"Yo Peeps! Wassup?"
Or, Should I begin with "Hello Folks, how are you doing today?"
Feeling confused?
This was not simply just a transition of speech, but a major transition in life, a jump from the boundaries of your college or the university lingo to imbibing and adapting to the life of a working individual, a new chapter that warrants professionalism, modification in your existing behaviour and adapting to a new environment. But why fret? Let us make it easier together and I will try not to overwhelm you whilst you are prepping yourself for the upcoming transition.
To all the college-goers, of course, you must be of the opinion that life is smooth when you are earning. Many students think along the same lines and come up to me often to say, "Come on! Coach, I disagree! Life's fun when you have money!", especially when I lovingly recall my college days to them.
I am not saying this to create a sense of fear or anxiety when it comes to starting a new job but I am sharing this with the intent of making all of you pull up your socks and get going towards a transition that would require just a tad bit of effort with the advice I am about to share with you today and make the process easy and silky smooth!
To make things as simple as possible, here's my ABCDE guide to help you with your transition and of course, a few best pro tips to boot!
A — Attitude
The biggest change that most students struggle with is modulating their attitude as the situation demands. You have to develop an open and positive attitude, period! There can be no leeway here. But, the sooner you develop this, the easier your transition is going to be. When I say the word "open", I refer to being able to have zero judgments, zero assumptions, and zero presumptions. For the development of a positive attitude, I suggest that you develop a humble mindset, become more grounded, and not allow your egotism to dictate your actions.
The reason I stress this point is because, irrespective of how we have been brought up, we are all equal in a working environment. We should never enter a workplace with a feeling of being entitled or trying to portray that we are 'elitists. Humility is the only way to go. Remember that!
B — Business Communication
We all communicate daily, with our family and peers, and sometimes that familiarity devoid our speech of any restriction. When with friends, with whom college-goers spend most of their time, we use urban lingo, slang, colloquial terms, and friendly slurs and it is what we have been accustomed to.
We also tend to, in extreme cases, hurl abuse, use cuss words, and might even display our frustration in a threatening manner. But when in the workplace, this has to stop as it can have unimaginable repercussions in your professional lives. This can also lead to the death of your career if reported as this amounts to harassment. Verbal harassment is not just frowned upon but also leads to serious consequences within the organisation too.
Neutral, clean, courteous, polite, and assertive communication is the way to go! So, exercise restraint and focus on changing your style of communication to the best of your ability. Also, don't push yourself too much... you'll learn as you go! You need to be aware and conscious, that's all.
C — Cooperation and Co-Existence
Co-existing is the name of the game in any organisation, be it with your superiors, colleagues, or subordinates. Teamwork is the most crucial aspect. To be able to co-exist harmoniously requires a high level of cooperation and interdependence. This is where your interpersonal skills and ability to connect with others comes into the picture.
It would be best if you were equipped in all aspects to be able to be the best team player and transition from the 'I' mindset to 'WE'. The more you prove to be a team player, the faster you will be popular in an organisation. That makes the right people notice you and shall enable you to progress in your path much faster.
Remember when the 'I' is substituted with a 'WE' even 'Illness' becomes 'Wellness'.
D — Discipline
Discipline is going to be most important when you begin your professional life. Gone are the days when you could bunk a class because you overslept or just did not feel like going to college, gone are the days when you could just decide to go to a movie without a care in the world. You need to bring discipline into your life, plan your schedule, and be punctual.
It just doesn't end there, initiating and bringing discipline in your finances also becomes crucial as you will have more responsibilities going forward and would want to plan your future accordingly. Saving up is what becomes a priority but, of course, you are allowed to enjoy your earnings as well! But don't start living beyond your means as soon as you start earning and credit cards are to be considered carefully.
E — Etiquette
Last but not the least! The most important! The foundation of success in the corporate world begins here, though a positive and open attitude is just the beginning. You need to learn etiquette and be able to be on your best behaviour as that goes a long way.
Open the door for everyone, hold the elevator for your colleagues, put the toilet seat down, do not talk loudly on the phone, greet everyone, and have a big smile. These are just a few to be mindful of, but there's more to learn. The point I am trying to make here is that the more appreciation you show your colleagues, the more they shall reciprocate the same. This is what shall set you apart from the rest.
Bonus Pro Tips by the Coach!
F — Flexible
One of the main ways that you can be sure that you have developed an open and positive attitude is when you are innately and instinctively flexible! Being flexible allows you to achieve all the ABCDEs much faster and is interlinked to almost all of them.
G — Growth Mindset
Growing and progressing in your career is everyone's ultimate goal. Climbing up the ladder is not always easy but is much easier if you develop a mindset of helping the organisation grow, and, hence that shall contribute to your growth too.
As I sign off, I would like to end by saying that gearing up for the world of the mighty corporate is an exciting and challenging journey. By following these simple tips and adopting the right mindset, you will be well on your way to success. So, go forth and conquer the corporate arena with style and grace! Get ready to take on the world with confidence and I shall do my best to always guide you in the right direction.
Wishing you the best in your future endeavours,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj,
The Coach
