GET TO KNOW YOUR ORGANIZATION: If you don't understand an aspect of the organization or a procedure within it, ask. If you still don't understand, ask again. Question until you are sure you understand the topic. It's easy to feel your questions aren't sophisticated enough, especially when you work with people who have been doing what they do for years. Start with basic questions like "What does our organization do?" "How does our organization do it?" "Who needs our product?" "Who does what with that product?" "Who are the people who get the work done?" Most long-term employees love to answer questions that make them feel smart, and valuable.

STEPS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE YOU WORK: Aside from asking long-term employees for background information: --Read the backlog of the organization's annual reports. Find out what's really happening where you work. --Read the organization's prospectus. --Attend staff meetings. Learn about the current events in your organization. --Schedule a workshop. Make the focus "What is our organization?" Invite the heads of each department. Don't worry about what your superiors think. You will probably impress them with your desire to learn.

KNOW WEAKNESSES AS WELL AS STRENGTHS: To succeed, you must also know the organization's deficiencies and failures as well as its successes. Ask yourself, and others, key questions you can often figure out what your organization needs by starting with yourself. For instance, are you organized? A disorganized leader often leads a disorganized crew. Do you accomplish goals or do you seem to work on endless projects? Is the staff helping the organization meet its goals or is it slowly sending it to a point of no return? Which department failing while others are reaching their goals? Who is succeeding and why? These types of questions are crucial to analyzing and improving your company?

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CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.