Perhaps the most insidious of these roles is the dreaded yes-man and yes-woman. These people emulate the dream employee.
On the surface, yes-men/women possesses many qualities of an ideal employee. They are typically affable, willing to take on challenges and happy to deal with whatever demands you make.
They agree to help fellow employees and accept work that does not fall within their job description. The yes-man/woman rarely confronts other people. When inevitable tensions arise, they seem unaffected by them.
As time passes, problems start to emerge. They do not complete threequarters of the tasks they take on. They agree to anything, suggested by anyone. Over time, relationships with co-workers begin to sour.
At first, people are taken in by the fact that they take on every task and readily agree to help them. But, their inability to follow through quickly stirs up resentment.
Co-workers who are more perceptive will realise that these yes-men/women tendency to say yes to everything piles on more on their plate than they can chew.
How I see it is that playing the cards right is crucial. Saying yes must bring about a positive outlook for one's career and not leave you stuck in a rut with blind promises.
Some employers look for employees who have the drive to overcome and succeed and say yes to the right challenges.
The next time at work, count how many times you say yes and no whenever someone asks you to do something. There may be a career-changing yes that gets you to the top or a no that knocks you down the ladder.
R. MURALI RAJARATENAM, Kuala Lumpur letters@nst.com.my 2011/09/11
Source: The NST Home Letters To Editors
