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Copyright, Marsha D. Egan, CPCU, PCC, CEO of The Egan Group, Inc., http://inboxdetox.com . Marsha is a certified executive coach and professional speaker, specializing in leadership development and workplace productivity. You can reach her at marsha@ marshaegan.com

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So many times, people don’t realize how easily they can sabotage their careers, unknowingly, they will do or not do things that hold them back. Here are five cautionary behaviors:

Pretending that there are no politics: sometimes people take the view that they are not going to acknowledge or participate in the political framework of their organization.  This  is definitely career limiting.  People need to be aware of the political aspects; they do not necessarily have to be political.  It is important to know who has what power, and to understand the organizational culture, and to maximize connections and networks.

Backstabbing and end – runs: especially at the lower levels of organizations, you will find people talking negatively behind people’s backs and circumventing structural hierarchies to get ahead.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Gossip and backstabbing is a surefire way to stop your advancement.  It is much better to confront issues positively and with the person who can impact the result.

Believing that hard work is the sole reason you will get ahead: too many people think that the organization will find and recognize them for working 12 hours a day, and doing good work.  While this is a basic necessity for moving up the corporate ladder, you can’t count on others to notice what you are doing.  You need to market your own results, and even showcase your abilities.  You need to build networks of people who believe in you, and for this reason, sometimes it is actually more important for you to go to lunch with people, rather than to spend that 45 minutes on your work.

Failing to recognize the importance of effective meeting participation: meetings are collections of people.  Every meeting you attend is an opportunity for you to showcase your abilities, or to be judged for poor participation.  Advance preparation, effective participation, and especially leading the meeting well can all be career advancers.  Blowing off an important meeting can do just the opposite.  Showing up late for meetings prompts people to draw conclusions about how well you work. Acting bored or disinterested, or arriving unprepared will hurt you more than you expect.

Reluctance to build alliances: some people believe that building alliances can be akin to building insincere relationships.  To get ahead in organization, you will need others to promote you, just as you promote yourself. While the people you build alliances with do not have to be your best friends, they should have reciprocal respect and trust.  You can’t get the top job, all by yourself.  The earlier in the game that you build strategic alliances with others in the organization, the greater the chance you have to move up within the organization.