Remember the “cold war” days of
the 50’s and 60’s where our elders taught us that we could avoid harm by using
the “duck and cover” technique?
What we didn’t understand well then, was that it wasn’t really a very effective form of protection for the threat that we were facing.
Likewise today, I often hear “water cooler” discussion around the topic of the economy.
And yes, there seems to be in general agreement that it sucks, and that there are no agreed upon strategies that will get us better, at least in the near term.
What’s somewhat disturbing though, is the idea commonly discussed among employees, that the safest thing to do is “keep your head down, and stay out of anything controversial”.
That, in my opinion, is not only bad advice, but pure BS.
The key to surviving today’s
economic morass, which affects most organizations, and levels of employees, is
by making yourself the irreplaceable worker, which involves
- Focus on the core mission of your organization
- Be exceptionally productive
- Be visible
- Acquire a mentor
- Be pleasant
Likewise, it is equally
necessary to being recognized as a “resilient” worker, by which I suggest you:
- Specialize and focus on a
specific goal
- Be visible beyond your workplace
- Keep your resume up to date
- Keep your skills up to date
- Believe in yourself
