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You don't have to be a rocket scientist, or even an overpaid and under-qualified engineer, to recognize the importance of keeping your boss constantly guessing. Coming to work at wildly different times, long incoherent or mildly catatonic episodes, selling Amway products during office hours, no hygiene practices--these are all examples of behaviors that could set you apart from the lemon-smelling lemming crowd--if you took the chance to be different. After all, shouldn't you become the change your afraid to count upon tomorrow? (Saying available in cute kitten posters!)
Supervisors respect and highly praise creative business people who, for example, manage their Ebay business simultaneously with their boring daily "jobs." Another way to set yourself apart is your communication. If you're tired and irritable, it's a great time to send an important e-mail or have that big meeting with your boss. Strive in your messages for ambiguity and a vague mysterious quality. For instance, here's a great example of a message my friend Sven sent to his supervisor at the fish processing center in Anacortes, Washington.
Dear Bob,
I hear something big may be happening tonight, so I wanted to let you know that I wasn't involved in any way. Sadly, I can't come in tomorrow to work the krab line because of certain particular conditions which may negatively impact our work environment. If you need me, I'll be up at the cabin. No cell service, but why don't you drive on up? I'll see you before you see me, so I'll be sure to catch you on the other side!
...Sven
Psst...Another great little phrase is "larger issues."
