Talk - Don't Be Naive, It's Focused on You

 Long before the formal performance review, the shock of being terminated, the annoucement of a special bonus and other events in your employment, your destiny is being shaped by what others, ranging from the top layers of the organization to co-workers, are saying about you. What goes on in the office grapevines, as I hammer in this article published in O'Dwyer Public Relations, is a major influencer in your professional success or failure. Its reach can extend even after you leave.

Yet, there are those who are unaware that everyone talks. That comes out in this Reddit thread. The surprise is that equity partners in elite law firms talk about even entry-level lawyers. In addition, others without a lot of authority could also be talking about you.

What they're saying can and does have direct impacts on what assignments and how many of them the junior lawyers will receive. In that game, your survival and mobility depend on shaking loose work. Not enough work means not enough billable hours means you could be on the way out. 

Obviously, the burden is on you to size up how to present yourself to all the constituencies, no matter their degree of power, in the firm as well as clients. The latter will not hesitate to talk to partners if they don't want you on the account. In addition to the work product there is this interactional element. 

In all workplaces, the grapevines are the force field which determines how you are perceived - and treated - day to day. That all can change on a dime. Doing your work is just the price of entry. What counts is what goes on in those informal channels of communications. You must learn how to manage them.

As an intuitive career coach/tarot reader I uncover the opportunities/obstacles in your earning power that others miss. Free confidential consultation. If we work together, fees are custom-made for your budget. For an appointment: contact Jane Genova (text/phone 203-468-8579, janegenova374@gmail.com). In-person and remote.


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