Author and business coach

John McKee, president of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is the author of Career Wisdom and 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot. His Web sites are www.BusinessSuccessCoach.net and www.BusinessWomanWeb.com. He offers counsel on dealing with tough workplace challenges.

What's your advice for those who work for a jerk?

We've all seen 'em - those self-absorbed, arrogant, sarcastic and credit-hoarding managers that, as you read this, are getting under the skin of subordinates from coast to coast. So, rather than telling The Jerk to "take this job and shove it," it's best to take a more anticipatory, strategic approach. One such approach is to understand the "circle of success." That is to say, spend a measurable amount of time ensuring the boss looks good - however deserved, or not. When he or she understands that you are able to help him or her succeed, you and your team will get more time, positive attention and resources for your own productivity.

Describe the upside of office politics.

Aspiring professionals should spend time considering the political climate within their workplace, those productive and counterproductive human factors present among co-workers jockeying for position. The good news is that effectively strategizing and executing an office politics "action plan" can literally make your career. Do it poorly or not at all, and stagnant wages or, worse, a pink slip may very well be in your future. The very nature of office politics is strategy, which differs from office gossip in that people participating in office politics do so with the objective of gaining advantage. Accordingly, creating an "action plan" detailing specific strategies to circumvent political land mines is a worthy exercise.

Describe workers' fatal flaws.

You're fired! This succinct phrase strikes more fear into the heart of the working man and woman than any other. Here are just a few notable fatal career flaws - not keeping your skill set current, failing to deliver results, confusing efficiency with effectiveness, believing you are irreplaceable, surrounding yourself with "brown-nosers," forgetting to give credit to others and failing to self-promote.

What is the 'yes factor'?

The yes factor is negotiating to get what you want out of life. Everything is fair game; whether you covet a new job, a raise, a business deal, a new car, some new bling or need to rectify a problem with a loved one, the art of negotiation is your secret weapon to achieving the result you want. Among the greatest strengths of very successful businesspeople is their ability to out-negotiate with others to achieve their desired result. The most proficient negotiators manage these conversations in such a way that the other party probably does not even know he or she is engaged in a bargaining process. The bottom line is simple. If there is something you want that is in someone else's control, knowing how to negotiate will stack the odds in your favor.

- Dawn House

dawn@sltrib.com