Article: Show that you mean business by arriving five to ten minutes early for any meeting or appointment you might have. This shows that you respect your time and the time of others. This applies to professional settings. It is typically okay to be a few minutes late to parties and other social events. Stay up on the current events in your city, state, country and the world. Don't just know about the latest pop culture, know about the politics that are affecting you. This will give you serious topics to discuss with others. Download news apps to your phone and take fifteen minutes daily to read articles every morning. You can even sign up for news alerts. Should you be assigned a task at work or school, work diligently on it. Do your research so you can do it to the best of you ability. If there is a presentation portion, practice beforehand until you have mastered it. This will show that you take your work seriously. For instance, if you have a presentation coming up, prepare a powerpoint. Use a simplistic format and include visuals or charts. Check for typos and practice presenting in the mirror. Take care of your appearance by showering and keeping your hair and clothes presentable. This will keep you looking sharp, neat and clean. You don't have to look ready for a board meeting (unless you're actually going to a board meeting), but you should always look nice. Iron your clothes the night before so you don't have to rush in the mornings. Use your clothes to tell people what you want them to think about you. If you want to be taken seriously, don't do things that make people think less of you. Avoid public intoxication, drugs, crime, and other poor decisions. Instead, involve yourself in positive activities like volunteering. Be mindful of what you post on social media, too. Avoid posts that glorify drugs, violence or other negative behaviors. If you tell someone that you will do something, you should follow through on that. If they see you as someone that just makes empty promises, they will be very unlikely to take you seriously. Perhaps you promised a coworker that you would pick them up the following morning for work. Be sure to set a reminder on your phone and wake up early so you can keep the promise. If you are lying often, you can't really expect people to believe you. They aren't going to trust you to tell them the right information. Always be truthful with others, even when it's difficult. They will begin to take you seriously if they know you will be honest with them. People value honesty and genuineness in others. For example, if you don't know something, say, "I'm not familiar with that, but I'll look it up." If someone is being rude to others or suggest something that is wrong, speak up for what you believe. Do so in a respectful and kind manner. This will show to others that you have integrity and that you're willing to fight for what's right. For instance, your boss might suggest paying the new female coworker less than the male staff because of her gender. Let him know that this is not okay and that she deserves equal pay to do equal work.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Arrive early. Read the news. Prepare for your assignments or projects. Dress for success. Set up a good reputation. Follow through on your promises. Tell the truth. Speak up when you disagree.