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<br />I�EAS� from page d
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<br />e P�o fess�onal
<br />On the other hand, promoting good ideas can bring
<br />rewards--to you and the organization. You become
<br />more visible to people who may be in a position to
<br />help you in your career. You can present yourself as a
<br />risk-taker and communicator, a type of employee that
<br />is valued in many organizations. Through the experi-
<br />ence of presenting your ideas, you will develop sales
<br />and negotiating skills which can be used later and in
<br />other areas of your life. You will have an opportunity
<br />to win the friendship and respect of the people who
<br />benefit from the change. Plus, knowing you have done
<br />something to improve operations at your workplace
<br />will boost your self-esteem and give you the confi-
<br />dence to step out from the crowd in other ways.
<br />If selling your ideas to others sounds appeal-
<br />ing, follow these nine steps:
<br />�;� 1,� .�4 r E F ?., Y ,:� .
<br />1. Prove the need. The person proposing a change
<br />has the responsibility to prove the need for it. Before
<br />yoca describe your idea, review the present situation,
<br />listing problems and causes.
<br />Since the burden of proof lies with you, provide
<br />supporting data—statistics, observations, people's
<br />comments—so that your presentation doesn't appear
<br />to address a problem or issue important to you per-
<br />sonally but not to others, or one that has only a minor
<br />impact on the organization.
<br />Prove that you are interested in tangible returns.
<br />State those returns in monetary terms if possible. Or-
<br />derly and clear definition of the need for a change will
<br />give you a persuasive basis on which to build the rest
<br />of your case.
<br />2. List alternatives. Consider several solutions to
<br />the problem you have outlined. Suspend judgment
<br />while you search for creative ideas. For the moment,
<br />forget the biases of your company's management. For-
<br />, �<;i � � ... E i.t ;�rr, —
<br />� 1' i, �- i w.^.i�'r � -� � ri r 4r���.�.e t� r.'r,�t� ,) i.,f� e' �,•.:� {�t, w{�;; � v.:�. � y �.--� I F. } r � ` ,
<br />���r t� � � ... �,;. .� . � �rS:�Y a ' . � r'q+:'�r Yf ..�1 r ..•.y t 'r��„ ��� lt41 �•+ ��y � �t,irSii°��1��t.�t�P�7.�,�y.���j''`
<br />u��!' i , : � One, way ta �ayoid.the; old fashioned genecic "he":'n�s + � �' 7. ; !� �, � �' � . � �. :. r,k + �;�` y d� �, �i" �' � `�+' .,`
<br />��,�.o .convert;..singular �;subjects5 to �;thes.;plural form -�A'tr ` '�' � � :Chairman can be replaced by "chair'vvoman',' `if ;
<br />,, �' ravelers ina . �You �cw the person Is a woman, ;To avoid ttie`:issue' of {`
<br />,�i � , y not know fhat they can order spectal dlet {� gender altogether, c�se a term like ``committee head"
<br />meals at rro extra cost ' � - �
<br />� : � , . . .; c�� ���r:.�, ur �.�s t� ,�l� �; tlay�,�ir4 f <�1^i'+ r 1 � t� � � '�i• '
<br />' , ,; presiding officer." (Many people dislike the substitution `
<br />`, 2 r"He� or she" becomes annoying when �t is used
<br />� „ : of ``chair," believing that word should be used oNy for a�:
<br />, repeatedly r Swi'tch to �'the.'plural� �"hotel guests and P�ece of furniture n
<br />"they" or even to'the second erson " �� ' � ot for a person.) However, sdcklers .
<br />� P you,; �Because you '�for Robert's Rules of Order use '`chairman" for both men �
<br />;may wlsh to stay elsewhere, the desk clerk muat inform ,: claiming the tide should not .be changed in
<br />and women
<br />iyou befnre 'you check into the hotel' that the a:r condt '�ther places�'when it has not been changed in the book
<br />honer rs out of �rder. ; � � that is the standard authorit on
<br />��i � 3. Nonsexist� job descripttons and ads are required by � aur�' ' Y,, P�'liamentary proce-
<br />''�ttie�� Equal Employmenc • Opportumty` Iaws ���One way to g adult males men �and adult females �" d�c „
<br />�:�. � r8 Ca1Ln ,<< �,:•
<br />avoid 'the repetitious use of "he or she" .. is� to write the js sexist, It perpetuates the idea that fem�les are helpl�ss,,. ,'�
<br />'�:$entence subject foUowed. by a colnn and a lisr of several � child-like creatures..:Most businesswomen do not lIke to
<br />predicates. ,Tha[ format is easy to read, and .it will not be ' b� called "ladies'' because they object to some of � the `
<br />perceived as a run-on sentence. Foc :example .connotations of that word. To show you are sensitive to`: .,
<br />, - ._ ., , ., ,
<br />, The applicant »iust be capab[e of, , :'� modern usage, refer to adult females as "women:" Most �
<br />` � ' � -•� -• �•��� . . w..: � �'� �..� �,' � • `of tbe �nen tn our offfce belong to tbe TOwn Club•
<br />,�. Using a computer to run data base,. spread`Y'"�"�"" `,•ivomen�� �t�e'; j�ust'�egfrint�tg.td ��tn. •' �
<br />sheet, and word processing programs ' L"'�-�"r`i "�',` "' :,''�_.
<br />„! Making simple bookkeeping entries ' 9. Peopte in sales are now called sales representatives.
<br />She has taken a posftion as a sales representattve for a
<br />, • Dealing pleasantly with the public . pharmaceuttcal company.
<br />•,�'reparing frnancial statements � �, 10 It is u
<br />• nnecessary, and often considered offensive,
<br />Preference will be giuen to applicants u�ho: �' ' to mention the gender of the person before the job title.
<br />Women are physicians, not female physicians. Men are
<br />• Hue�e e.rperience in the banking f�adustry � nurses or secretaries, not male nurses or male secretarfes.
<br />� Are te�i!lir:g tn work occusionally on weekends
<br />4. Usr another word in place of "mankind." People
<br />(humanity, every��ne, the human race) would be better
<br />��ff l,i u way could be found to settle conflicts wlthout
<br />war.
<br />5. ,►ob titles that assumr the gender of the job holder
<br />arr sexist. Nus the mui[ carrier come?
<br />� 6. Since tlight attendants these days are as likely to be
<br />men as women, say, Ask the fjight attendant for Q
<br />pi!lou�.
<br />During this time of social transiiion it Is Important to
<br />keep up with the way language reflects changes In the
<br />lives and attitudes of inen and women. It is also a good
<br />idea to keep your sense of humor and avoid being too
<br />critical of people whose ideas are slower to change than
<br />yours. Many scholars believe that the quallty of a civiliza-
<br />tion can be judged by the consideration the majority
<br />shows for people who are in the minority. Office profes-
<br />sionals should align themselves with the most gracious
<br />and civilized elements in their society: that is part of their
<br />vocational heritage as record keepers and scribes.
<br />SUBSCR/BE TODAY! Cal! i-800-822-7824 B:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Central Tlme
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