Survival lesson: being seen to do

Yes, I think I'm getting it.

The way to survive in certain places is to be seen going through the motions. What I've always got wrong is that I haven't distinguished doing with being seen to do. And I don't mean being seen to do and doing, I'm talking about the art of being seen to do.

Things like long meetings, planning and carrying out questionnaires, collating and publishing them in the form of a report are all strategies for being seeing to do (and keeping your job safe and advancing in your career). Another is to make sure you are in your office regardless of if you are doing anything. Whatever happens - just make sure you are being seen to do.

There are two other important aspects of being seen to do. One is to be sniffy about colleagues who are not being seen to do (regardless of whether or not they do). And the other more important aspect is do NOT, and I repeat DO NOT ever show that you are doing (as opposed to being seen to do). In doing you will seriously threaten the state of non-doing by the people who are being see to do.

So if you really do, then keep it firmly to yourself.

Yes, I think I'm getting it now.