AP Features, March 20th, 2007
FORGIVEABLE FIBBING: Ever flashed a rude customer your best smile while you seethed inside, or told a caller your boss wasn't in while she sat 10 feet away in her office? You're not alone. Most of us lie at work, and that's not necessarily bad.
Deception ranging from white lies to fibs about sales numbers can help maintain employee harmony and efficient workplace operations, according to David Shulman, author of "From Hire to Liar: The Role of Deception in the Workplace," and a professor at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.
"Lies are not necessarily evil, unethical lies," he said.
Blurting out your true feelings about a slacking co-worker or an incompetent boss, while truthful, can disrupt the workplace, most of us recognize. When it comes to social etiquette, as well as maintaining a good personal image, many workers have few qualms about fudging the truth, according to Shulman's ethnographic study of employees in more than 30 workplace environments.
People draw the line at illegal behavior, however, particularly in the case of financial crimes, Shulman said. And while it won't land you in prison, lying on your resume isn't a good idea, either, he said.
NETWORKING FOR NOVICES: Wallflowers take note: A job well done may not be enough to land you a promotion.
Available jobs drop off as you climb the corporate ladder, so who you know can become as important as what you know, according to Fran O'Brien, a networking instructor and chief underwriting officer at Chubb Insurance. For networking newbies, start schmoozing with these tips.
Don't box yourself in by limiting your career goals. Informing colleagues that you want to become vice president of sales, for example, indicates you lack desire to grow beyond that position, O'Brien said.
Develop a specific 5-year plan that focuses on specific business aspects you enjoy but allows room for growth. "A lot of people get stumped by that because they don't want to look presumptuous," she said.
Schedule face time with higher-level executives. One conversation over paninis won't guarantee you a promotion, but it will give you a leg up, O'Brien said. Be sure to have ready a 30-second pitch outlining your goals for the year.
Network with supervisors who manage the job you want instead of relying on your immediate boss to make connections for you. "Your current manager may not be the one to decide what your next job is," O'Brien said.
GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT, DOC: Call it morbid or call it practical, but most Americans would want to know decades ahead of time if a serious disease will strike them.
Nearly three out of four people would take a test that could identify a disease 20 years before symptoms appear, according to a survey conducted by Directive Analytics for Siemens Medical Solutions. Another 35 percent would want to know now if they will someday be diagnosed with an incurable disease, the survey reported.
Advances in medicine, specifically in the field of molecular science, allow doctors to identify illnesses like Alzheimer's in the earliest possible stages, said Donald Rucker, vice president and chief medical officer for Siemens Medical Solutions. For the first time, patients can choose to learn if heart disease or cancer is in their future, he said.
"As we shift from taking care of illness to personal prevention, these issues naturally come up," Rucker said. "It's not going away."
The online survey polled 1,111 adults nationwide.
