Which Personality Are You?

Climbing the corporate ladder takes hard work and dedication -- degreed or not. One must first determine if they are willing to put in the work necessary to achieve the corporate position and salary they desire. This isn't a matter of book knowledge...it is a matter of determination.

You must set your goals high and aim even higher to succeed in corporate America. The corporate work world is fast, furious and can be vicious. Many sharks scout the waters daily ready to pounce on the unsuspecting cubicle-sitter who does the bare minimum necessary for the job. The sharks will take every opportunity to move up the corporate ladder by devouring whomever should be standing (or swimming) in his path. Don't become a shark -- it isn't necessary.

Those who are content in their positions, accepting whatever raise or bonus is given them, generally will always be right where they are. There is no ambition or drive to improve their circumstances. It could very possibly also be that they enjoy what they do and don't want to move on to higher positions and added responsibilities. Whatever the reason, don't become a cubicle-sitter unless you are not looking to climb the ladder of success.

Those of us who aspire to climb the corporate ladder and achieve six figures and beyond need to be somewhere squarely in the middle of these two personalities. You need to be able to see the opportunities available within your organization. However, you need to act on only those opportunities which are available. I don't promote backstabbing to get to the top. Nor do I promote derogatory actions which bring light to another co-workers bad habits or laziness. These are the actions of the shark. On the flipside, I also don't promote stagnation and complacency, also known as cubicle-sitting.

What I am promoting is determination. You must be determined to be neither a shark or a cubicle-sitter. A shark's reputation will be well known around the office. People will watch out for you rather than be willing to collaborate with you. Why would they want to collaborate with a shark? He'd only eat them alive in the end and take all the credit... As a cubicle-sitter, you will be viewed as lazy and incompetent -- even if you complete all of your tasks on schedule and efficiently. Perception is reality. Someone who perceives she is working harder than you will perceive the cubicle-sitter as shiftless.

One of the principles in Six Figures deals directly with this office phenomenon. It gives full details of sharks and how they operate in the office, what to look out for, and how to protect yourself from them. Six Figures also expounds on the cubicle-sitter, how to avoid becoming one unknowingly, and how to achieve your goals without stepping on them in the process. It then shows you how to be determined -- both in the avoidance of being labeled with either of these two titles, as well as being determined in reaching the goals you've set for yourself.

Be determined...