Imagine it’s break (or closing) time at work, and you’ve agreed to join some close co-workers for lunch (or drinks after work). But some task(s) remain(s) that you know would be better done now, not later. What would you do? Especially if you know ” friends” may mock you for being so “diligent” that you sacrifice your private time to put in unpaid hours? This article uses a true story to offer you insights.

It’s Great to Be Sociable, but Never Let It Blind You to Your Priorities

Do not sabotage your career by letting decision makers conclude you are not committed enough.

Ask yourself why you’re in the company. Is it to conform to some unwritten loyalty code from demanding colleagues or co-workers?

In truth, except when a friend is badly in need of your support to deal with some serious issue(s), your employer comes first.

Sadly, most people don’t want to be seen as wet blankets or spoil sports. So, sometimes they stop work they should finish, to go on break. Or if it’s at close of work, they agree to join others to go home. Their “friends” tell them, you can always do it tomorrow!

Maybe the question to ask yourself is this:

“What if leaving it till tomorrow could hurt YOUR employer?”

A True Story Offers Insight YOU Can Use

On Monday, Oyat and 11 other graduate trainees resumed work in a large corporate multinational. They were soon assigned to different departments to commence a company-wide induction.

Oyat started in the training section of the Sogal factory. Within weeks he formed a close relationship with Drahcir, the young Training Manager, who happened to be a skilled spreadsheet programmer, and an experienced line manager.

1. Oyat Chooses to Learn Rather Than “Belong”

Over time, Oyat (being a bit computer literate) began helping Drahcir in testing formulas in a macro-driven reporting application the latter built for top level reporting in the factories. Doing this required understanding of complex formulas for many factory performance indices. Eventually, Drahcir travelled to all the sites and they commenced using the application.

As time went on, Drahcir told Oyat:

“If you want to be a good line manager, follow me anytime I call you.”

That was easy, and Oyat had no problems doing it. Drahcir took him all over the factory, showing him various plants, how they worked, how to manage the operators etc.

But doing it meant Oyat had to miss going on daily meal breaks with other trainees. Drahcir and himself often arrived at the restaurant towards the end of break time. The other trainees would point and whisper. They eventually coined names for him, and also mocked him for “following Drahcir around like an errand boy”.

By the time he finished his training, Drahcir had gotten Oyat to produce detailed typewritten training notes covering all that he had learnt, with photos (taken by Drahcir).

Everything was then printed out (photos glued to relevant pages) and spiral bound into 4 different modules of over 250 combined pages. A set was given to Oyat, while Drahcir kept a set for the training centre.

He told Oyat:

“You’ll find yourself referring to these notes, and you’ll be glad I got you to make them. What’s more, others will come to borrow them from you. Mark my words!”

Oyat Gets Deployed & His Preparation Yields Almost Instant Rewards

One year later, all 12 trainees had been deployed to permanent stations. Oyat ended up in one of the company’s factories in another state.

At the start of his second week there, he was looking through some process records in his new department, when he got word that the site Training Manager (a colleague to Drahcir) wanted him. Arriving there, the gentleman asked him

“We’re getting some errors from this application. Our reports must get to headquarters today. Drahcir tells me you know this application as well as he does. Can you help us?”,

He turned the computer monitor towards Oyat, who found himself staring at the application he had spent hundreds of hours helping to test and check for errors.

Less than thirty minutes later, he’d corrected the problem. Everyone soon heard about it.

Some months later, while working as line manager, he found himself referring to one of his spiral bound reports to verify certain details.

A new manager in training asked to see the report, and took time to flip slowly through a few pages. Few minutes later, looking at Oyat with new found respect, he asked if he could borrow it!

As he replied in the affirmative, Oyat could almost hear Drahcir saying “I told you so!”

Final Words: Those Who Mock You Will Eventually Admire You!

In the months and years that followed, repeat secondments – and eventually a promotion – came. He got to a management grade higher than his former trainee colleagues.

One day, he took a call from one of them, who at a point in their discussion said:

“You know Oyat, you’re the first amongst us, to get promoted to this level in the company.”

And when he said it, he was dead serious.

This was in contrast to those early years, when this same individual had led others to mock Oyat for “following Drahcir around like an errand boy.”

Oyat’s decision to NOT bow to peer pressure at work, had proven to be a wise one!