The Proper Do's and Don'ts in the WorkPlace

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As we close out the month and the series Proper Mountain Women in the WorkPlace, I have to end with some tips and advice for working in an office. Now keep in mind that I am no Dale Carnegie, I don't pretend to know everything, or even be good at it... but despite me coming to work late every morning (which is the most UN-proper mountain woman thing about me), people seem to enjoy working with me, and my former bosses all say that they would hire me back. When one boss told me he wished he could find and hire ten more like me, I was flattered, but also thought it was odd... I feel like I am a pretty average employee... but you would be surprised at how many people come to work, and then try to avoid working, or get wrapped up in drama. Don't be one of those people!

My advice for anyone who wants to stand out among their coworkers is to just do your work. It's crazy and kinda sad, but if you do what is assigned to you, thoroughly and without complaint, you become a valuable employee and a shining star!

So, here is my list for Proper Mountain Women working in an office... all the Do's and Don'ts to help make you a trustworthy, drama-free, and likable employee:

PROPER MOUNTAIN WOMEN DON'TS:

• She does NOT wear open toed sandals in the office, no matter what the office dress code is, it's unprofessional.
• She does NOT wear short skirts, EVER.
• She does NOT wear low cut blouses, and anything that is sexy and distracting. It makes you look like a floozy no matter how smart you are.
• She does NOT wear sleeveless tops, I don't care if Michelle Obama does, they look out of place in the every day attire.
• If she is married, she does NOT go to lunch alone with another man, EVER.
• If she is single, she does NOT go to lunch alone with a married man, EVER.
• She does NOT flirt with the men in the office, it's inappropriate, just keep yourself under control. Everyone knows you are flirting.
• She does NOT throw away smelly food at her desk. 
• She does NOT interrupt people, especially in meetings. The biggest reason people don't like a certain coworker is because they are a know-it-all. 
• She does NOT give people hugs.
• She does NOT spread rumors about coworkers.
• She does NOT give in to gossip, and she is NOT a busy body.
• She does NOT try and sell things to her fellow coworkers.
• She does NOT hover around when people are busy talking to someone else, or are on the phone, she leaves a note or tries again later.

PROPER MOUNTAIN WOMEN DO'S:

• She DOES keep her desk tidy. If you aren't sure how tidy it should be, use your bosses desk as a reference.
• She DOES keep a hard copy of all her billable hours and tasks she works on, and updates it every day. I keep mine in a notebook by my computer, and it has come in handy many times.
• She DOES write notes to herself to read in the morning before leaving for the day of things to work on, that way when she arrives the next morning, she can quickly remember where she left off.
• She DOES leave the both the bathroom and break room cleaner than she found them. When the donuts are gone and the empty box is sitting on the break room counter... throw it away and wipe off the counter. It takes 3 seconds and people will think you are an angel.
• She DOES get to know the other women in the office and is not threatened by them. You can learn a lot from the older women in the office, they are smart, they have interesting hobbies, and they know the ropes.
• She DOES make new employees feel welcome and helps them feel comfortable.
• She DOES take responsibility for things going wrong and never passes the blame.
• She DOES give her boss the benefit of the doubt.
• She DOES have her cell phone on silent while at her desk.

And there you have it... follow this advice and you are golden. If I have missed any I will add them later, and if you have any suggestions of what should be added, feel free to comment!