The Person Who Can Make or Break You

Our careers are very much in the hands of others — people who can either make our lives miserable or help us rise to the top. Your boss, your coworkers, and even someone who you might not consider part of your company can have a big impact on your career success — if they want to. The person who can make or break you isn’t always the person you’d expect it to be, and it might even be someone outside of your company altogether, but it’s important to recognize that there are people out there whose opinions hold significant sway over your career success and happiness.

Start with their interests.

If you want to make someone, start with their interests. What do they like? What do they love? What makes them happy? When you know what someone is interested in, it’s much easier to make them happy. And when you can make someone happy, you can usually make them do just about anything.

Set up a meeting

If you’re ever feeling lost or like you’re not good enough, set up a meeting with the person who can make or break you. This could be your boss, your mentor, or even just a friend who you trust. Tell them how you’re feeling and why you think meeting with them will help. Then, listen to what they have to say. They may give you the tough love that you need to hear, or they may give you the reassurance that you need.

Get them talking, engage them in conversation

We all have that one person in our lives who can make or break us. They have the power to make us feel on top of the world or bring us crashing down. But how do you know when they are going to use this power for good or evil? What’s their motive? What do they want from you? When will they turn against you? And what can you do about it if they decide to use their power against you? That depends on your relationship with them and how invested you are. Maybe nothing, but if you don’t like where things are headed, it might be time to find a new connection.

Maintain eye contact

When you meet someone for the first time, it’s important to make eye contact. This shows that you’re interested in what they have to say and that you’re confident in yourself. If you can’t maintain eye contact, it may come across as if you’re not interested or are trying to hide something.

Listen to what they are saying and respond appropriately

We all have that one person in our lives who can make or break us. They have the power to build us up or tear us down. It’s important to listen to what they are saying and respond appropriately.

Ask questions but only if it’s appropriate

When you’re getting to know someone who could potentially have a lot of power over you, it’s important to be careful about the questions you ask. You don’t want to come across as too nosy or make them feel like you’re prying. Instead, try asking general questions that will help you get a better sense of who they are and what they’re all about. What are their interests? What motivates them? How do they spend their free time? What’s one thing they would never give up on? What type of people do they surround themselves with? It doesn’t take long for this person to know if he or she wants to keep talking with you because it won’t take long for you to find out if this person is interested in hiring you!

Don’t be afraid to ask for things out loud!

We’ve all been there before, thinking about what we want or need but being too afraid to ask for it. Maybe we don’t want to seem needy, maybe we think the other person can read our mind, or maybe we’re just plain scared. But the truth is, not asking for what you want can be just as harmful as asking for too much.

Stay positive and confident

No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you do for a living, everyone has someone in their life who can make or break them. This person can be a friend, family member, co-worker, or even a complete stranger.

Be comfortable with silence!

When you’re with someone who can make or break you, it’s important to be comfortable with silence. This person has the power to make or break you, so you need to be careful what you say and how you say it. The best way to do this is to be comfortable with silence. That way, you can take your time to think about what you want to say before you say it.

Do your research, and know who you are meeting beforehand.

When you are going into a meeting, whether it is for a job, to ask for a raise, or to close a business deal, you need to do your research. This means knowing who you are meeting with and what their interests are. If you know these things, you can better tailor your pitch to them. Additionally, if you are asking for something, you need to be prepared to offer something in return. Be confident in what you are asking for and have a backup plan ready if they say no.