don't talk unless you can add value

If you work in the corporate environment, you know how people love to schedule meetings. Many days i just have back to back meetings and need to schedule "desk time" just to get work done to meet dead lines.
The most important rule of conduct for any meeting is: "if you can not add any value to the topic being discussed, keep quiet, just listen. trust me you will learn a lot."
So many times I've seen people interrupt a topic and say "well i could be wrong but shouldn't we be doing this..."
This is a great way to put your idea forward because you re not upstaging anyone but at the same time you better know what you're on about because if you don't; well then your just plain stupid and have wasted five minutes of our time which we will never be able to get back 'thanks a lot!'
Also, try not to add your two cents worth to everything, sometimes its best just to keep your two cents to yourself.
Bring up your ideas in your status and if your manager thinks its a good idea 'great!'; and if your manager thinks your idea is absolute crap and totally doesn't add value they will let you in a way only mangers can burst your bubble but at least you got to save face because no one else was there to think 'great smart ass we just wasted 'n' minutes over your stupid idea!'
Bottom line is : Time is of the essence. If you can add value to the discussion talk away. Everyone will want to listen. However, if you are just on your high horse please do it in your cube or office because most people just want to get back to their desk.

agree not to disagree

How many meetings have we attended where two co workers just butt heads continuously?
I personally have attended more than my share of those. Im not saying its a bad thing, its great that they are so passionate about their work. But what are the rest of us thinking?
Personally, im thinking "please just shut up. i want to get out of here. who cares if its 6 char or 7 char there are other important things to worry about!"
Everyone else is now bored or thinking "oh my f!@?ing god! take this offline please!"
Anyway, to cut a long story short; someone interjects "guys, guys, clearly this is important to both of you why don't you take it offline and we can get back to it in the next meeting."
The interjector is now a superhero, (s)he has saved us from hours of torture. And the passionate people trying to do the best work ever? Well everyone is like "oh my god! did you believe the fuss? i mean who cares!" "yea, totally agree. i was like get me out of here!"

So before you go to the meeting go over the agenda. if you have questions raise them at the meeting. You get an answer you like "SCORE!"; if not, well then say "can I set up a meeting about this? I don't want to waste the time here by going over all the fine print but i do have some concerns." The other person has to agree or they look they aren't intrested in their job. (note: cc your manager so the other person really does give you the time of day to go over your concerns)
Result: People are curious because we all want to know the unsaid. And now everyone at the meeting is thinking "what was it that you had such a concern about? Did you get it resolved? How is it important?"
And this is exactly what you want people thinking.
You dont want people to be like "Here we go again!" everytime you open your mouth at a meeting.

So you have a job. How do you keep it?

Every day I sit in meetings and cringe as I see people step into land mines. Its not like i work in the army, but anyone who has worked is aware of office politics.
Now its not like office politics is lethal it can just cost you your job or get you rolled off a project.
And since in today's economy jobs are a dime a dozen who cares. Lets just say what we have to say and show everyone how deserving we are.

So you went to the meeting. It was pointless. Your colleague was just saying stuff that wanted to make you poke your eye out. What do you do? You correct your colleague and very aggressively because well, that's what every job article says you do to make your boss notice you.
So now that you've proven you know your stuff, your intelligent, and showed up that stupid colleague of yours. Now what?

Ill tell you now what. Now people think you are argumentative and actually bond by bitching about you.
I have actually done this. I have managed to become bum-chums with my current project manager just by bashing a colleague that upstaged her in a meeting.
Even though my colleague is more experience than me, he now reports under me. Why? Office politics. (you have to play politics at work if you don't your not important enough yet.)

So that's what i will write about everyday. All five working days because believe it or not most people are just naive and put themselves in a spot to be the scape goat ( there always is one).
And then they wonder why they were overlooked for the promotion which they deserved.