I have a well to do job, manage a big team, and have a manager over my head. That pretty much sums up most of all in this corporate world.

I have always been a very sincere and hard worker in the office, but pretty soon realized that when it comes to promotions in the office, its a different ball game all together — be it office politics, your perception in front of the leadership, etc. I struggled with the same during my first few years, and then realized that I need to change myself if I really want to climb that corporate ladder.

Based upon my experiences, sharing a few very practical tips to help you traverse that path:

1. Do not trust anyone who bad-mouth others in front of you, and of course do not bad-mouth others.

Let me put it this way — if someone is badmouthing about others in front of you, he/she would be bad mouthing you in front of others. And if by chance you happen to bad-mouth someone in confidence to this person, the entire office will know it soon. There is nothing confidential in the office.

2. Dress very well!!! Your clothes should outshine everyone’s else in office.

Imagine all the high profile consultants who charge us heavily — you will always find them with a tie and a suit. Whether your work outshines or not, your dress should.

A fun tip — Usually, it is your footwear that gathers the most attention. So if you are wearing an interesting footwear, be ready for compliments.

Besides, dressing up well is a major confidence booster and allows you to speak/work freely in the office environment, which always help in better work delivery.

3. Choose your team wisely. Do not work with a person you are not comfortable with.

We spend more time in our office with our colleagues than with our family at home. That is the harsh reality. And if you are not comfortable with your team mate or subordinate, better not work with him. The reason is two fold: first, if you are not comfortable, the work deliverables will suffer. Second, your colleagues’/subordinates’ feedback about you matters in the office environment.

When the time comes, you would need someone to vouch for your ability. These are often the colleagues with whom you have worked and share a mutual sense of respect and admiration.

4. Always sound positive.

Never ever sound negative in the office. Nobody, especially your office leaders, wants to hear that. It does not mean that one should conceal information or portray a negative image . But one should paraphrase the words correctly.

Let me share an example— “I know this is very difficult, I foresee anyone who takes this up might struggle to complete — but we are up for the challenge and will get it done.”

With such words, you have highlighted the difficulty, the fact that no one else will be able to do that, and yet you are up for it. Even if you do not deliver 100%, it will show up as you taking initiative and that you are not afraid to take up challenge.

5. Do not go to your boss, let him come to you.

I never go to my boss with any issue/complaint. Often when you go to your boss, he/she is busy with something else and does not have time to listen to your problems. Rather, I wait until he/she comes to me for some critical update. This is the time I share my concerns. Trust me, this works like magic. Besides, it generates an impression in your manager’s mind that you know how to handle the issues, and are an independent worker.

And one more thing, when it comes to slacking in the office, never do it with your boss. This has a potential for negative outcome during your performance reviews. The lesser your boss knows about you, the better it is.

And we all thought — climbing the corporate ladder is all about hard work. Wish that was true.

If you have come so far, please share your feedback/reflections in the comments. I read them all 😄.

If you feel comfortable, please share what has been your experience/observation with respect to progression in the corporate environment.

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