Your Inner CEO: Are you the life of the party?

Do you enjoy being in the company of people you work with? That can be a good way of knowing whether they enjoy being with you.

Marlon Brando was once asked if he considered himself the best actor in Hollywood. That was a very treacherous question, but Brando managed to answer it in a creative way. He said, “It doesn’t matter whether I’m the best actor. I’m the best positioned actor. People know me, and they want me around. I make life interesting for the people around me. It’s fun for me and it’s fun for them. I’m not always a nice guy, but I’m never the same guy twice. That’s why studios want to put me in movies, and that why the public wants to see me there.”

Are you like Brando in this respect? Do you get together with people in your industry even when you don’t have to? If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track, If the answer is no, ask yourself who would you rather be with? Then think about how you can make a career move in that direction.

If you have a difference of opinion with someone, do you feel you always need to win? If so, choose your words carefully. How you express yourself will be remembered long after what you said is forgotten. And remember the key phrase” “Let’s keep talking.”

If someone is the target of another person’s anger, do you instinctively take one person’s side? Don’t rush to judgment. There are two sides to any dispute -- and there’s also the very wise option of not getting involved if you don’t have to.

I’m not saying you should hang around the water cooler. I’m saying you should take a genuine interest in other people – and genuine is the key word. Don’t fake it. Train yourself to actually become interested in other people’s lives. You yourself are of course totally fascinating -- but that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who’s totally fascinating. Show people you understand that!