WOW Word-Of-the-Week #459: Subliminal
May 23, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #459: Subliminal
Subliminal – below the threshold of conscious perception.
Do you believe your words and moods can have a subliminal effect on the people around you? Would you rather deal with an optimistic person or a pessimistic one? Do you find it hard to be cheerful in the face of challenges?
This week’s WOW is the follow up to last week’s featuring Vicky Oliver’s four tips on how to put on a happy face at work and smile all the way to the bank from the San Diego UT article titled, “Four ways to profit from being happy at work,” written by Henry DeVries, assistant dean for external affairs at UCSD.
2. Pepper your language with upbeat words and phrases. Words have a powerful, subliminal effect on others’ moods and impressions. Bosses and coworkers love dealing 
with pleasant, positive people. It’s easy to jazz up routing exchanges by adding words that convey a happy mood and upbeat energy. So, “I’d be delighted to” is much better than “Sure.”
3. Give yourself a daily pep talk. Write down 10 statements you’d tell your best friend if she suffered a career setback. For example, “You did the best you could,” or “Mistakes are great ways to learn.” When you don’t get the praise you deserve from an irascible boss, tell yourself, “That’s his problem, not mine.”
4. If you feel a complaint coming on, zip it. Complaining makes you feel worse, and it makes others around you feel worse too. Just as happiness is contagious, so is negativity. It you can’t figure out a way to say something constructive about a problem or challenge, then keep quiet. People who act positive are perceived as being positive.
Bottom Line: Even pessimists prefer optimists. Acting cheerful in the face of challenges will do great things for your career and professional reputation.
This week’s focus is on your subliminal message. Do you use upbeat words and phrases? When was the last time you gave yourself a positive pep talk? Are you able to keep complaints to yourself?
WOW Word-Of-the-Week #458: Profit
May 15, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on WOW Word-Of-the-Week #458: Profit
Profit – an advantageous gain or return; benefit.
Do you believe you can profit from something without making money? Does it pay to do good deeds? Have you ever benefited from helping out a co-worker or your boss?
Henry DeVries, assistant dean for external affairs at UCSD, wrote a San Diego UT article titled, “Four ways to profit from being happy at work.”
He writes, “Does it pay to smile? A study of recent MBA graduates found that optimistic people get hired more quickly than their less-optimistic peers. Plus happy workers were more likely to get promoted.”
“Being happy on the job improves your reputation,” says author Vicky Oliver: “Optimism also makes you more resilient, able to adapt to new situations, and solve problems faster: Happy employees get better feedback from bosses and peers. And they enjoy more job satisfaction because work doesn’t feel boring, difficult, or unpleasant.”
Oliver is an image consultant in Manhattan and has authored five bestselling books on personal branding, etiquette, and career development. Her latest book is, “The Millionaire’s Handbook: How to Look and Act Like a Millionaire Even If You’re Not.”
This week’s WOW will feature the first of her four tips on how to put on a happy face at work and smile all the way to the bank.
1. Wear your “rose colored glasses” to work. For every disappointment, find a lesson. Try to see a positive aspect in situations that don’t turn out the way you intend. For example, maybe you didn’t get the job, but you got your foot in the door at the company, making it easier to go back next time. Maybe you didn’t talk to the most important person at the cocktail party, but you talked to the second most important person.
This week’s focus is on profit. Are you in the process of looking for a job? Do you want to make sure you keep the one you have? Do you think it pays to smile at work? Have you ever found a good lesson based on a disappointment? How would it feel to look for the positive in a situation that didn’t turn out the way you intended?