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I don't know how to charm some-one. If pure honesty isn't an answer, i do not qualify. This all depends on the situation, i have worked with cat scratchin women, now i run my own business. (men). You earn a reputation & there will always be that person who will try to tear you down, if one is brave enough. They have just lost their job! No Brown Nose here, have no education in that field. :yh_shame

If I can't do it through hard work, I don't want to do it.

StelZ wrote: Saw a thread for Brown Thumbs and just got to thinking;

Has anyone ever Brown Nosed their way to the top? Or deliberately Brown Nosed to get something or somewhere, at work?

I couldn't do it.

Just out of principle and for the fact I am naiive (?) enough to believe my hard work will be recognised without the need to Brown Nose.

I am however one of the first to complain when that hard work is NOT recognised!

Is it true that its a dog-eat-dog world?
I'm too insubordinate a personality to kiss butt to the top. But you look around at all the truly 'successful' and what do you see? Dog eat dog, you bet! Wall street, London stock exchange, just examples of truly 'mad cow'. Unfortunately we live in a world where 'he who has the gold, makes the rules'. Me, I prefer the anonymity of healthcare. I feel like I can make a difference in individual lives without the competition of ego's. But gawd, I'd love to have my own business.....a bookstore, maybe. One of those old, dusty places that has miles of wisdom in them.

StelZ wrote: Saw a thread for Brown Thumbs and just got to thinking;

Has anyone ever Brown Nosed their way to the top? Or deliberately Brown Nosed to get something or somewhere, at work?

I couldn't do it.

Just out of principle and for the fact I am naiive (?) enough to believe my hard work will be recognised without the need to Brown Nose.

I am however one of the first to complain when that hard work is NOT recognised!

Is it true that its a dog-eat-dog world?
I really believe that there is a way to succeed without giving up your self-respect. Maybe I'm the naive one! LOL



Work hard, but cover your a** and make sure your name is on everything you produce so that others can't steal credit for your work.



Find a niche that fits you, and excel at it, personality-wise. Try to make sure it is something the managers want and need. For instance, morale has been very low at my company for the past couple of years. My "niche" is to use humor to make everyone laugh about the hardships without pretending they don't exist. You wouldn't think this is a big deal, but if I go a few days without making coworkers laugh, then either the coworkers or the managers come to see me and find out why. Good morale boosts production. So, find something that is a good fit for your personality, and go with it.



Only complain when things are really really bad! Otherwise, you get the "boy who cries wolf" label. If you're generally easy-going but have something to say once in a while, what you say increases in weight. If that makes any sense. When you do complain, do so privately to the ears that count. Don't do it with coworkers.



Know where your bread is buttered. If you have great ideas, but you're not very high on the totem pole, then develop a relationship with a person who will help you succeed, and is higher up than you. Tell them your ideas, let them run with it, and be sure you've worked out the details. Try to get approval to implement that idea, and no one needs to know that the idea was yours. You'll get credit for implementing it.



Let others fall on their face. I have a hard time with this one. But I've been splattered before with the backlash of trying to help a coworker and it explodes anyway. Don't bother. I have a coworker now who joined the company in July or so. He complains constantly, and is a level higher than I am - meaning he is supposed to be an example. We're all ready to break at this point, but his complaining will be remembered. If he can't handle the heat, his desk will slowly be stripped from him and given to someone who can handle it. Hopefully me, ambitious witch that I am! LOL



Anyway, these are my own thoughts, and so far they've been working out for me pretty well. Brown-nosing is telling the boss whatever they want to hear, agreeing with everything, and sucking up with false friendships. Yuck!



You can have positive friendly relationships with the bosses without being friends. You can support people even if you don't like them. You can develop your "business identity" without losing any piece of yourself. You can be honest about your thoughts and views once you've established a reputation:

for wanting the company to succeed,

for working your tail off,

for being respectful in how you handle complaints,

for developing potential solutions for every complaint you have,

and for supporting decisions once they are made.



It's a dog-eat-dog world all right. There are some who eat with good manners and taste, and others who are more messy about it.

StelZ wrote: Saw a thread for Brown Thumbs and just got to thinking;

Has anyone ever Brown Nosed their way to the top? Or deliberately Brown Nosed to get something or somewhere, at work?

I couldn't do it.

Just out of principle and for the fact I am naiive (?) enough to believe my hard work will be recognised without the need to Brown Nose.

I am however one of the first to complain when that hard work is NOT recognised!

Is it true that its a dog-eat-dog world?


I would rather kick butt than kiss butt. To me brown nosing is degrading and dispicible. I have known a few and they make me ill. Pity they can't get places on their own self worth and skills.

StelZ wrote: Maybe these people have no conscience.

They usually work in Sales too. :sneaky:


Oh that is so true yikes we are being stereotypical now ahahahaha

A Karenina wrote: I really believe that there is a way to succeed without giving up your self-respect. Maybe I'm the naive one! LOL


No, you're right, it's just a razor's edge line to walk.



Work hard, but cover your a** and make sure your name is on everything you produce so that others can't steal credit for your work.


Excellent advice.



Find a niche that fits you, and excel at it, personality-wise. Try to make sure it is something the managers want and need.


Outstanding advice. My teacher methods were, shall we say "extra-ordinary"? A wild mix of kinesthetic learning, in your face lectures, catchy nmeumonics, flashy multimedia, and more than a little stand-up comedy. I clashed badly with standard "monotone-lecture-worksheet" type teachers. (An analogy might be the difference between an austere Catholic Priest and a Bible-thumping Revival Preacher.)

I had to find a place where my methods, which are effective, could operate without offending the more "normal" of my colleagues. Alternative school was a perfect fit. No one else wanted the job, and it was critical for our system. Here I can shine without stepping on toes.

(It doesn't help you, I found out, when the kids go to the other teachers all day and tell them, "Why can't you be more like Mr. Ives?")

Only complain when things are really really bad! Otherwise, you get the "boy who cries wolf" label. If you're generally easy-going but have something to say once in a while, what you say increases in weight. If that makes any sense. When you do complain, do so privately to the ears that count. Don't do it with coworkers.


No kidding around. In teacher college they taught us that you should take bad kids down to the office. The actual reverse is true in real life. The more the office sees your kids, the worse they think you are doing your job. Besides, you give away your power in the classroom. I deal with all my kids personally, and right away. That way they know that I am the leader in the classroom.



Know where your bread is buttered. If you have great ideas, but you're not very high on the totem pole, then develop a relationship with a person who will help you succeed, and is higher up than you.


This has saved me more times than I can count. I made friends with a school counselor, right after he told me that he would be running for the school board. After he was elected, I had more real power than my principal. I also volunteered for Summer School, not just for the money, but because the lead teacher was in charge of all alternative programs. Later, it was he that selected me for the lead teacher position at my school.

Currently, I have powerful friends on the Command Staff, who are actually his bosses. This makes any dealings I have with him much more friction free, since he realizes that he will have to answer to his higher ups if I am mistreated. (I NEVER mention this, though. It's unspoken)



Let others fall on their face. I have a hard time with this one. But I've been splattered before with the backlash of trying to help a coworker and it explodes anyway.


More excellent advice. I once befriended a guy that I thought was cool, but had serious personal problems and was kind of violent in the classroom. The fool almost took me down with him when he self-destructed. Be polite, courteous, friendly, and fun. But watch out for your own self and don't get involved in your coworker's lives.

You can have positive friendly relationships with the bosses without being friends.


I try to have a "can do" attitude. My boss knows that any task given me is done and done well, quickly. I never whine or complain. But when he asks me if I'd like to go skiing with him, I politely decline. Familiarity breeds contempt.

Jives wrote: No, you're right, it's just a razor's edge line to walk.





Excellent advice.





Outstanding advice. My teacher methods were, shall we say "extra-ordinary"? A wild mix of kinesthetic learning, in your face lectures, catchy nmeumonics, flashy multimedia, and more than a little stand-up comedy. I clashed badly with standard "monotone-lecture-worksheet" type teachers. (An analogy might be the difference between an austere Catholic Priest and a Bible-thumping Revival Preacher.)

I had to find a place where my methods, which are effective, could operate without offending the more "normal" of my colleagues. Alternative school was a perfect fit. No one else wanted the job, and it was critical for our system. Here I can shine without stepping on toes.

(It doesn't help you, I found out, when the kids go to the other teachers all day and tell them, "Why can't you be more like Mr. Ives?")



No kidding around. In teacher college they taught us that you should take bad kids down to the office. The actual reverse is true in real life. The more the office sees your kids, the worse they think you are doing your job. Besides, you give away your power in the classroom. I deal with all my kids personally, and right away. That way they know that I am the leader in the classroom.





This has saved me more times than I can count. I made friends with a school counselor, right after he told me that he would be running for the school board. After he was elected, I had more real power than my principal. I also volunteered for Summer School, not just for the money, but because the lead teacher was in charge of all alternative programs. Later, it was he that selected me for the lead teacher position at my school.

Currently, I have powerful friends on the Command Staff, who are actually his bosses. This makes any dealings I have with him much more friction free, since he realizes that he will have to answer to his higher ups if I am mistreated. (I NEVER mention this, though. It's unspoken)





More excellent advice. I once befriended a guy that I thought was cool, but had serious personal problems and was kind of violent in the classroom. The fool almost took me down with him when he self-destructed. Be polite, courteous, friendly, and fun. But watch out for your own self and don't get involved in your coworker's lives.



I try to have a "can do" attitude. My boss knows that any task given me is done and done well, quickly. I never whine or complain. But when he asks me if I'd like to go skiing with him, I politely decline. Familiarity breeds contempt.


If I package her up nicely and send her by Fed Ex, can you teach my daughter. Your exactly what our dam school system up here lacks, grossly lacks.

minks wrote: If I package her up nicely and send her by Fed Ex, can you teach my daughter. Your exactly what our dam school system up here lacks, grossly lacks.
You got to make sure that he gets paid in American dollars. Has tickets to back home every summer and major breaks. Gets to run it the way he sees fit and, most importantly, doesn't have to take orders from jerks.

If you can fulfil these requirements then he'll talk to you about some friends that he has that could help him. This way we'll be able to send those that teach into the fire where they will learn that Canada requires teachers, not posers, waiting for a pension.

I have work at my job for over thirteen years and I believe I am good at what I do.

I think there is a certain line you do not cross on the job. My boss is my boss--he is not my buddy. Gossip goes in one ear and out the other with no comments made by me. I will be friendly and courteous, but I do not flirt with co-workers of the opposite sex.If I come across another co-workers mistake and I can fix it, I do without comment and go about my business. But if I do have to call this mistake to my co-worker, I do--only if it can help her/him and in a non-judgemental way.(After all, I can make mistakes too)

I just try to treat co-workers the way I would want to be treated. :yh_coffee

along-for-the-ride wrote: Gossip goes in one ear and out the other with no comments made by me.


This is very good advice. I'm a mentor teacher, that is to say a teacher-who-teaches-new-teachers. I mostly just have to teach them the stuff that they don't teach you in teacher college.

1. Don't descend to the level of the children.

2. Don't get involved in their personal lives.

3. Don't give them rides home.

4. Don't lose your temper, you are the adult they are the children.

and the big one....

5. Absolutely, do not go near the teacher's lounge at lunch hour. There is nothing but vicious gossip about colleagues and students going on in there and it's all destructive and non-productive.