Sidebar: Be a Social Worker

All work, says Lois P. Frankel, is social -- a fact of work life that people ignore at their peril. "Establishing good working relationships can help us secure the cooperation of the people we need to accomplish our tasks. If we delay building good relationships until we really need them, it will be too late." Here are six of Frankel's favorite techniques for socializing at work.

1. Once a day, drop into someone's office for a 10-minute talk. "Casual conversation helps build friendly relationships that can withstand stress."

2. When people talk to you, listen. "Put everything else on hold for a moment, so that people will realize that what they're saying matters to you."

3. When you need help, ask for it. "This is mainly a relationship-building exercise, but you'll get lots of useful feedback as well."

4. Begin conversations with small talk. "If you always talk about work, people will think that you only care about work -- and that you don't care about them."

5. Don't let your desire to be liked keep you from being straightforward. "We all want to be popular, but that desire should never overshadow the need to make tough decisions."

6. Do favors for others -- even when you can't anticipate that a favor will be returned. "Doing so builds good corporate karma, and somehow, some way, you'll benefit from that karma."

Coordinates: Lois P. Frankel, lpfrankel@msn.com

Sidebar: Are You Knocking Out Your Own Career?

The reasons why a fast-tracker suddenly derails are often evident to everyone except that person. To help you determine whether your career is in danger, we've adapted a "Derailment Inventory" from Lois P. Frankel's Jump-Start Your Career. Use the scale below to answer the questions that follow. Each set of questions gauges your abilities in one of three areas: working with coworkers, working with higher-ups, and networking.

1 = describes me exactly
2 = describes me
3 = somewhat describes me
4 = does not describe me

People Skills

• Other people describe me as a real "people person."
• I spend a part of each day making small talk with coworkers.
• I see some of my coworkers outside of work, and I know most of them socially and not just professionally.
• Because I have good work relationships, I often succeed where others fail.
• I do not have an inordinate need for everyone to like me.

Working with Authority

• When I have a good reason for doing so, I can express a view that differs from that of my company's senior team.
• If I see a senior leader making a decision that seems harmful to my company, I speak up.
• People see me as someone who can independently assess an executive decision and, when appropriate, offer an alternative perspective.
• When senior people ask for my opinion, they know that I'll respond to them with candor.
• I believe that it's more important to be honest with senior leaders than to placate them.

Networking

• I spend at least a part of each week networking with colleagues.
• I belong to professional organizations and know other members of them.
• A few times each month, I am invited to join key members of my team or my organization for lunch.
• I'm fairly well connected to my company's grapevine.
• I regularly interact with peers in other divisions and at other companies.

The Score

Now, to find out whether your career is on the fast track or whether it's headed for derailment, tally your score for each set of questions.

5 to 8: You're right on track! Examine the points on which you rated yourself 1 or 2, and try to continue acting accordingly.

9 to 13: You need to fine-tune your skills to stay on track. Review the questions on which you scored 3 or 4, and work to add the relevant skills to your repertoire.

14 to 17: You're dangerously close to derailing. Time to do an in-depth self-assessment and to expand your skill set.

18 to 20: You're seriously derailed. To get your career back on track, seek help from a mentor or a career coach.

Coordinates: $14. "Jump-Start Your Career," Three Rivers Press, www.randomhouse.com

Michael Kaplan (mkap@interport.net), a frequent contributor to Fast Company, also writes for Smart Money and GQ.