Step It Up: How to Play the Professional Long Game

How you show up on email, on a call, in or after a meeting shapes your professional reputation. Sloppy habits and low work ethic abound; step up your game and win!

Never have I ever wondered how to dress for work events . . . until the post-COVID era. Sneakers to meet with investors? NO WAY! Blue fingernails, open toed shoes and baggy clothing? Call me old fashioned but I believe how you present yourself matters: athleisure for personal time, not professional settings.

Post-COVID, a certain kind of professional laissez-faire has emerged and it’s not isolated to dresscode. We seem to accept ‘I’m swamped’ as a substitute for accountability. Younger workers often require multiple reminders - sometimes five - to complete a single task. Investors read an email twice or even three times yet never reply. Marketers reach out once but drop the ball when it comes to follow up and follow through.

Are distraction and overwhelm really professionally acceptable excuses today?

JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon runs his leadership team with the mindset of a high-performance athlete: there’s no “half-credit.” You do not go to bed until the work is done. Period.

Do you hold yourself to a high standard or not? How can you expect respect without leading with it?

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