It hangs over many cubicles and offices in today\u2019s business world. It turns once happy \u2013 or at least
bearable \u2013 workplaces into the place where happy thoughts and laughter go to die. It makes once
friendly colleagues turn on each other, abandoning all goodwill in attempts to look out for No. 1.
\u201cIt\u201d is the layoff threat. The ax. The unpleasant end that pretty much every employee is trying to
avoid at a time when the unemployment rate is above 10 percent.

Blaine Loomer says it\u2019s time to cut the crap. It\u2019s time to stop worrying about what you can\u2019t
control and take a look in the mirror to reassess the company in which you are a manager, and
everything in between \u2013 You Inc.

\u201cThe best way to keep your job in today\u2019s economy is to be so valuable to your employers that
they simply can\u2019t do without you,\u201d says Loomer, \u201cUnfortunately, there is a lot of BS to get caught
up in these days. If you want to keep your job, though, you absolutely must steer clear of it.\u201d
Loomer knows what he is talking about. He wrote his new book to help the good guys and gals
understand what is going on in today\u2019s corporate world, so they can better maneuver around the
BS they\u2019ll encounter during their careers.

Below he offers advice for anyone out there who wants to know how they can get ahead in such
a treacherous employment environment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Be a part of the bottom line.<\/strong> If you want to be valuable to your company, then you need to
contribute to its bottom line. In other words, you need to help it make money. Otherwise, it\u2019s
not worth it to your company to keep you around. Make a concerted effort to connect to what it
is that makes your company money, and focus on the talents and skills that you have that will
contribute to those things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe company measures its ROI on you,\u201d explains Loomer, \u201cso you should measure the ROI on
yourself as well. None of us has time to do everything, so we are faced with the trade-off every
day. Focus on those items that use your time and resources most effectively so that you connect
back to the bottom line.\u201d

2) Avoid your workplace troublemakers.<\/strong> Often there are no greater timewasters in the
workplace than your fellow colleagues. There are the colleagues who love to gossip and spread
rumors. The colleagues who are constantly trying to catch your mistakes. The office flirt who will
only get you in trouble. And the bad news bear who doesn\u2019t want to do anything but bring you
down with bad news.

\u201cThe best way to deal with these kinds of colleagues is to avoid them like the plague,\u201d says
Loomer. \u201cKeep an eye on them, but keep your distance. They will only waste your time, frustrate
you, and cause you problems.\u201d

3) Remember that time is money.<\/strong> The most valuable commodity you have is your own time.
Spend it wisely. For example, don\u2019t invest eight hours in putting together a presentation when
you can deliver the same results with only an hour\u2019s prep time. Management wants the content
of your message, not a bunch of fluff and pretty artwork.

\u201cCountless times, I have seen a presenter cut short and her ideas not even considered because
the managers ran out of time before she got to the meat of her idea,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cDefine your
core competency and stick with it. If you try to do everyone else\u2019s jobs, you won\u2019t be able to do
your own. You Inc. will suffer.

4) Don\u2019t be afraid to abandon ship.<\/strong> Be flexible when it comes to your career path, even if it
means changing careers midstream.

\u201cSome of the most successful people I know are following a much different career path now than
they set out to in the beginning,\u201d notes Loomer. \u201cBe prepared for change and stay ahead of the
curve. Flexibility in your career may take you a long way, especially in tough economic times.\u201d

5) Don\u2019t be tempted by a shiny new title.<\/strong> A bigger title usually comes with a pay raise and more
perks, but some companies have discovered that a simple change in title with few additional
incentives is enough to keep a person motivated.

\u201cThis line of thinking doesn\u2019t make sense to me at all,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cIf you are going to take on
more responsibility, put in more time and add more value to the company, there should be
something substantial in it for you. Take time to fully evaluate any \u2018promotion.\u2019 Doing more work
for the same pay (or less) seems like a demotion \u2013 not a promotion \u2013 to me.\u201d

6) Recognize \u201cdeal or no deal\u201d situations.<\/strong> Don\u2019t be afraid to walk away from deals that just can\u2019t
seem to come together.

\u201cMost people don\u2019t negotiate well because they really want what the other person has and they
don\u2019t want to risk losing it,\u201d explains Loomer. \u201cBut whether it\u2019s a big contract, a job, a promotion
or a new car, you have to be willing to walk away. When you are willing to do so, you will be
pleasantly surprised at how much better your negotiations turn out. Suddenly, what you offer
carries value, and the tables often turn.\u201d

7) Constantly add value.<\/strong> Companies are in the business of making money. To a certain extent,
we all have to pull the company line and help keep the revenue machine running. Make sure that
you continually add value to the company.

\u201cFind ways to improve yourself and your processes,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cAll employees are
expendable, and if it makes financial sense to the company, you will be replaced or eliminated
altogether.\u201d

8) Sing your own praises, but not too loudly.<\/strong> As a general rule, your work won\u2019t speak for
itself. You must speak for yourself. You can really help yourself by making sure that managers
and supervisors in your organization understand the effort you put into your job and the results
you produce.

\u201cA bit of modest bragging will not only help you come promotion time, but it will also help
discredit any attacks levied against you,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cProvide the right amount of information
about yourself, but don\u2019t beat your accomplishments to death. Too many trips to the boss\u2019s office
will annoy him, and may work against you.\u201d

9) Get smart.<\/strong> Too many people don\u2019t understand the basics about the operation of their
companies. Learn the organizational chart and reporting structures. Study and understand your
company\u2019s financials.

\u201cFinancial data is the basis for many decisions, decisions that may very well affect your wallet,\u201d
says Loomer. \u201cYou never know where your life may lead. Learn as much as you can along the
way, even though what you\u2019re learning may not seem relevant at the time.\u201d

10) Be a confident innovator.<\/strong> When you pitch your ideas to management, be prepared to defend
your views. Also, be prepared to receive criticism.

\u201cManagement will challenge you simply to test your level of enthusiasm for the idea and its
viability,\u201d notes Loomer. \u201cThere are a lot of variables to consider, and management wants to
know you\u2019ve thought about them. If you support your ideas with solid research and show some
passion, management will be more likely to embrace your concept.\u201d

11) Nix the naysayers.<\/strong> People tend to emphasize negative things in the workplace over positive
things. One negative person or event can tear down months of motivation in minutes. Evaluate
the people working in your department or on your project. Do the personalities work well
together?

\u201cSome people cannot or will not get on board. Don\u2019t spend an inordinate amount of time trying
to convince them to join in,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cGive them an opportunity to correct their negative
attitudes, but if they persist, remove them from the group or project. There are not enough hours
in the day to convert someone who has convinced herself that she doesn\u2019t want to follow your
plan.\u201d

12) Don\u2019t ask for more than you deserve.<\/strong> American corporations seem to have become the land
of entitlement where people expect to be highly compensated before they have provided one
penny of value to the company.

\u201cThroughout your career, evaluate what value you bring to your company,\u201d advises Loomer. \u201cAsk
for fair compensation, but don\u2019t price yourself out of the market. Employment is a two-way
street, so make sure you are giving something for what you get.\u201d

13) Keep an eye on your e-trail.<\/strong> Not only do we need to make sure we cover ourselves from a
legal perspective, but we also need to cover our butts day-to-day. The best way to do this
nowadays is to save all e-mail and electronic data that is available to you. \u201cIf you have ever
received an e-mail from someone asking you to confirm something, that person is likely covering
his ass,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cThis is not a bad thing and, in many cases, can clear up any confusion
later. Even the most obscure e-mail may be relevant at a later date. Disk space is cheap compared
to the trouble it may save you.\u201d

14) Don\u2019t be afraid to say no.<\/strong> That is, if you\u2019re doing such a great job your company can\u2019t afford
to get rid of you anyway. If you don\u2019t set limits, you will find yourself working on a perpetual
treadmill.

15) Trust your intuition.<\/strong> Good intuition in the business world can be your guardian angel. If it
feels like someone is up to no good, she probably is.

\u201cIn most cases, you will find that your initial instinct about someone is usually correct,\u201d says
Loomer. \u201cKeep that instinct in mind as you work with her and always remember how you felt
that first day. Stick to your convictions!\u201d

16) Get a life.<\/strong> It\u2019s good to be committed to the company, and corporate accomplishments are
rewarding, but when all is said and done, a lifetime goes by too fast.

\u201cTry not to take your job home with you,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cThis not only makes things more
stressful for you but it also puts undue pressure on those around you. I am a firm believer that
you get what you give. If you are happy, those around you will be happy as well.\u201d

17) Know which rung on the ladder is right for you.<\/strong> Do you want to be responsible for the success
or failure of your company? If so, move up the ladder. Do you want to go home at five every day
and forget about work until the next morning? Then moving up the ladder is not for you.

\u201cMost people want to move up the ladder because that\u2019s what they\u2019ve been told they should
do,\u201d explains Loomer. \u201cBut the really important thing is that you do your job to the best of your
ability and you are happy doing it.\u201d

18) Shut up and listen.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know, then seek out some experienced
advice. A mentor can warn you about things you may never have considered and keep you from
being blindsided by unforeseen events or costs. As hard as it may be, the first step is to admit to
yourself that you don\u2019t know everything.

19) Learn the difference between e-communication and real communication.<\/strong> Communicating
with people is an opportunity not only to transfer information, but also to build relationships
with them at the same time. With all the forms of electronic communication available today, our
conversations are becoming more and more impersonal.

\u201cNot only are texts and e-mails inefficient and sometimes carried to ridiculous extremes, they
are also costing us our personal relationships,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cI want employees who will interact
with people and solve problems. If you can\u2019t interact with people directly, you have no value.\u201d

20) Add sales to your skill set.<\/strong> When it comes to You Inc., there is only one person on the sales
team: you! Despite what your resume says, adding sales to your skill set is a must. Whenever you
are trying to pitch a new idea to your company, you\u2019ll have to have a sales pitch that is convincing
and sound. And if you are vying for a promotion or raise, you\u2019ll need to be prepared to pitch
yourself.

\u201cBe ready to defend your views and have answers for the tough questions,\u201d asserts Loomer. \u201cAnd
remember, everybody has a right to their own opinions, so don\u2019t get defensive if someone
disagrees with you \u2013 just support your ideas with solid research and your own enthusiasm, and
they\u2019ll be singing a different tune in no time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21) If it isn\u2019t broken, don\u2019t fix it.<\/strong> In business, change can often be confused with progress. Often
you\u2019ll find that companies are making changes and improvements for the sake of change \u2013 and
not because anything was truly wrong in the first place. Likewise, employees feel the pressure to
constantly make improvement to things to keep up the appearance of productivity and to prove
their worth. But Loomer says that this is a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only reason to change something is to make it better than it was previously,\u201d he says. \u201cThe
goal is improvement. Put a time limit on your own goals so that you don\u2019t chase a bad idea longer
than you should. And if the system, idea, or product you currently have in place works well \u2013 then
let it be, and concentrate your efforts on the things that truly need it.\u201d

22) Say no to working vacations.<\/strong> When you take your vacation, take your vacation! Remove
yourself from the job completely. Don\u2019t offer to check e-mail and voicemail while you are away.
\u201cI have made this mistake and I can tell you if you do it, you might as well have stayed at work,\u201d
says Loomer. \u201cA lot of companies offer rewards and perks like club trips or weekend getaways.
Although these are great and can be a lot of fun, they are not vacations. They are still about the
company, and you will still be working. You\u2019ll just be out of the office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong>
\u201cIf you go through your workdays just trying not to get fired, then you are probably headed for
trouble,\u201d says Loomer. \u201cInstead, push those negative thoughts out of your mind. Focus on the
work you do and how you add value to your company. Infuse positivity and a can-do attitude to
those on your team. Work smarter than your competition and you can get ahead every time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It hangs over many cubicles and offices in today\u2019s business world. It turns once happy \u2013 or at leastbearable \u2013 workplaces into the place where happy thoughts and laughter go to die. It makes oncefriendly colleagues turn on each other, abandoning all goodwill in attempts to look out for No. 1.\u201cIt\u201d is the layoff threat. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":289,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287\/revisions\/289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ventrax.com.my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}