Motivational

Rule 89: Know the favorites and cultivate them

December 16, 2016

Famous Nigeria’s Afro-Juju Music Creator, Sir Shina Peters with Hip-Hop Yahoo Music Creator, Olu Maintain

Every
boss has a favorite. I know they/we shouldn’t, but it is human nature. It goes
on because we/they are all human and even parents have favorites although they
would never admit it.

There
are two parts to this rule:

·
If
favoritism is going on – and it will be – make sure you are your boss’s favorite.

·
Make
sure you know all the favorites in other departments.

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If
you have got a boss who is going to have favorites, you can buck the system or
try being the favorite. If you do become
a favorite, don’t for heaven’s sake flaunt it amongst your colleagues. Be
self-effacing and deny it, be humble and don’t acknowledge it, be modest and
pretend it ain’t going on.

“To get to be a
favorite has to depend on skill, presence, charisma, talent, expertise,
experience, likeability, charm, personal affability. It must never depend on
brown nosing, fawning, obsequiousness, toadying, slime or smarming up to the
boss”

To
get to be a favorite has to depend on skill, presence, charisma, talent,
expertise, experience, likeability, charm, personal affability. It must never
depend on brown nosing, fawning, obsequiousness, toadying, slime or smarming up
to the boss. You have to earn being a favorite,
not warm your way in. If you do, you
will be hated by your colleagues. If you
genuinely deserve it because you are dependable or reliable or efficient or
honest, then your colleagues will just about put up with it.

Spotting
the favorites in other departments should be fairly easy. They will be treated pretty much as you
are. They will:

·
Get
the first pick on the holiday rota

·
Be
trusted, a confidante

·
Be
invited to meetings

·
Get
the prestigious jobs and the perks

·
Be
chatted to by the boss rather than being barked at.

Once
spotted, make a friend of them. This way
you will know what is going on, be in with the in-crowd, have the ear of the
boss of other departments and you have joined the elite. If, on the other hand, you really disapprove
of favoritism do none of this.

(Excerpts from THE
RULES OF WORK by Richard Templer Read “How to read the Mission Statement” from The Rules tomorrow on Asabeafrika)

Rule-to-Work Series