true among workers who work mostly on projects.

If this is going to work, you need to have clear benchmarks and goals. There needs to be indicators that you are getting the work done. It must be easy for our bosses to know that you are working not watching The View.

The second is security. You’re going to be working with a lot of information that we want to keep in house. We’re taking a risk by letting you take it home. Secure your home computer. You can’t do our work on a computer that your kid uses too. We can’t trust that a teenager won’t download any malicious programs that can compromise our data.

• Dedicate a computer to work that needs a password.
• And lock up your firewall and wifi network.
• Think twice about setting up office in a coffee shop. You don’t know how secure it is. Plus it increases the chances that your computer will be stolen or damaged.
• Get a good surge protector that actually works.

The third is communication. You need to keep in touch. But that’s pretty easy to handle with a dedicated phone, e-mail and instant messaging. Asking you questions should be as easy as walking over to your cubicle and interrupting you.

The fourth is technology. Our IT guys are prepared to handle all our problems here. But when you set up shop at home, you’re creating a lot of potential problems for them. You may be using technology that they don’t support. So you’re going to have to demonstrate some technical talent and reassure everyone that you can take care of yourself.

If you can address all these concerns but management is skeptical, suggest a trial period. Or maybe you can work from home part-time. If they give you the chance to prove it can work, here are some tips to making it successful:

Convince the family: Getting management to agree to this may be the easy part. Getting your family to understand you have boundaries while working at home is more difficult. They need to understand that you are working and need quiet.

Get organized: Whenever you remove yourself from a center of operation, you create work flow problems. These problems can be overcome with organization and communication. It takes a little more effort from home than it does in the office. But it will make things run more smoothly.

Create a routine: You’re going to need a bit of routine to help get things done. It helps set boundaries in the house. That way family members know when it’s office time and family time. And we will know when we can talk to you about work.

Let’s talk: Schedule a few minutes to touch base each day. Even if you don’t have anything to report. This keeps the lines of communication open and will help reduce feelings of isolation. Trust me, you’re going to miss us.

Clean up: At least take a shower and put real clothes on. Some home workers dress like they’re going to work. It helps them feel professional and do professional work. I say one of the perks of working from home is being able to relax the dress code a bit. So get out of the PJs but be comfortable.

Make the office work: Give yourself a real office in a real room with a real desk. Create a workspace that allows you to get the job done. If you can recreate this workstation at home, it will improve your performance. You need a separate room to protect you from the distractions of life and your work materials from being mixed with your household stuff. You don’t want to explain to our boss that your son spilled orange juice on the quarterly sales reports.

Befriend IT: I know I said you need to be prepared to go lone wolf with the computer equipment. But you’re going to come across some problems. Make friends with those guys so you have some fall back support, and they won’t complain about it.

Know when to quit: The good news about the Internet and computer technology is that you can work from home at any time. The bad news is that you can work from home at any time. It’s really tempting to fill in your free time with some work. Or to keep working while everyone here is packing up to go home. Remember why you are doing this.

Good luck. This can be great for your life and work.

And physically, your body needs the break. Your eyes need to focus on something that isn’t a computer monitor. Your circulatory system needs a reason to pump more blood. All those muscles in your legs need some action while the muscles in your arms and hands need a break.

Even so, you need to be productive. You want to be useful all the time. Maybe you can have your cake and eat it too if you try these productive breaks:

Link Around

Get a LinkedIn account and start connecting to people here. Find professional contacts out of the office too. This is a legitimate business function. Think of it as your address book on steroids.

And use it to reach out to your connections. Let them know what you’re doing. This is groundwork for when you start looking for a promotion or new job.

In the meantime, any manager here will see that you are serious about developing your career and meeting more people.

You can try Facebook. But it’s easy to get carried away and spend a lot of time on non-work related updates. That may be OK. But it’s not going to win you any points. It can backfire if it gives people here the perception that you spend a lot of time on Facebook. It would be like if they see you in the lunch room all the time.

Speaking of Lunch

Don’t skip lunch anymore. And eating at your desk doesn’t count. You need to get away from your cubicle. The lunch room gives you an opportunity to relax while you eat and be with other people.

If that sounds like too much fun for your Protestant work ethic, think of it as networking. Hey, it’s just as important inside this building as it is out there. So find out what our coworkers are doing. What kind of projects are in the works? Maybe you will hear something that you want to be part of. Or you might have a solution for someone else’s problem.

Blog About

Try reading WorkAwesome. You can learn all kinds of things that will help you be more productive and get along with your coworkers. It’s the best break you can take all day.

All kidding aside, there are tons of blogs and online publications about what we do. Take 15 minutes to read what’s going on in our industry. This is an opportunity to keep current.

It’s professional reading. And you can only hope that someone catches you doing it. You will learn something and position yourself as someone who is dedicated to the job.

Grab a Pencil

Try the crossword or Sudoku. These puzzles are literally mental exercises that will help sharpen your brain. They will develop your word and logic skills. The short term benefits will come from the break you take from the monitor (think of your eyes) and a refreshed brain. In the long term, your brain will be in better shape and less likely to suffer from the problems that come with age.

Walk it Off

Speaking of exercise, take a walk. Get your blood pumping, work some muscles and focus your eyes on something totally different. If the weather is rough, do a few floors in the stairwell. Find a way to move.

This won’t get you in shape for a marathon but it will have some health benefits. If you like it enough, you may want to get a more strenuous workout. Hit the gym or jog around the block instead of lounging in the lunch room. I know what I said about the wonderful opportunities to be found there. But life is about choices and trade offs. This can have bigger personal payoffs. Choose what’s best for you.

Power Up the Naps

But don’t over do it and come back too tired to get anything done. You don’t want to fall asleep. Or maybe that wouldn’t be the worst thing. There is some science surrounding taking naps during the work day.

I know. It doesn’t sound productive. And I’m sure if anyone here slips out for a 20 minute nap, my reaction would start with a roll of the eyes.

Then again, there are those who take regular smoke breaks. And I have taken the opportunity to slip out for a quick walk or grab a snack. A napper shouldn’t be seen any more of a slacker than the smokers or walkers. Some cultures see sleeping on the job as a sign of hard work.

If the nap can recharge the mental batteries, it doesn’t seem so lazy.

Maybe George Costanza had the right idea. I’m sure he would have appreciated the iNap@Work app on his iPhone. Why can’t I get this on my desktop?

Book Some Time

Grab a book for a quick break. I prefer some mind candy – quick and funny fiction. This stuff will never be considered for a Pulitzer, but I appreciate the escape. If you’re hell bent on being productive, try one of those business strategy books like the “Seven Habitats of High, Affected People.” Read something from the self-improvement shelf. You will be a better person and better prepared to finish the day.

And About Overdoing It…

Don’t take this as a prescription to goof off the rest of the day. There needs to be balance. And it’s obviously easy to overdo a break. You don’t want to be one of those people. Where that sweet spot lies between recharging your batteries and slacking off depends on you – and whoever sees you not working. It’s going to take some trial and error.

Be careful that you aren’t noticed experimenting too much. The last thing you need is for the CFO to come walking by and seeing you with your feet on the desk while doing a crossword.

So start small. Put down the mouse, and no one will get hurt.