DEAR GRADUATE (CRISIS VERSION)DEAR GRADUATE (CRISIS VERSION)Not long ago, we received some advice about what not to say when delivering a commencement address that was coming up. First, don't bore the graduates with cliches, like the old "the road not taken," we were told. Don't blither on with buzzwords Below is a list of common buzzwords which form part of the business jargon of Corporate work environments. General Conversation
Instead, we were urged, just admit the economy is awful and give the students what they want to hear. Advice on how to succeed anyway. Oh, just that? Three years ago we wrote a column called "Dear Graduate," with a very simple message. "The way to get ahead is to overdeliver," we said. "Expand the organization's expectations of you and exceed them." That advice, we firmly believe, still holds true. But the current environment prompts us to add four "codicils" to the overdeliver credo, to bolster it (and you) for the tumultuous ride ahead. And like the current environment, you may not like them very much. Take the first of the lot: Get off your computer. No, we're not being Neanderthals. We love the wonders of the Web as much as the next geek A technically oriented person. It has typically implied a "nerdy" or "weird" personality, someone with limited social skills who likes to tinker with scientific or high-tech projects. The origin of the term dates back to the late 1800s. . We live on our BlackBerrys, tapping away on them even as we talk with each other, eat dinner, and watch ball games. We're addicted to Twitter A Web site and service that lets users send short text messages from their cellphones to a group of friends. Launched in 2006, Twitter (www.twitter.com) was designed for people to broadcast their current activities and thoughts. . We stalk our children on Facebook. Frankly, when it comes to technology, we're certifiable cer·ti·fi·a·ble adj. 1. That can or must be certified. Used of infectious, industrial, and other diseases that are required by law to be reported to health authorities. 2. . But we're not vying for promotions these days. When we were, we knew one thing for certain: Relationships matter. Real ones, perhaps maintained electronically, but not built that way. So next time you're about to e-mail a co-worker, hit the delete key  On computer keyboards, the delete key (sometimes shortened "Del"), should, during normal text editing, discard the character at the cursor's , take the elevator or walk down the hall, and talk to them instead. Get to know them. Let them get to know you. And if you're thinking of working from home two or three days a week because "it's so easy" and "it doesn't really matter," slap yourself for being unrealistic. Because if you ever want to be a leader, being online is fine but being there is imperative.
Our second piece of advice probably sounds just as old-fashioned as the first, but we'd prefer to call it timeless: You've got to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues. O.K., we stole that line, and from Ringo Starr Noun 1. Ringo Starr - rock star and drummer for the Beatles (born in 1940) Richard Starkey, Starkey, Starr Beatles - a rock group from Liverpool who between 1962 and 1970 produced a variety of hit songs and albums (most of them written by Paul McCartney and of all people. But as the song says: "You know it don't come easy," especially these days. In this marketplace, if you're a new employee hoping to achieve work-life balance The expression work-life balance was first used in 1986 in the US (although had been used in the UK from the late 1970s by organisations such as New Ways to Work and the Working Mother's Association) to help explain the unhealthy life choices that many people were making; they were , we strongly suggest you hold that thought. Hold it, that is, until you've earned some chits with a nice, long run of great performance. In the brave new world Brave New World Aldous Huxley’s grim picture of the future, where scientific and social developments have turned life into a tragic travesty. [Br. Lit.: Magill I, 79] See : Dystopia Brave New World of 9%-plus unemployment, flexibility is a reward, not an entitlement. Our third piece of advice is to love everyone. Yes, we're serious. We live in a culture of pervasive criticism and snark snark elusive imaginary animal. [Br. Lit.: The Hunting of the Snark] See : Quarry snark - [Lewis Carroll, via the Michigan Terminal System] 1. A system failure. . We dismiss less-successful-seeming people as losers. We fall into the trap of office politics, aligning with one group or the other, hoping it's got the inside track. How pointless. Most people you meet at work--regardless of rank or title--know something you don't. Many people, again despite where they sit in the hierarchy, can be a mentor to you about something. So try to shed your cynicism and listen to every voice. It will make you smarter and more humble. And if smartness and humility end up being the two main traits people see in you, you're going to be a winner, no matter what the GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. . Our final piece of advice to the Class of '09 is especially for those with business degrees: Please stop apologizing. Despite all the negative noise about capitalism of late, the vast majority of companies are filled with good and decent people, doing good and decent work Decent work is a concept that encapsulates both the quality of employment as well as the imperative of providing high quality jobs globally. Definition The decent work agenda seeks not just the creation of jobs, but of high quality jobs around the world [1]. . There's no need to feel shame. You are entering a noble profession. Business is a force for progress in the world, creating jobs, opportunity, and hope, and you'll be part of that. If nothing else in these complicated times, that alone is cause for celebration. And we do suggest you celebrate. You are the best and the brightest. The future does belong to you. All you need to do is overdeliver--and then some. 
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