6 Habits That Will Get You Fired

Before I became the founder, owner, and CEO of Patriot Software Inc., I was an employee, hungry to get to the top. The following is a list of hard learned lessons on how not to get there. If you value your job, I highly encourage you not to do any of the following.

#1: Build paper empires

One of my first job titles was Systems Programmer at Babcock & Wilcox. B&W was massive, and procedures were everything. After some time, I noticed people walling themselves in with tiny “paper empires.”

So many forms changed hands that one wondered if the company was hiring people just to write forms! Meetings were held to debate which forms should be followed and which needed to be cross-checked with other forms. It cost a lot of time and productivity, but when the paper systems were challenged, there was conflict. Employees were quick to point out, “This is the way I’ve always done it!” Deciphering the forms had become a form of job security.

I’ve seen well-meaning individuals create systems built on documents (both physical and digital) where employees spend more time trying to figure out the system than doing work. You can’t avoid change. But you can avoid unnecessary forms, redundant efforts, and word-stuffed documents. They eat valuable time and cut productivity.

#2: Be an information hoarder

The logic goes: if you have all the answers, you’ll get paid more and will never get laid off because the company can only operate with you around to provide answers. Makes sense, right?

Actually, just the opposite is true. People who covet information and don’t share it are bad for business. A good manager will spot this and, eventually, the information hoarder will get replaced or reassigned to a less critical function. Why? Because of instead of being an information multiplier who adds exponential value to the company, you’re creating an information bottleneck for the people who are paying you to do exactly the opposite.

#3: Gossip

In one of my old jobs there was this fella who knew everything about everybody. If you wanted to know any employee dirt, all you had to do was ask ol’ Charlie, who was only too happy to tell you. Don’t worry, if he didn’t have all the facts, he’d insert some of his own.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much unrest Charlie’s gossip caused: gossip about who was the boss’s favorite, who was in line for a promotion, or who was sleeping with whom in the office. Eventually management realized that Charlie was the root of the turmoil and terminated him.

Gossiping can impact mission critical functions, like project teams and talent hiring. Everyone is entitled to complain about their work from time to time--such is life. But pitting employees against one another, and creating the means for them to be dissatisfied with their work, is a sure way to get canned.

#4: Don’t help the new guy

I get it. Your company just hired a new, younger, more tech-savvy version of you, and you’re thinking that if you help him, you’re just expediting your termination. Well, unless you’re a lazy, paper empire builder that’s been weighing your company down for awhile now, that assumption is probably wrong. Helping actually marks you as capable of managing and onboarding employees.

The onboarding process can be a costly one, wherein the company is effectively paying a new employee for a substantially reduced rate of productivity. To put that another way, there are few skills more valuable to a company than a current employee’s ability to get new employees up and on their feet, contributing maximum value in the shortest possible time.

#5: Mock your co-workers

Some offices are renowned for their vitriol, sarcastic quips and mocking humor. In fact, some work cultures are so full of it that when a genuine compliment is paid, it sounds so out of character that it seems alien or condescending. Now that I’m the boss, I realize just how close the HR office is, and how flammable mocking comments can be.

Don’t make fun of other employees about things like weight, looks, clothing, lifestyle, dating habits, family beliefs, etc. Although you may think it's funny, maybe even bond building, chances are the person whom you are poking fun at doesn't find it funny—even if they laugh with you. If you hurt people in the company, you hurt the company, which eventually hurts you.

#6: Watch the clock

A saying I’ve always believed in is, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” This may sound old school, especially in a world of flextime and work-from-home options, but showing the boss you are willing to stay locked into your job until it’s done, even if that means working beyond quitting time, is still a way to impress. On the other hand, watching the clock so you can bail out as soon as the whistle blows is still a way to get passed by for promotions.

Understand how bosses think. They’ve got a lot of skin in the game, especially if they’re like me, the founder and owner. They’re committed, and chances are, they’ve been putting in more hours than anyone since long before you got your fancy job title. If you want to make them feel like you're worth your salt, and maybe a little more, don’t let quitting time be quitting time. Hard work still has a lot of value.

Conclusion

Hopefully this list helps you see that your career depends on more than your functional skill set. How you treat your peers, the effort you put forth, your attitude, and your adaptability are all important parts of the professional equation.

A good boss can tell what you are capable of without you hoarding information, hamstringing your coworkers, or building redundant routines. Think of others first and you’ll be amazed how quickly you get noticed. Focus on yourself and you’ll be amazed how quickly you get left behind.