10 Insider Lessons No One in the Business World Will Teach You

10 Insider Lessons No One in the Business World Will Teach You It took me years to comprehend why people functioned so differently in the corporate world from the way I functioned or expected them to function. On the one hand, my clarity of thought, determination, ambitiousness, andcreativity helped me excel in my careerbecause these traits were highly valued in the competitive business culture on the other hand, I found that when it came to people skills particularly networking, leveraging influence, and positioning my value system was very different from the one I met in the business world.Turns out my parents didnt raise a kid who was ready to face the cutthroat corporate environment, which is typically the case for manyfresh grads who come from similarlyprotective and safe backgrounds.Whether we like it or not, the corporate world is the real world, and we have to learn how to navigate it successfully. To help you get up to speed much more quic kly than I did, Im sharing some of theunwritten rules of the game. Nobody will tell you these things. Most of us have to figure them out on our own but reading this guide can give you a head start on the competition.1. Your Worth to the Company IsTied to Your Last Performance EvaluationIm not kidding. Even if you were a top performer for five years in a row, youre doomed if you didnt manage to get a top rating this year, too, for whatever reason.I know, not all companies are the same. You may think that in your amazing company, managersreally sit down and evaluate all your results, compare them to your peers, iron out the differences in workloads and responsibilities, and give you a fair assessment.That may be true for some, but many of you arein for a rude awakening.2. Some People Are Only Nice to You When You Are Influential or They Need YouOnce your level ofinfluence changes or they no longer need you, so does their behavior.Sadly, it is often the case that someone who became yo ur best friend wont even say so much as Hi once your role changes. As if that werentenough to shock the living heck out of you, that same person may soon be back on your team and have the audacity to treat you like a friend again.Ive experienced this twice, and I am still baffled as to how people can manage such extreme levels of duplicity.Maybe they think I suffer from amnesia?3. Promotions Are Not Linked to Performance They Are Linked to the Perception of Your PerformanceWe all view thingsthrough our own lenses. My map of the world could be drastically different from your map because of ourdiffering values, beliefs, experiences, and cultures. When you are working in a diverse, multiethnic organization staffed bypeople from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds, differences in perception can matter a great deal.Perception is reality. If you want to advance, it is imperative that you portray the right pictureof your work and results to the decision-makers who matter.4. Being in the Right Place at the Right Time Can Matter More Than ResultsWe all know that fortunate know-it-all who got promoted before everyone else despite theirmediocre results. How did they manage to do that?Building your image, networking, and exposure can get you places you never even dreamedof. Dont rely on your boss to do it for you. Create a network of influential leaders, sponsors, and mentors who know you and your achievements. Then,as soon as an opportunity opens up,youll be top of mindwithall the right decision-makers.5. When Youre a Star, Most of Your Mistakes Will Be ForgivenI have had the privilege of making some potentially career-lethal mistakes that went overlookedbecauseI was delivering results and management perceived me as a star.At the same time, Ive seen cases where management wasjust fishing for mistakes so they could kiss an employee goodbye. The key is to be diligent and cautious at all times, especially when you are not completelymeetingexpectations. Even the slightest issue can get you into trouble.6. High-Paid Opinions Hold More Weight than Low-Paid FactsThere are the actual data and facts, and then there are opinions and positioning. The opinions of higher-paid (and higher-ranking) people matter more in fruchtwein organizations. Even when lower-paid (and lower-ranking) people have data and facts on their sides, top management has the right andauthority to do as they please. The earlier you learn this, the better.7. Sometimes Its Okay to Dissent and Sometimes It IsntMost companies encourage straight talk and want you to speak your mind. What they dont tell you is that, if you speak your mindtoo often, you might be labeled as negative, cynical, or narcissistic.There will be times when you have to choose between being in the right and being employed.Before you blurt out your opinion, ask yourselfwhat is at stake. How could your opinion be perceived? Is there a conflictbetweenwhat you are saying and what the company wants?Be strategic if youre go ing to disagree. Back up your message with data, and deliver itin a non-confrontational tone. As you may know, its not the words that get people off their chairs its the tone.8.Theres a Fine Line Between Gaining Experience and Growing RustyYou think that becauseyou have 10 years of experience in your category of business, you arenot only highly valuable to your company but also a great catch for your competitors? Well, think againIn those 10 years, you have been pretty much doing the same thing over and over again, working with almost the same exact people the whole time. Have you ever delivered truly slam-dunk results?Why would anyone be interested in you over the other guywho has worked in three different organizations, rolled up his sleeves to deliverin every role hes held, and led his teams to sternfrmig results?The lesson here Dont get rusty.9. Never Associate Your Self-Worth With Your Position or PerformanceIt feelsgreat when you are the champ but what what happens when you a rent? And there will be times when you arent. Even if youre the next Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs, you are bound to fail along the way.How do you react when you fail? Do you tie your self-worth and self-esteemtoyour job? You will be absolutely miserable if you do. You have to keep in mind that there are many factors outside of your direct influence that determine your success. If you were to beat yourself up for failing in those ares,it wouldnt be fair. Take pride in all the other roles you have in life when the going gets tough at work.10. It Is Easy to Thrive on Mediocrity Dont Fall for itDont be a victim of your own success. After youvespent years learning all the rules of the game, youll know how to play it with precision. At that point, it will become easy to fall into the trap of mediocrity.So what if you dont have stellar results? You can frame it otherwise. So what if you got passed over for a promotion? You have the right sponsors, and theywill look out for younext year. S o what if youve been on a dud assignment for the brde three years? At least you have a stable, high-paying job.This mindset is a kiss of death. Its detrimental to your learning and growth it is the path thatensures you get rusty.You dont have to. Instituteazero-tolerance policy for mediocrity, no matter how good youve gotten at playing the game. Push your boundaries and break the monotony.Dont struggle like I did. Give yourself a leg up in the business world. Learn these rules today, and really take them to heart.You may feel overwhelmed and even a little despondent right now, but youll thank me later.A version of this article originally appeared on Entrepreneur.Samia Hasan is the founder of Direction Dose.