The Three Smartest Things You're Not Doing At Work Yet

What's keeping you from doing the smart things you already know how to do? Someone asked me that a couple weeks ago, and I've been mulling it over ever since.
After all, if we a) know it's smart, and b) know how to do it, and c) we're smart, then why don't we d) do the smart things?? Duh!

My answer is that the neurotic economy has given us all a bit of madness. The paralyzing environment is making us forget all of of our hard-earned smarts and enticing us to play dumb.
So , I say let's take our smartness back by doing the three smartest things we're not doing at work right now.

"Keep your head down". . . "don't make waves" . . ."go with the flow" . . are you hearing any of that advice at your place of business? From what I'm told from clients and colleagues, many of you are.
I suppose those comments are understandable, given our roles in the middle of the greatest economic tragicomedy of our lifetimes. But understandable doesn't have to mean acceptable.
You won't make it to the third act with just luck, although a lot of people seem to be thinking they can. In fact, recent data shows that 50 percent of state lotteries logged a record increase in sales in the past six months. Are there an equal amount of winners? Not a chance.

Don't rely on luck for your workplace survival. Take action now by trying the three smartest things you're not doing at work -- at least, not yet.
#1: Making Time for Coworkers and Contacts.
"I hate networking," a friend said over coffee recently. Indeed, the concept of networking conjures up images of Discovery Channels' Deadliest Catch, where everyone is stressed, injured, and/or smelly at best.
Most of us are not tuna and we don't like being "caught" in someone else's "net." What do we like? Being respected. Being valued. Honest and frequent communication. Trust. People who look out for us. In short -- we like a relationship.
You already know what makes a good relationship (even if your spouse/significant other/mother disagrees.) So let's toss "networking" overboard and start building relationships again.
Stop ping-ing your colleagues and have actual conversations with them. Drop the Blackberry and pick up the phone. Invite someone to lunch, to coffee, to your conference call. Care more about being interest-ed than being interest-ing. All are ways to start building -- and growing -- good relationships that will provide the foundation for your workplace success.
#2: Calling on the Experts.
"Our budgets have been slashed," a local learning & development director told me. "I still have goals to meet, but I don't have a dime to call on any help." Sound familiar? Probably so. But is that statement reality. . .or perception?
Might your favorite professionals -- consultants, designers, writers, coaches, trainers, or other experts -- be open to non-traditional ways of working with you in a non-traditional time? For example, could they host a brainstorming session, build a web page, lead a lunch & learn, design a microworkshop or other event that moves your goals along and helps to maintain their relationship with you? Could they create a product or tool that you can pilot now and they can sell to other customers in the future? Would they just simply work for less?

It can't hurt to ask--as long as you make it absolutely safe for them to say "no" (read: no grudges). But how to ask? Try this: "We've been good business partners in the past, and I've valued that. With our current budget cuts, I still need [whatever you need] and wondered if you'd be willing to partner with me to figure out low or no-cost solutions."
Why would your favorite expert say "yes" to this? Maybe they'd value your written recommendations or referrals, or would like to use their work with you for marketing or publishing purposes. Or maybe they have an idea that needs a test drive, and you can be the Andretti to their Formula 1. Set clear rules and expectations, and you both can win.
#3: Breaking the Rules
Keeping your head down and avoiding challenge isn't the answer -- at least, not the one that's going to move you and your business ahead. Let everyone else play ostrich -- history shows that changing times are the best times to shake up the status quo and break some rules.

We are clearly in a "neutral zone," which author William Bridges describes in his book Managing Transitions as the time after the old ways have ended but before new beginnings are in place. The cool thing is that while the neutral zone can be a time of great chaos; it can also be a time of great creativity. Which sounds more fun?
Old rules aren't working; new ones haven't been written. Failed business models are gone, creating big vacuums of opportunity ready to suck new ideas up. What could be different for your workplace that broken rules give you permission to try? What's the new idea that's now possible for you, if you only break the rules?

So there are the three smartest things you're not doing at work -- yet. Try these out and keep doing the smart things we know how to do!