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PERFECT PHRASES for OFFICE PROFESSIONALS
Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Phrases for Getting Respect, Recognition, and Results in Today's Workplace
By Meryl Runion, Susan Fenner The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Copyright © 2011Meryl Runion and Susan Fenner
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-07-176674-6
Excerpt
<h2>CHAPTER 1</h2> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Establish Yourself in Your New Role</b></p> <br> <p>You got the job! What now? Here comes the hard part—establishing yourself with a new exec and a new work team. You want to come across as a professional, without appearing pushy or looking like a pushover. You need just the right balance of assertiveness and willingness to work with other people's styles. After all, you are the new kid on the block.</p> <p>Remember, it's as challenging for your new office mates to get a replacement admin on board as it is for you to be that admin. They'll wonder how good you are at your job, if you can fill the shoes (big ones, no doubt) of your predecessor, and whether you'll fit in with what they may feel is the best work group ever (or not). They will have some of the same anxieties about you, and about your meshing with them, as you have about testing the waters and finding your place within an existing team. Establish your position deliberately and fix things before they get broken.</p> <p>This chapter gives you the perfect phrases to introduce yourself to your manager and colleagues. You'll find just the right words to ask about their way of doing things and to tell them what worked well for you in the past. You'll learn how to blend into the group with small talk that opens doors, as well as how to handle the inevitable faux pas (it happens to the best of us). Also, you'll find ways to address comparisons with the person who held the job before you.</p> <p>It's hard to overcome a bad first impression, so make your initial meeting with your new work team one that gets you accepted and respected and starts your career off on the right foot.</p> <br> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Introduce Yourself to a New Manager</b></p> <p>What do you say after hello? Here's what.</p> <p>-> Hi! My name is [name], and I'm your new office professional (or admin).</p> <p>-> I expect we'll be busy, so I'll give you the short version of my background.</p> <p>-> I'm excited to be a member of your team because [reason].</p> <p>-> I've heard great things about working with you. You know people say [compliment you've heard], don't you?</p> <p>-> I expect we'll be learning a lot about each other in the next few weeks. I'm so glad I'm here.</p> <p>-> I'm new to you but not new to the industry. I look forward to supporting you and learning from you.</p> <p>-> I am so excited to be here—this is my dream job!</p> <p>-> These first few weeks will be a learning experience for both of us. What can we do to make it all go smoothly?</p> <br> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Forge a Manager/Admin Partnership</b></p> <p>The words you use can set a tone of boss/employee or a tone of professional colleagues. These phrases use words such as <i>partnership</i> and <i>team</i> to establish the new relationship as a partnership. Some managers have never had a partnership-style relationship with their support staff and may resist before they embrace it as valuable and needed.</p> <p>-> I like partnering with my managers because that's how we get the most done.</p> <p>-> The reason why I think we're going to make a great team is [reason].</p> <p>-> I want to be the best office manager you've ever had. Let's talk about how we can be a great team.</p> <p>-> I was excited to be on this team, and here I am!</p> <p>-> Every management/admin (or exec/office pro) team (or partnership) is different, so I look forward to seeing how our team will evolve.</p> <p>-> As your team rookie, I notice [observation].</p> <br> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Relate Your Best Work and Communication Style</b></p> <p>While generally the support person expects to adapt more to execs than to have execs adapt to the support person, it is appropriate to let your managers know how to best communicate with you. These phrases will help you tell your manager the best way to interface with you.</p> <p>-> I work best by [e.g., providing daily updates and having weekly face-to-face meetings, even if they're for only five minutes]. Does that work for you?</p> <p>-> I like to respond to e-mails in batches. I do that every two hours. For something urgent, if you flag it, I can respond right away. OK with you?</p> <p>-> I find if I get an overview before I delve into the details, I understand a lot better. Could you explain things for me a bit before you assign them?</p> <p>-> If you could explain why we do something, it helps me choose the best way to handle it. Thhat way I won't have to interrupt you with as many questions.</p> <p>-> If we could check in each morning, I'd know I'm making your priorities my priorities. It won't take long—even five minutes would work.</p> <p>-> If you could summarize the steps you want me to take for tasks, I won't have to guess how you want things. I'd be more likely to get it just the way you want it.</p> <p>-> I'm a can-do person. Let me know if what I'm doing works for you.</p> <p>-> I like to stretch myself. If I oveeeerstep my boundaries, just tell me. That's how I find out where they are.</p> <br> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Discover Your Manager's Preferred Work and Communication Style</b></p> <p>Everyone operates at his or her best in different ways. The system that worked so well with one manager may not work well at all with another. Here are phrases to find your manager's style.</p> <p>-> What's the best way for me to ask you about [area]?</p> <p>-> How do you like to be updated on [area]?</p> <p>-> Is there a messaging system you like?</p> <p>-> Do you text? Is it a good way to reach you?</p> <p>-> If I needed something from you right away, how should I contact you? E-mail? Text? Phone?</p> <p>-> Let me know what I have your authority to handle and what I'll need to run past you first.</p> <p>-> At the beginning, I'll probably check in fairly often. With time, that should decrease, once I know your work style.</p> <br> <p><b>Perfect Phrases to Establish Your New Role with All Levels of Employees</b></p> <p>You might have just met your manager, but as his or her admin or office pro, you represent your manager, sometimes with people who know this person much better than you do. These phrases will help you esta
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Excerpted from PERFECT PHRASES for OFFICE PROFESSIONALS by Meryl Runion. Copyright © 2011 by Meryl Runion and Susan Fenner. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc..
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