By Anthony Balderrama,
AMC's critically adored series "Mad Men" is back for its fifth season after a long hiatus, and life in 1967 is moving along at fictional advertising agency
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. The show, which follows the professional
and personal lives of the agency's staff, is a snapshot of a very
different professional world than the one we live in today. From the
fashion that is so old it's now hip again to the pop culture references
(such as Kennedy's assassination or the ride of the Rolling Stones), the
show can often feel like it's a world apart from ours. That's not even
mentioning the way women (both in the workplace and at home) and
minorities are treated on the show. At the surface level, let's hope
there's not much in common with today's workplace.
But the show isn't just about working at a 1960s marketing agency;
it's about characters who do smart and stupid things, just like real
people do. We've been watching the characters for 50-plus episodes now
and are invested in their fictitious lives. When Pete acts like a brat
or Don cheats on his wife, we can't help but scream at the TV and shake
our heads. So aside from not smoking indoors or drinking too heavily,
here are six lessons we can learn from "Mad Men."
SPOILER
WARNING: The following tips refer to events in the show all the way
through the current episodes of season five. So if you are behind on
your DVR, you might want to bookmark this for later.
Lesson No. 1: Stand up for yourself
On the show: Peggy
has to prove repeatedly that she's as good as, if not better than, the
men at the company, from asking to get promoted to copywriter to making sure she's not left out of meetings.
At work: You
don't get what you don't ask for in the working world. Be polite and
respectful, and never act entitled, but don't be afraid to negotiate a
higher salary, request a promotion or highlight your achievements.
Bosses and higher-ups may not be purposefully ignoring you, they may
just be busy. They might need an occasional reminder that you're doing a
good job and deserve some recognition. Don't get passed over for
promotions or better opportunities just because you're afraid to speak
up.
Lesson No. 2: Pick your battles
On the show: Pete
Campbell thinks he deserves to be the boss of everyone and everything,
and he whines when he doesn't get his way, no matter how important the
issue really is.
At work: Yes,
you should stand up for yourself, but not every conflict is equal.
Pointing out that you increased revenue by 20 percent last year is very
different from complaining to your boss that your office doesn't have a
good view (which is something Pete has done). The first few times you
speak up, colleagues will pay attention. If they realize you can't
distinguish between a true injustice and a petty complaint, they'll tune
you out completely.
Lesson No. 3: Pick your office romances carefully
On the show: Don
Draper married his secretary, Peggy secretly gave birth to Pete's baby,
and Roger Sterling had an affair (and secret child) with Joan Harris,
the office manager.
At work: No one is saying you shouldn't or can't have an office romance. After all,they're not that uncommon.
But love (or at least lust) has led to many awkward situations in the
hallways of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and in real life, you don't
have the luxury of a commercial break to sort things out. Just think
carefully before you go on a date with your cubicle neighbor. You might
find love, or you might find yourself singing a sultry French tune in front of the entire office and senior leadership, leading to uncomfortable jokes the morning after. Just be careful.
Lesson No. 4: Don't get too comfortable
On the show: Roger
Sterling was once the golden boy who could bring in the big clients,
but as the years pass he sees his own protégé, Pete Campbell, surpassing
him.
At work: Co-workers
aren't the problem, thinking you're indispensible is. Everyone from the
interns to the vice presidents of an organization needs to stay
motivated and creative. There is always new talent coming in and leaders
looking to reward the best ideas. Coasting through your job might be
fine now, but it's not the path to security in this competitive job
market.
Lesson No. 5: Socialize (within reason)
On the show: Deals
are made over cocktails and cigarettes, but if you don't know your
limits, you'll end up putting your foot in your whiskey-filled mouth.
See Peggy telling her boss she has to leave his party because, unlike
some people, she has work to do.
At work: The
point of happy hour isn't to get drunk (for most people), it's to get
to know your colleagues outside of work. People tend to be a little more
relaxed when they're sitting around and chatting at a bar and their
real personalities come out. You don't have to become best friends with a
co-worker, but building camaraderie can boost your chances of being
noticed by people who can help you. Or it could just make you like
coming to work a little bit more each day.
Lesson No. 6: Look good
On the show: Because
the show is set in the 1960s, before jeans and T-shirts became
commonplace, and because it's a TV show where money is no object, all of
the characters are dressed like they're going to a photo shoot.
At work: Not
everyone can or should wear impeccably tailored suits like Don Draper,
but everyone should dress like they care about their appearance. You
should never be at work and think, "I hope the boss doesn't notice I'm
wearing this." Your clothes should be appropriate for your workplace and
should never get you noticed for the wrong reasons.