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9 Mistakes To Avoid At Work

There are certain behaviors that will endanger your career, no matter how skilled you may be. These are the top 9 mistakes that you need to avoid at work.

Everyone has heard of disruptive employees at work.

You shouldn’t throw a chair out the window or leave work during a presentation to do irreparable harm to your career.

No matter how skilled or successful you might be, certain behaviors can immediately alter the way people see you and can create a negative impression on you that will last a lifetime.

Below are nine behaviors that you should avoid.

1. Backstab

It’s the name that says it all. It can cause major problems at work if you stab your colleagues in the back. To stomp on someone in order to solve a problem is one of the most common ways to stab your partner in the back.

This attitude is often adopted by people to avoid conflict. However, more conflict can be generated when the victim realizes what has happened. It will feel as though you have stabbed your partner in the back every time you place him in a bad spot in front of others, regardless of his intentions.

2. Gossip

Negative remarks about others are frowned upon. If you hear negative comments about others’ misfortunes or mistakes, it can make them feel worse. Speaking ill about others can make you appear negative and spiteful.

3. Give credit to someone else’s work

All of us have felt that feeling when our stomachs start to churn when someone steals an idea. It gives the impression that they are not capable of accomplishing anything significant on their own. This shows you don’t respect your team or the relationships at work.

4. Aim for an emotional crisis

My company provides 360 degree feedback and coaching for executives. We encounter many situations where people throw things, shout, make others cry, or other signs that indicate an emotional crisis.

A breakdown in emotions is a sign of emotional intelligence, and can lead to you being fired. People will doubt your ability to handle problems and be trustworthy if you display this level of instability.

You will be criticized if you lose your nerves in public, no matter how well they deserve it. You will also be perceived as unapproachable, intimidating, and unstable. You will be able to control your emotions and keep the reins in your hands. If you can control your emotions around people who don’t treat you well, they will look bad.

5. Say you hate your job

A person ranting about how much he hates someone is not something anyone wants to hear at work. This will make you look bad and lower your morale. Bosses can quickly spot the morale-lowers and know that they have a lot of enthusiastic people who can fill in.

6. Show off

Don’t be ashamed of what you don’t have. If someone brags about something minor, it’s likely that they haven’t achieved many accomplishments. If someone does achieve something and works hard, it will portray a professional attitude that will make the other team feel more intimidated.

You can achieve great accomplishments without trying to show off. This shows that you have a strong mindset and helps others see that you are successful.

7. Lying

Although many lies are started with good intentions, some lie because someone wants to protect themselves and others. The lies continue to spread until they are exposed and there is no way back.

It can be very depressing to discover that someone has lied about something, even if it is not important. It is important to tell the truth, and to be happy as you are.

8. Take a strong-smelling food.

If you aren’t working on a boat or have to eat fish-like food, it will make your coworkers mad. The rule of thumb when eating in the office is to avoid anything that could leave a strong odor.

Although it may seem insignificant, food that smells strong can indicate lack of concern and cause others to be annoyed. This is something that can easily be avoided. You don’t care whether they are there or not.

9. Disrupt relationships

The people you know and new contacts are the most important part of your work. In any professional relationship, it is a mistake to make others take responsibility for your actions.

TalentSmart has a client that is a large chain coffee shop. Their annual turnover is high so employees don’t consider leaving work due to problems within the company. One employee, however, managed to end all her relationships at work in a single day. Surprisingly, he didn’t scream or do anything unusual. He simply walked away.

This employee arrived at work on Monday without prior notice. She told her boss she was leaving because she found a better-paid job and then left. All of the scheduled shifts for the next two week had to be completed with the one person left until a replacement was found.

Although she would think that her actions would only be an irritation to her boss, which she didn’t like, it actually made it very stressful for her colleagues over the next two weeks. He destroyed the positive relationships that he had built with his peers.

Final words

Although these attitudes may seem extreme and show a lack of consideration, it could happen to you and you may be surprised. We believe that it is important to remind yourself of these types of attitudes so you can avoid them.

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