I was reading this article on the discussion of strengths and weaknesses that happens in almost all interviews and it got me thinking. If I am asked what my weaknesses are, what would I say?

1. Chocolates
2. Procrastination (check my wardrobe / room out)
3. Lack of determination (you goota see me to believe it — i have been on a diet for about 4 yrs now and have gained 15+ kgs)
4. I do not finish the books I read
5. I am a romantic at heart

People who know me and are reading this, please comment. Let me know what your weakness(es) is and what you think mine is. Help me know me better!!

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
- Warren Buffet

Other people’s perceptions are very important in business. First impressions are made within seconds and office gossip has the potential to damage a reputation almost beyond repair. Do you know how your colleagues perceive you?

who, me?

Have you overheard someone’s negative comments? Has your boss reprimanded you during your evaluation? Has a friend said something about your behavior? Perhaps people’s body language or tone of voice changes when you join a conversation, or maybe you just have a gut feeling.

If you want to find out how you’re perceived, ask someone you can trust and listen carefully to their comments, without taking offense.

Other people’s perceptions of you may be wrong, but rather than wasting time complaining, getting even or defending yourself, take action to change their opinion. Just keep in mind that your actions in the first few months at a new company or in a new position will set the tone for how others perceive you.

Here are eight common misperceptions, and ways you can turn negative impressions into positive ones.

take aim

1- They think you’re lazy

Take initiative
Ask for more responsibilities and go above and beyond your call of duty at work. No matter how full your schedule is, you need to be seen working harder.

Show your accomplishments
Don’t brag; use a little creativity to turn the office gossip from criticism to praise. People like to be thanked. Try saying something like, “thanks for the figures you gave me; that really helped me get my report ready for the Board of Directors.”

Watch your body language
Don’t slouch or lean against the nearest wall or desk. Keep your feet off the desk — literally and figuratively. Approach your work with energy and enthusiasm to counteract any suggestions that hard work goes against your nature.

2- They think you’re unprofessional

Master etiquette
Courtesy is contagious. When you’re respectful and polite, it makes it more difficult for people to judge you unfairly, blame you unjustly or otherwise disrespect you.

Accept criticism
Don’t be defensive when you receive feedback or when you overhear things about you that are inaccurate. Being open to comments and listening to constructive criticism is a sign of maturity and professionalism.

Filter your comments
To avoid putting your foot in your mouth, think carefully before speaking. No matter how angry you are or how sloppy someone else’s work is, hold back. Watch what you say and whom you say it to.

Look the part
Dress appropriately and speak well. Know the corporate policies and lingo. Be prepared for meetings and be sure your workspace looks organized.

3- They think you’re the office clown

Shut up
You’re there to work so stop telling jokes and trying to make people laugh. There’s plenty of time for humor over a beer after work. When your colleagues pressure you to entertain them, put the focus on someone else. “I can’t think of anything funny today. How about telling your joke, Charlie?” deflects the attention on to someone else without alienating anyone.

Laugh less
It’s great to be known as an open and fun-loving kind of guy, but there’s a limit. Leave a crowd of employees who are laughing it up, by saying you must return to work.

Tidy up
Maintain a professional-looking workspace. Take down the cartoons and limit the number of e-mail jokes you forward.
You might want to remove that lampshade from your head…

4- They think you’re a party guy

Tone it down
Don’t talk about your experiences. How late you stayed out and how much you drank is no one else’s business. Don’t consume alcohol during working hours and behave at corporate functions like the annual holiday office party. Treat after-work gatherings as networking opportunities instead of a party and you will change people’s impressions.

Get serious
No matter how valid your excuse is, don’t show up late unless you want people to speculate about your extracurricular activities. Arrive on time, and be alert and ready to be productive.

5- They think you’re a womanizer

Be discreet
Don’t boast about your sexual conquests. No matter how tempted you are, never flirt with your colleagues, your boss, your staff, or your clients.

Clean up your act
Don’t use any sexual innuendoes, don’t forward jokes of a sexual nature and, of course, don’t surf pornographic sites at work.

6- They think you’re always late

Be on time
Get up earlier and be the first one to arrive at work. Be realistic with your schedule and build in extra time. You’re setting yourself up for criticism if you routinely neglect to plan for travel time between appointments. Being late is perceived as a sign of disrespect and disorganization.

Plan ahead
Prepare and follow a to-do list, updating it regularly. To be safe, overestimate the time it takes to perform your tasks. Don’t procrastinate. Plan your timeline well and you’ll be able to hand in your projects before the deadline, no matter what unexpected problems arise.

7- They think you’re unethical

Be honest
Be careful what you propose. Don’t suggest stealing the competition’s ideas or plagiarizing someone else’s research. Be sure that any claims you make about your products are accurate and proven.

Demonstrate integrity
Follow corporate guidelines to avoid any perception that you’re abusing the company’s fringe benefits (for example, making personal long-distance calls or using the company photocopier for multiple personal copies). Know the policy on accepting gifts from customers or suppliers, and don’t get caught on the golf course when you call in sick.

Be responsible
If you make a mistake, admit it. Take ownership instead of blaming someone else or making excuses.

Make the right decisions
If you are asked to do something you feel is wrong, reflect on the long-term impact it will have on your image and professional reputation.

Be community-minded
Donate money to charity in the company’s name. Suggest doing a fundraiser at work to help a charitable organization or ask employees to bring in non-perishable goods for a local food bank.

8- They think you’re not a team player

Be friendly
Learn and use people’s names. Take the time to get to know a little about your coworkers’ business strengths and outside interests.

Be dependable
Don’t poach ideas from colleagues and always give credit when it’s due. Offer to help a colleague if you can and praise your teammates for a job well done. When upper management hears your colleagues saying how much they enjoy working with you, you’ll be seen as a natural leader.

Focus on your goals
Whether or not their perceptions are accurate, what your colleagues think and say about you can potentially make or break your career. Ask for feedback from a trusted colleague or your boss on a regular basis. You want to turn negative comments into positive ones. Many of these suggestions are interchangeable; just remember not to be defensive.

By trying to change people’s perceptions of you, you’re not necessarily admitting to any of these shortcomings; you’re simply trying to get those you work with to see you in better light. So don’t try to change your personality. Remain sincere and true to your values. And if all else fails, start fresh at a new company.

I love to go shopping! Window shopping too. My boy friend on the other hand hates it… Except when we go to a book store or the Apple store or to a electronics store

When I read this along with him, we couldn’t stop laughing and he has threatened to do all of this if I force him to come shopping along.

Proof of what can happen if a wife or girlfriend drags her husband or boyfriend along shopping.

This letter was recently sent by Tesco’s Head Office to a customer in Oxford:

Dear Mrs. Murray,

While we thank you for your valued custom and use of the Tesco Loyalty Card, the Manager of our store in Banbury is considering banning you and your family from shopping with us, unless your husband stops his antics.

Below is a list of offences over the past few months all verified by our surveillance cameras:

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people’s trolleys when they weren’t looking.
2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to feminine products aisle.
4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, “Code 3″ in housewares.. … and watched what happened.
5. August 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.
6. September 15: Set up a tent in the outdoor clothing department and told shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring sausages and a gas stove.
7. September 23: When the Deputy Manager asked if she could help him, he began to cry and asked, “Why can’t you people just leave me alone?”
8. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, picked his nose, and ate it.
9. November 10: While appearing to be choosing kitchen knives in the Housewares aisle asked an assistant if he knew where the antidepressants were.
10. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously, loudly humming the “Mission Impossible” theme.
11. December 6: In the kitchenware aisle, practiced the “Madonna look” using different size funnels.
12. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed, yelled “PICK ME!” “PICK ME!”
13. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, assumed the fetal position and screamed “NO! NO! It’s those voices again.”
And; last, but not least:
14. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited a while; then yelled, very loudly, “There is no toilet paper in here.”

Yours sincerely,

Charles Brown
Store Manager

I couldn’t stop laughing when i read the headlines of this news.

“What are you doing here?”: man asks wife at brothel

I hear the couple married for 14 years are getting divorced. While I recover from the pain in my tummy caused by laughing my heart out, I am a little confused. On what grounds are the couple getting divorced?

* Is the wife filing a case against the husband since he has been cheating on her and visiting the brothel

or

* Is the husband filing a case against the wife as she has cheated him.

I still wonder!!!!!

This has been resting in my feed reader since a week and I read it just today.

One of the things I hate most in this world is Office Politics. This did make an interesting read. So read on.